By DON DUBUC

Florida fishermen love to fish in Louisiana waters. Just ask any locals who have fished against them in the International Fishermen’s Association Redfish Tournament series.

Florida teams have dominated the contests for the last two years. And last Saturday’s final event for 2002 at the Venice Marina was no exception as the father-son team of Artie Price and Artie Jr. went home with first place money after weighing two fish totaling 18.62 pounds.

But different from other tournaments this year, local anglers fared much better.

The Prices used Johnson gold spoons in shallow water in the Red Pass area to pick up their winning fish that weighed 9.48 and 9.14 pounds.

“We had to work the spoons extremely slow so they’d flutter over the thick grass and fall into the holes,” the elder Price said. “Normally you just reel the spoons in a steady retrieve and the fish see the flash and come up and hit it. This day they wanted it to basically hit them in the head. They didn’t want to chase it.”

Belle Chasse anglers and pro fishing guides Anthony Randazzo and Andy Minchowski had an 8.83 and an 8.84 for a 17.67 pound total to claim second place. Their fish also came from the Red Pass area. Their fish were caught with Excalibur Swim’n Image crankbait and a Reaction Lure gold spinnerbait. Another pro guide Mike Frenette and his partner Darren Angelo both of Marrero placed third with a total of 17.52. Their fish came from Southwest Pass at the rock jetties. The pair caught a total of 60 redfish to cull out to an 8.86 and an 8.66 pair.

They caught most their fish on Berkley Powerbait Shads in chartreuse and pearl with green tails.

Yet another Louisiana team, guide “Papa Joe” Bush and E.J. Plaisance of New Orleans, were fourth with a 17.34 total. They also fished Red Pass and used spinnerbaits and Spot Removers in shallow water.

The IFA “Team of the Year” Eric Manino and Paul Jueckstock had the tournament’s biggest fish, a 9.86 pounder and fifth place money. The Florida pair culled a 17.34-pound total from 40 fish they caught on a variety of baits.

Rounding out the top 10 teams were Alden Bourgeois and Todd Dufour (17.32 pounds) tie broken by time of entry; Peck Hayne and James Roddy (17.18 pounds); Ron Price and Michael Charron (17.18 pounds); Ron and Chris Hueston (17.13 pounds) and Robert Abruscato and Michael Tindal (17.05 pounds).

The event had 72 teams who weighed fish with 36 teams catching at least a 15-pound total. Eleven teams had at least 17 pounds and there were three teams who caught fish 9.50 or better.

The Ranger/Mercury Redfish Tour Championship is set for Nov. 14-16 at Marina Jack in Sarasota, Fla. where we will see how well Louisiana anglers like Florida waters.

Tree stand recall alert

With bow season in full swing and more areas opening for the muzzleloader and gun seasons over the next couple of weeks, a Louisiana tree stand manufacturer has issued a warning about a possible hazard to deer hunters.

API Outdoors of Tallulah is voluntarily recalling approximately 9,000 of two popular models of their tree stands. The models being recalled for safety reasons are the API Hi-Point Cable Cat Climbing Tree Stand, model number CC501 and the API Buckmaster Grand Slam Climbing Tree Stand, model number GS3800BM.

These stands are being recalled due to reports that a cable that secures the stand to the tree can break. This poses a risk of falls and serious injuries to hunters.

Anyone owning these products should call 800-228-4846 for additional details.

Stay at home speckled trout

Fisheries biologists are not surprised by the results of Mississippi’s latest speckled trout tagging program.

The 2001 results reinforce those of other states studies that show specks are just not travelers. Of 16 tagged trout that were recaptured, 12 had moved less than three nautical miles and 15 of the 16 had moved under five nautical miles. Six of the trout had been at liberty for more than 30 weeks since they were caught and tagged. None of these was recovered more than two miles from where released and three of them were recaptured at the exact same spot where they were tagged.

So much for managing speckled trout on a Gulfwide or any other basis outside of statewide.

DON DUBUC is the outdoors reporter for L’Observateur. If you would like to ask Don a question, send an e-mail to lobnews@bellsouth.net.