Ron Henne Jr., of Corpus Christi, and Brad White, of San Antonio, weighed a two-redfish limit that totaled 17.44 pounds to win the first regular-season event for the Texas Division of the IFA Redfish Tour presented by Cabela’s at Port Aransas, Texas, on April 5.
Starting the day off late due to battery issues, the anglers fought tough, windy conditions all day. One the way across Corpus Christi Bay the team’s boat took a huge wave over the bow, breaking their trolling motor.
“Despite battery issues, weather condition and the toll taken on the boat and equipment, we kept our focus and game plan,” Henne Jr. said.
The anglers long drifted scented plastic jerk shads in the upper Laguna Madre area for their winning limit.
Second-place finishers Cody Barton and Bobby Lambright, both of Port Lavaca, brought 16.89 pounds of redfish to the scales to take home $5,578 in winnings, including $2,709 in Anglers Advantage cash.
“It was very windy,” said Barton. “We used drift socks and slowly worked spoons and scented plastics in the Corpus area. We fished hard all day and didn’t make any mistakes.”
Father-and-son team Jay Watkins, of Rockport, and Ryan Watkins, of New Braunfels, took home the $1,564 third-place prize and almost doubled up their winnings with an extra $1,296 in Anglers Advantage cash.
“The fish held shallow all day and the water was dingy,” said Watkins. “We did not miss a single fish that we needed and released 15 or more redfish 20 to 24 inches. It was a great day with my son.”
Lopez wins IFA kayak event at Port A
Rene Lopez, of Port Aransas, measured a combined limit of 51 inches to win the first regular-season event for the Texas Division of the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour presented by Hobie Fishing at Port Aransas, on April 6.
After a windy Saturday at the IFA Redfish Tour event, the weather calmed to give the kayak anglers great fishing conditions.
Fishing top-water baits and scented plastics around Piper Channel and the Island Moorings area, the angler hugged the shoreline to follow the bait.
