Those planning to fish on Lake Cataouatche going forward might find those outings more and more productive as time goes on – the numbers are growing a bit more in an outdoorsman’s favor.
Last week, Responsible Anglers United released 5,000 juvenile Florida-strain largemouth bass into the lake, part of a continued effort to restock and restore the area’s waterways and fisheries following a devastating fish kill following Hurricane Ida. The fish release was made possible through a donation by American Sport Fish and the release was coordinated with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, which carefully acclimated the fish to the lake’s water temperature to maximize survival.
Steve Dufrene, founder of RAU, said the genetics of Florida-strain largemouth bass produce significantly larger fish. While native bass generally top out around 4-to-5 pounds, bass weighing 7-to-10 pounds almost always carry Florida genetics.
Part of why Lake Cataouatche was chosen for a release is that the lake represents a strong habitat for survival. Dufrene said the organization looks for abundant aquatic grass to provide cover for young fish and a healthy forage base so larger fish have ample food. Cataouatche has shown strong signs of recovery as a fishery.
“You’ve got to have the right water oxygen and you’ve got to have the right grass. Fish need somewhere to hide, or else they become prey,” said Dufrene. “And when they get bigger, they’ve got to have something to eat. That’s part of our criteria, and Cataouatche – you know, we don’t know how this ends, but it’s coming back strong right now. It’s got really big grass and they’re catching a lot of fish.”
Dufrene said Cataouatche was a “destination” body of water in the 2000’s and in 2011, the lake hosted a Bassmaster Classic that saw anglers collectively break the record for total weight of fish caught in the tournament’s history.
The fish for last week’s release were transported in chilled water to reduce mortality during travel. Before the release, water from Cataouatche was slowly mixed into the transport tanks until the temperatures were an exact match – this prevents fish from going into shock once released into an entirely new habitat.
Throughout the year, RAU builds toward a planned major fish release in October, but the American Sport donation allowed for an early headstart on that.
Last October, the organization released 32,000 4-to-6 inch Florida strain bass into area waterways.
Dufrene was inspired by Florida angler Cliff Crochet’s Every Fish Matters Foundation, which has organized several successful fish restocking fundraisers and events since Ida – which Dufrene called “the worst fish kill we’ve ever seen.”
Dufrene met with several local fishermen and discussed what they, too, could do. RAU was born.
It’s held a fundraiser each year toward its goal of rebuilding local fisheries. The organization partners with LDWF on a long-term initiative to enhance bass population. The overall goal is to increase the Florida-strain genetics within the native bass population, creating stronger, healthier fish that will grow to trophy sizes and strengthen the ecosystem for years to come.
It’s not a quick fix, Dufrene said, reiterating this is a long-term investment.
“Anytime we can replenish these fish, it bodes well for the future,” Dufrene said. “It gets more kids involved. If you take a kid fishing five, six, seven times and they don’t catch a fish, I mean – that’s it. But you go with him and you really have a day, then he’s hooked. It gets the kids off the couch and the video games and into the outdoors.”
