In the words of Hank Williams, Jr., “Well, it’s all over but the crying.” Hunting seasons are but a memory. It’s time to clean your weapons and move on, cher!
Now that the hunting seasons are finis, we’re finally experiencing some cold winter weather. Better late than never, and c’est la vie.
Sportsmen are stuck in a limbo (or, in pseudo-Cajun, “limbeaux”) period at this time of year. Hunting seasons are closed and the weather’s not suited for fishing except for the absolute most hardcore of the fishing elite.
The duck and goose hunting was off and on, much like the weather, this year. Some good days were passed in the blind. But for the most part, the hunting was generally off. Most areas simply suffered from a shortage of birds; and high water definitely did not create ideal conditions. The crux of the bird population is just now migrating, as freezing temps finally push them south. Go figure.
But there were still plenty of outstanding hunts making the Mounted Memories list.
From how far away can a 3 1/2-inch, 12 gauge fold a duck? Answer: 73 yards. The alleged shooter was Darrin Hoffpauir, and he put the hammer down hard on a pintail drake. Hoffpauir stepped off 73 long steps on a fine day in Thornwell.
He also put the finishing touch on his goose season with a mature specklebelly. When he retrieved the fat speck, to this hunter’s delight, he discovered a treasured leg band.
To fill out this period of “limbeaux,” Craig Derouen hooked up with captain Chris Comeaux at the helm, and set out for an adventure on the Mermentau River. The two were running their trotlines baited with cut bait and the pickings were slim. Unlike most fishermen, they prefer stained water, and the river was clear.
The 55-pound catfish caught on the Mermentau in December.
Down to the last of their many sets, the line was buried and very much alive. Derouen could barely budge the fish with both hands. He was thinking “alligator” when a broad tail broke the surface. It was a muy grande Opelousas catfish that eventually topped the scales at 55 pounds. What a great Mermentau fish.
The giant wouldn’t fit in their net or their 64 quart ice chest, but with some Cajun ingenuity, these fishermen managed somehow.
Back at camp, both anglers knew just what to do, and not one tasty morsel of catfish was wasted.
Fried nuggets with catfish courtbouillion on the side will have them coming back for seconds. The Sunday church get-together will be well fed and grateful for life in Louisiana.
Let us recognize the McNeese basketball teams — men and women — for putting on a great show for area fans. The ladies are in the thick of the conference race and are exciting to watch. Go girls!
The men’s team has struggled mightily, but is hanging tough. Coach Simmons has them playing hard, and they’ve had some recent success against high-quality teams. I hope they’ve turned the corner. There’s nothing like a few big wins to get that taste of success; and you want more because it feels so good. Head south to Burton and enjoy a great show. Go McNeese!
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