GEAR UP FOR GAME WARDENS

While Mother Nature was less than hospitable Saturday morning, she

failed to dampen the enthusiasm and participation in the 7^th annual

Chenier Wounded Warrior Tournament.A total of 82 entrants including 25

Wounded Warriors took their chances with the iffy weather and pulled off

yet another very successful event.

The Wounded Warriors that fished the tournament did more than just

compete as six of them cashed checks by placing in the twenty-one paid

out places.Several others cashed $50 checks for finishing the highest of

any Warrior not finishing in the top three in each category.

Not surprisingly, only three trout were weighed in, but that didn’t slow

down the show.Steve Simmons reported that a large number of area anglers

were on hand to provide boats and fishing gear for every Wounded Warrior

that wanted to fish.As a matter of fact, seven of the nine entries in

the Kayak division were Wounded Warriors!

Once again the redfish division proved the toughest to win with Mike

Garner nudging out 13 year old Anthony Trahan by .04 ounces to win first

place.Trahan, however, took both second and third place honors.

Corey Badon won both the trout and sheepshead divisions, Ernest Ramirez

won the flounder division, Andrew Steel took home the check for heaviest

croaker and Josh Tischaefer won the Kayak division.Simmons was very

pleased with the turnout and added that once again they raised a lot of

money in support of the Wounded Warriors organization.

My bad, but good news for folks bemoaning the thought that they had to

miss the S.A.L.T. Club’s Kid’s tournament.You are in luck.I had my dates

wrong and it will take place as scheduled, this Saturday. No entry fee,

weigh-in at 11:00, hot dogs and drinks provided and one of the lucky

youngsters will win a Lifetime Fishing License in a random drawing.

The winners will take home cash and rod and reels in three different age

divisions.You don’t need a boat and you can fish anywhere you wish as

long as you are back at the weigh-in by 11:00. For more information you

can call Outcast Tackle at 409-960-6686.

There may well be no other benefit event more important for area

residents than the 1^st Annual “Gear for Game Wardens” Dinner and

Auction to be held at Courville’s in Beaumont at 6:00 p.m. October 17^th

. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $25.

Monies raised via the dinner and auction will be donated exclusively to

improve the rescue capabilities of Game Wardens in this region.While

they are better known for their efforts in enforcing game laws and

promoting conservation, they also are equally quick to answer the call

when natural disasters occur.

While their numbers and demands are stretched to the limit, easily their

number one need to make them even more efficient in life saving

situations is additional upgraded and state of the art high tech

equipment. Life-saving gear ranging from search and rescue drones to

diving gear and better communication systems are sorely needed.

You don’t have to be an outdoorsman to benefit from the tasks they

address on a daily basis.It may very well be a Game Warden that rescues

you or a loved when no one else can!

Thus the reason every resident in the area is encouraged to show up and

support their efforts.The food at Courvilles is always good and the

auction will be loaded with some super items.

Courville’s is located on the corner of 1744 Rose Ln. and hwy. 90 just

west of Beaumont.For more information you can call Rich Courville at

860-9811.

Extremely high tides did little to help local anglers fishing Sabine

Lake or the river last weekend.The water was already high in area

marshes with more pouring in from the Gulf.

Redfish provided most of the action, but the flounder bite continues to

slowly improve.Not only have the numbers been better, but the size as

well.Johnny Gregory caught two flatfish over five pounds Sunday

afternoon on a half-ounce Rat-L-Trap.

“I was trying to catch redfish,” said Gregory and I thought I had hung

up when both fish hit.”That’s not my first choice of lures when fishing

for flounder, but I’m not catching five pound fish either!