Culpeppers lay claim in Lafitte

Commitment, long runs pay off for Texas team in FLW Redfish Series Western

LAFITTE, La. – In the sport of tournament redfishing, the words “long run” and “commitment” get used a lot when redfish teams describe tournament strategy.

Over three days of the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western event in Lafitte, La., Kris and Jonathan Culpepper demonstrated how those two elements work together to win redfish tournaments.

Defying the local Lafitte law that claims Venice, La., is the place to win redfish tournaments, the Culpeppers ran 115 miles to the west each day to waters they felt more comfortable with and in which they had more confidence.

“That’s how we operate out here,” Kris Culpepper said. “We pick one area and commit to it. It either works out or it doesn’t. This week it worked out.”

Each day, the Texas team brought back limits of redfish topping the 15-pound mark to win with a three-day total of 45 pounds, 14 ounces.

“Day one was really the hardest day for us,” he continued. “Our fish didn’t bite until late, and it really tries you. Those demons keep creeping in, saying the fish have moved, the bite is off or we need to move. But we stayed committed, and it paid off with two quality fish at the end of the day.

“Today was a little easier, simply because we got a 7 1/2-pounder early. That really allowed us to settle down and focus on catching one more redfish, and we caught it at about 9 o’clock.”

The area the Houston-based team fished was a large bay that featured washed away islands and eroded points.

“All that’s left in these areas is a little cane stubble,” Jonathan explained. “When the water comes up, the bait gets in the stubble and the redfish follow suit. We cast Berkley Gulp Shaky Shads rigged on 3/8-ounce Norton jigheads into the cane stubble and worked the baits through it. We couldn’t see the fish, just the cover we were targeting.”

This is the Culpeppers’ second FLW Redfish Series win. They won the Port Aransas, Texas, event in 2006 as well.

Phillips-Patterson take second

By virtue of a tie-breaker (heaviest one-day weight), the team of Brett Phillips and Mike Patterson of Rockport, Texas, finished second with a three-day total of 43 pounds, 14 ounces.

Phillips and Patterson checked in their lightest weight of the week, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday.

“I think we just burned our place up over the last two days,” Patterson said of the lighter weight. “In Louisiana, you just can’t manage your fish – you have to catch every single ounce you can catch every day. And over the last two days, Brett and I just hammered our area trying to cull up. Yesterday we threw back five keepers, all of which would have helped us today – but we just couldn’t let up yesterday.”

The team fished in the Empire area with 3-inch Bass Assassin Slurp shads.

Friday-Dufrene third

Mike Friday of Naples, Fla., and Chad Dufrene of Purvis, Miss., climbed to their best position of the week today, finishing third with a three-day total of 43 pounds, 14 ounces.

“The low tide and fog really hurt us today,” Dufrene said. “The water was about a foot lower this morning, keeping us from drifting around easily in our area. And the heavy fog prevented us from being able to see the fish real well.”

The team did find some tailing fish, which helped salvage their day with a 13-pound, 10-ounce day-three catch.

“We mostly used Berkley Power tubes in the Venice area to catch our fish this week,” Dufrene added.

Adams-Chagnard end up fourth

Edward Adams and Ray Chagnard of Metairie, La., former Redfish Series winners in Lafitte, brought in two redfish for 12 pounds, 11 ounces today to finish fourth with a three-day total of 43 pounds, even.

“The tide never really came in good today,” Chagnard said. “The water was about 8 inches lower than it has been the last two days, and we just couldn’t get to our fish. Plus the heavy fog kept the fish from coming up and sunning in those shallow, snot-grass flats. We had to scramble to catch what we caught.”

Welch-Warren fall to fifth

Day-two leaders Allen Welch of Picayune, Miss., and Robert Warren of Belle Chase, Miss., fell to fifth place today after turning in two redfish for 11 pounds, 1 ounce.

They ended the event with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 1 ounce.

The next FLW Redfish Series Western Division event will be held in Port Aransas, Texas, May 10-12.