By DON DUBUC

When school reopens there will be at least two students who won’t have a problem choosing a topic for the obligatory “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” story.

First there was Drew Jordan, a 12-year-old St. James Parish resident who recently broke the state record for Gag Grouper with a 57 pounder. Just days later, another 12-year-old, Baton Rouge resident Austin Johnson also broke a record.

“We were 73 miles out trolling when we hooked a yellowfin tuna but lost him. Then we decided to go looking for amberjack. At the Grand Isle 102 Rig in about 300 feet I hooked a live hardtail on and dropped it down,” Austin said. “When the fish hit I thought for sure it was an amberjack and Brian Bouzigard pulled the boat out to pull him away from the rig. I fought him for about 25 minutes and the fish stayed straight down the whole time until he was in the box. I didn’t even know what kind of fish it was, but he sure fought.”

The fish turned out to be a Horse-Eye Jack. And at 26 pounds 4 ounces, it was the biggest one anyone at Port Fourchon Marina had ever seen. A quick check of the official LOWA state records showed it was a potential new state record surpassing Robert Allemand’s 25.46 catch back in 1996.

Johnson was part of a fishing team that included his Dad, Bouzigard and others who were competing in the Golden Meadow Fourchon International Tarpon Rodeo during the Fourth of July weekend. Unfortunately, there was no rodeo category for Horse-Eye Jack. But owning a state record at age 12 is of itself, reward enough.

“I really don’t fish for speckled trout or redfish. Offshore fishing is what I like and yellowfin tuna is my favorite. Chris Torres, Joey Toups and Capt. Aaron Pierce of Shoreline Charters taught me about offshore fishing,” said Johnson, who hopes to play football one day for Parkview Baptist High School.

Austin landed his fish with a Penn 50 loaded with 80 pound test line attached to a 250-pound shock leader. His record fish falls a little short of the International Gamefish Association World Record – a 29-8 caught in 1993 with 50-pound line in 1993. The Horse-Eye Jack is a close relative of the more commonly caught Jack Crevalle. Besides its smaller average size, silvery sides, blackish instead of yellowish fins like the Crevalle, its huge eyes in proportion to its body are a key identifying characteristic. When Johnson’s fish is accepted by the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association as an official record it will take a 22.38-pound fish or better to break into the top 10.

State fish records for the top ten saltwater, freshwater, fly-fishing and private water categories are maintained by LOWA. To apply for a state record an official application must be completed and sent to the fish Records Committee along with a photo, witnesses’ signatures verifying actual weight on a certified scale, a biologist statement as to the accuracy of the species and other qualifying criteria outlined on the application. For a complete up-to-date listing of all state records, rules and information about applying for records and securing applications visit www.rodnreel.com.

The first half of 2002 has seen 18 (now 20) new top 10 records, which could itself be a new record.

CCA to hold banquet

Tickets are now available for the Coastal Conservation Association’s annual fund-raising banquet set for July 30.

Doors at the Castine Center on Pelican Drive in Mandeville will open for cocktails at 6 p.m. Dinner and a live auction will follow. Guided fishing trips, fishing tackle and other outdoor gear, wildlife prints and other collectibles will be raffled and auctioned.

Tickets are $50 per person; $65 for couples and $20 for youths and includes a one-year CCA membership, admission, dinner and open bar.

Corporate tables are also available.

For more information call Frank St. Phillip at Hook and Shoot in Mandeville at 985-624-9971.

DON DUBUC is the outdoors reporter for L’Observateur.