This weekend the City of Orange Boat Ramp will play host to the Elite Redfish Series “Redfish Classic”.
April 8-10 top competitive redfish anglers from around the country will launch out of Orange and fish all around the Texas and Louisiana Coast.
This event will highlight the truly amazing redfish fishery right here in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.
While the Bassmaster Elite Series is more widely known around the nation due to bass being present through the Lower 48, this particular event will highlight our greatest natural resource.
I am talking about the kind of resource people would come from Michigan or California to stay in Southeast Texas to seek.
This is of course our saltwater fishery.
While areas like Rockport might have more lodging and guide services and Port Mansfield and Baffin have more resort type lodges, no areas offer better consistent redfish, speckled trout and flounder action than the Sabine area.
Sabine Lake, Keith Lake, the Bessie Heights marsh system, the Sabine River and the massive marsh on the Louisiana side of the Sabine is truly an amazing place to fish.
I have traveled all along the Gulf Coast and wet lines in the popular destinations.
Yes, there are more bull reds in the shallows of Venice La. and perhaps more trophy trout in Baffin Bay than Sabine but when it comes to overall quality fish, we are tops.
Over the last decade, Sabine Lake has seen numerous record redfish populations according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) surveys.
This has a lot to do with TPWD stocking and the hard work of the folks at Sea Center Texas who produces many redfish fingerlings.
The same with speckled trout and the flounder population has also seen peaks as well.
With the Destination America network airing the proceedings, this will certainly create a great awareness of this huge drawing card. People coming here to fish are very good for our economy and in the long run is great for our resources as well. The more attention paid to them, the more chance have of continued conservation projects and money allocated to conserve our habitat and resources.
These Elite Redfish Series anglers are very good and they will without question catch many redfish. The weigh-in should be a blast and Stark Cultural Venues and the Great Orange Area Chamber of Commerce have done a great thing bringing the event here.
It will be interesting to see where they catch the fish. Will it be in the marshes on the Louisiana side of Sabine Lake or perhaps in the Sabine River itself? Then again, it could be down in Sabine pass.
The options are many and these highly skilled anglers will find the fish. The event should be a great success and will be family friendly with lots of entertainment and food options.
Most of us have caught many redfish from these waters. Now the top redfish pros on the planet will have a chance to see what this area has to offer.
It should make for a great weekend.
•
To contact Chester Moore, email him at chester@kingdomzoo.com. You can hear him on “Moore Outdoors” Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com.