L.d.w.f.'s louisiana saltwater series redfish tournament

[Ray]

The Louisiana Saltwater Series, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), commenced this past weekend at Seaway Marina in Lafitte. Sunshine and warm weather allowed participants to take advantage of a beautiful day on the water. Turnout for the tournament was excellent with 80 participants taking part in the inaugural event.

Overall weight determined the grand prize winners, the father-son team of Richard Rutland, Sr., and Richard Rutland, Jr., with a winning total weight of 17.06 pounds that included a 9.66-pound red drum. The duo took home a cash prize of $2,200.

Those who caught the big ones weren't the only winners to come out of this event. The biggest winners were the marine resources that will benefit from the data collected. LDWF was able to tag and release 65 redfish. By encouraging live tag and release, the series has focused attention on the redfish species and the conservation of all marine resources. Years ago, very little tagging data was available and only a handful of fish were tagged each year.

"The more knowledge we have, the better chance we have to improve fishing for this species and care for these resources in a responsible manner," said LDWF Assistant Secretary Randy Pausina.

All tournament proceeds go to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation and provide funding support for the department's tagging program.