As I write this, it’s the first day of the fall season, with temperatures simmering in the mid-90s and relief should be in sight. The slight wind is from the north, providing a little relief from the scorching heat. We have actually experienced several consecutive days with no appreciable rainfall, so that is a plus.
Teal season kicked off the hunting season recently with mixed results. Beaucoup water spread the birds thin, but hunters mostly still passed a good time. It’s a good way to practice getting your swinging shotgun groove on.
Ricky Self and his hunting partner and No. 1 son James David were up before the chickens on opening day. This was a treat both hunters looked forward to. A 14-year-old ICCS student, James had the blue-wing itch.
He and the old man scratched it with several flocks of buzzing teal. If you can hit these blue-wing bullets, you are officially ready for duck season. The second best part of the hunt will be the meal of pot-roasted Cajun teal fillets that Dad knows just how to cook.
James David was all over the teal, making several long, fold shots au naturel.
Frank Courmier was in his element fishing Toledo Bend Lake recently. The bite was on, and he had already enjoyed a great day with some solid 3- and 4-pound bass. Most of his action that day had been in shallow water covered in lily pads. He decided to finish fishing a small creek he liked, just in case a big fish was hanging around. This turned out to be a wise move.
The Cajun Self Blue-Wing Teal Gang, with James David and Sadie in the middle.
The giant bass hit with the unmistakable thud of a big fish pick-up. As his line began to move, Frank leaned into it, and set the hook from the toes up. The hawg on the other end responded in kind and the fight was on.
Frank grew slightly faint when this Toledo lunker broke the surface and he got a glimpse. After several back-and-forth power runs, he boated a personal-best 10-pound fish of a lifetime: a double-digit fish from a home state lake. And it does not get much “mo betta!”
Jason Faul wisely waited until the sun was setting and cruised the scenic drive to Lacassine Reserve. He just happened to have his rods stashed in the back, so he decided to make a few casts. He eased down to the water and let fly with a long cast.
When the bait hit the water, a marsh hawg unloaded with a huge toilet bowl flush. Jason knew just what to do, and sprang into action with a no-nonsense hook set. He powered the bass through the thick vegetation, and just like that, lipped a 6-pound, 14-ounce Lacassine lunker. You have to be living right!
Sportsmen all over Louisiana are hoping and praying for some much-needed heat relief. As the sunburned Cajun exclaimed, “And, if the heat doesn’t get you, the mosquitoes will!” A blast of cool air is all that’s needed to turn this summer pattern around and make it bearable.
Football season is full bore, just like the heat. Get out and cheer on your favorite teams. They more than earn and deserve it.
Stay cool!
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