The Southern Hunter is taking aim at fishing rodeo titles this weekend.

Based on last year’s performance, Bret Bishop’s new boat has a good shot at bringing back the Runabout Division’s Best All-Around Fisherman and Boat Captain’s trophies in from Cypremort Point. Bishop will have defending Best All-Around Fisherman Christopher Bishop and defending Boat Captain Brennan Bishop, his two sons, on board the 305 Grady Express.

They went out Wednesday night to catch live bait off the pier of their camp at Cypremort Point and plan to leave tonight for Friday’s start of the 55th annual Iberia Rod & Gun Club Saltwater Fishing Rodeo. The rest of the crew includes his nephew Corbin Bishop and Brandon Walmsley, who, like the Bishops, are from Jeanerette.

Advertisement

Fishing rodeo scales will be open from 2-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday at fishing rodeo headquarters at Quintana Canal. Fishing rodeo tickets will be sold until noon Saturday and are available at headquarters, Cajun Guns & Tackle, Dago’s Mobil & Grocery, Lazy Lounge, Hebert’s Mini-Mart, Fortier’s Boats, Travis Boating Center and Port Quick Shop.

Bret Bishop, an avid deer hunter and duck hunter, hence the name for his new boat, likes the Southern Hunter’s chances in the Runabout Division.

“We’ve been almost every weekend (late spring and summer) but we’ve mostly been diving. But the fishing’s been great offshore,” Bishop said as he ticked off the species he and his crew have been catching consistently -- red snapper, mangrove snapper, grouper, lemonfish and speckled trout. All but grouper are eligible fish in the Runabout Division.

Bishop said he is in favor of the Runabout Division rule adopted this year for the Runabout Division. No longer will points be accumulated daily, a format that prompted serious boat captains to come in each day with their catch.

The IR&GC changed it this year because of high fuel prices, a situation that might have discouraged anglers from competing if the rule had stayed the same.

“It makes it more competitive,” Bishop said. “It gives all fishermen a three-day window to fish. If they don’t like the weather forecast the first day, or have to work, they still have the same opportunity everybody else has.”

Bishop said he plans to fish the South Marsh Island and Vermilion blocks in the Gulf of Mexico. He’ll target every eligible species while fishing 70- to 150-foot depths with live bait and cut bait.

He was hoping to get all the natural bait he could late Wednesday.

The weather forecast for the holiday weekend brought a smile to his face.

“It looks like the weather forecast has gotten better than it was Monday,” he said.

Doug Gaspard at Dago’s agreed that the weather forecast looked promising as far as the wind speed, which is most critical.

There is a 40 percent chance of rain Friday and Saturday.

Fishing has gotten better and better in inside waters, Gaspard said, just in time for the fishing rodeo.

Fishing is very good for redfish on shrimp in and around Southwest Pass and Marsh Island and more and more speckled trout are being caught on shrimp and live cocahoe minnows and live croakers at Shell Keys, The Mound and Tee Butte.

He predicted a good turnout for the fishing rodeo.

So did fishing rodeo chairman Chad LeBlanc, who welcomed about 25 boat captains and fishermen to a free supper Tuesday night at the Senior Citizen Center in City Park.

LeBlanc reminded Teche Area bass fishermen about the IR&GC Bass Division. The one-day tournament is scheduled to be held Saturday out of Cabot Landing.

Fishing hours are from safe daylight to 3 p.m.

Entry fee is $40 per boat with a 100-percent payback and plaque for the first two places and a plaque for third place.

For more information call Tonny Touchet at 296-0891.