Francis Helluin
October 26, 2017
Lafourche Booking Log – Oct. 25
October 26, 2017
Paul Dufrene and Nicky Savoie grew up on the water.
As children, they fished the area’s bayous, marshes and everywhere else to try and find the most fruitful catch.
“We’ve done this our whole lives,” Savoie said. “It’s a hobby. We’re Cajuns. It’s the Cajun hobby.”
Now, that hobby is turning into a little something more for the outdoorsmen.
For the past several years, Dufrene and Savoie have fished competitively on the IFA Redfish Tour – one of the fastest growing fishing circuits in the Southeast.
This past year, the locals won the top prize, taking home the IFA Redfish Tour Championship.
The locals said winning the championship is an honor, adding that it’s a blessing to be able to turn a hobby into a profitable gig that pays out in cash prizes, boats, equipment and much more.
“Fishing has been real good to us,” Savoie said last week during an appearance at the South Lafourche High School Quarterback Club Meeting. “You know, it’s just a great thing. As people who live here, we like to get out on the water and we like to fish and have a good time with our friends. To me, I still look at it as that – just something to do to make memories and have a good time. To be able to have that extra with it now, it’s just awesome. Paul and I are doing really well and it’s been great.”
At the championship tournament in Venice from Oct. 13-14, Dufrene and Savoie used some of their tricks to outlast the competition.
With a total prize purse of $102,133, the event featured 111 teams from around the country – some of the top redfish anglers in the country.
Over two days, Dufrene and Savoie weighed 34.15 pounds of fish, enough to win the championship – a little more than a half-pound better than the 33.60 pounds weighed by Bobby Abruscato and Scott Ritter, who finished second.
By winning the Venice event, the local duo also clinched Team of the Year, which comes with a check for $5,000. To earn Team of the Year, the team accumulated more points than any other team throughout the course of the IFA Redfish Tour season, which spans several months and has several tournaments in various waters.
Dufrene said the trick to success is consistency and having a feel for what fish are where on a given day.
Dufrene and Savoie are both from south Lafourche Parish – each growing up fishing primarily in Leeville, Pointe-aux-Chenes and other of the area’s best hotspots.
But Dufrene said one of his biggest strengths is the ability to find fish in areas that he may have only fished a couple times – if at all.
“I tend to say that I know more areas and more secret spots in tournament waters away from home,” Dufrene said. “When in competition, I think that really comes in handy – being able to get to areas that maybe aren’t being fished as heavily.”
To get to the title, the team had to come from behind.
On Day 1 of the tournament, Savoie and Dufrene sat in third place in the event. Their two weighed fish were 8.38 pounds and 8.59 pounds for 16.97 pounds total.
That trailed the lead mark set by Britt Ordes and Bo Favre III, who were the leaders with 17.25 pounds. It also trailed Chad Dufrene and Barnie White, who sat with 17.22 pounds.
But on day two, that consistency Dufrene talked about shined through.
Dufrene and Savoie weighed 17.18 on the final day to get to their total, rising to the championship position.
With tougher fishing conditions on the final day, that number cruised past the two lead teams – both of whom struggled on the final day. Dufrene/White finished third overall and Ordes/Favre III sunk to sixth.
With the victory, the team won $47,415.00, as well as a 220 Ranger Bahia boat.
Dufrene joked that he and Savoie didn’t know how to share the boat, which came with a Ranger trailer and a 150-horsepower Mercury Outboard, so they’re selling it to the highest bidder.
They both joked that they’ll be happy to continue selling/sharing boats in the future if it means more tournament titles.
“We’ve had some success,” Savoie said. “We just hope to keep doing it as long as we’re able.”
Local anglers Paul Dufrene (left) and Nicky Savoie show off some prized fish they caught during a championship tournament. The duo won the 2017 IFA Redfish Tour Championship.
