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The first full moon of spring occurs Saturday, which coincidently occurs during Easter weekend. For most people that usually means a long weekend at the end of what’s considered Holy Week by most Christians.
The weather is predicted to reach highs in the low 80s, with overnight lows in the high 60s. If I were to do a little prognosticating, it’s my guess that if you like to fish bream (i.e.: bluegill, red-ear sunfish, long-ear sunfish) this weekend all the stars, the moon and weather should line up perfectly for you.
When the water temperature reaches 70 degrees, spawning season begins for these species of fish. If this past weekend was any indication of that science, rest assured it is spot on. My spouse and I mopped up on bluegills in the Union oilfield canals near Grassy Lake and over half of the ones we kept to eat were full of eggs when I cleaned them.
The thing about bream fishing is it’s not hard. The work is pretty much finding where they are and even that’s not too hard if you know what you’re looking for.
I look for shallow water 2 to 5 feet in depth, clear to stained in color, and something that has cover for protection around or near it. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and bream are near the bottom of the food web. Close cover is an absolute must for them to survive.
Cover can be in the form of logs and storm blowdowns that provide structure for them to escape predators. In many places, subaquatic vegetation (various grasses) is the predominant cover.
Sometimes grass grows so thick there is no navigating it with a standard outboard, plus it’s difficult to fish. When this is the case, anglers will usually fish the outer edges of grassy cover or look for holes in it.
Christine and I fished in the back of a dead-end canal where a tree had fallen out into the water about 40 feet. Its branches provided perfect cover in the shallow water and yes, we got hung up a time or two, but it was worth it.
I have a 7 inch rule for my boat. No matter what we’re fishing, they must be at least 7 inches long. A few 6-inch fish wound up in the box at Christine’s insistence, noting that they were chunky enough.
It’s more or less a cleaning thing for me. I know I can get a reasonable size fillet to fry out of a 6-inch to 8-inch fish.
Bream fishing is also pretty much a small hook, small bobber, and small weight thing. I like to use a Thill balsa float and No. 6 perch hook, with a single split shot fixed 6 to 8 inches above the hook.
As far as weight, I use just enough to keep the float perfectly vertical. When it’s right you can see the slightest touch by a bluegill.
When young kids are involved, I attach the round plastic bobbers as they will get hung up and more than likely you’re going to lose tackle in the tree limbs when it’s all said and done.
When it comes to eating, fresh bream is hard to beat. Some people like to gut, behead, scale, and score their fish and fry them on the bone. I prefer filleting all my fish. And, typically what happens at the Flores house is when I’m picking up gear and washing down the boat, Christine is usually frying our fish for supper. She usually uses Louisiana Fish Fry products, which come seasoned, but you can use regular cornmeal too and season it to your taste.
On a different note, as we get further into spring towards summer with the kids out of school, people will be on the water more. We’ve already had several deaths this year from boating incidents. In an effort to provide more education to the public, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is hosting its 11th Annual “Boating Education Lagniappe Day” on April 23 at eight different locations across the state.
Anyone born after Jan. 1, 1984, must complete a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators boater education course. Closest locations for St. Mary Parish residents are the LDWF Lafayette Office or the Terrebonne Parish Rifle Range. For more information concerning these courses, those interested can go to the LDWF website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/boater-education and click on the link for “Find A Course Near You.”
Bream fishing is a spring thing, and this weekend is going to be a good weekend to get out on the water to fish them. You can make it a perfect weekend by coming home safe. Happy Easter!
John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.

June 19, 1935 – April 14, 2022

Roland J. Hidalgo Jr., affectionately known as Sonny, passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Franklin Foundation Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

Sonny was born in Franklin on June 19, 1935 and was one of three children born to Roland and Bettye Hidalgo. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and honorably served his country and fellow man. He worked for many of his early years in the oil field and then went on to work for the Parish of St. Mary, retiring as Building Supervisor following 20 plus years of dedicated service. His favorite pastimes were fishing, shrimping, sitting in his backyard overlooking the Bayou Teche, and feeding his squirrels and ducks. His family, by far, was most important in his life. He especially loved to watch his grandchildren and great grandchildren play baseball, soccer, and football. He was their number one fan.

Those he leaves to cherish his memory include his son, Glen J. Hidalgo and his wife Gwendolyn of Bayou Vista; grandchildren, Heather Hidalgo Gros and husband TJ of Broussard, Mandi Borne Bucher and husband Steven of Youngsville, Ted Charles Borne II and wife Michelle of Youngsville, and Dylan Borne of Youngsville; his precious great grandchildren, Sport Gros, Eli Gros, Trey Gros, Carter Bucher, Maci Bucher, Colt Borne, Karlie Borne, and Rylan Borne; his sister, Betty Jo Mendoza; his brother-in-law, Lynn Veron; and a host of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Sherry Ann Talbot Hidalgo; his son, Roland "Pete" Hidalgo; his daughter, Rhonda Marie Hidalgo; his sister, Faith H. Veron; and his brother-in-law, Rudy Mendoza.

Services will be held Friday, April 22, 2022, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Centerville during a 1:00 PM Memorial Mass of Christian Burial. Fr. Joel Faulk will be the Celebrant for the Mass. A gathering of family and friends will be held at the church from 10:00 AM until Mass time. Interment will be held privately at a later date in the Franklin Cemetery.

Family and friends may view the obituary online by visiting www.iberts.com and are encouraged to share their condolences, cherished memories, love, and support for the family.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert's Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main Street, Franklin, LA 70538, (337) 828-5426.

In Eunice’s relative brief history, there is one literary character that has earned the spotlight and that’s Clovis Crawfish.

Eunice was officially declared a place growing out of the Cajun prairie 128 years ago.

Clovis was born out of the fertile imagination of author Mary Alice Fontenot 61 years ago.

On April 9, Clovis Crawfish’s 61st birthday was celebrated at the Eunice Depot Museum.

More than 50 people came to join the celebration, possibly eat some of the birthday cake and speak with Julie Landry, Mary Alice’s daughter and the new Clovis Crawfish author.

Eunice Alderwoman Connie Thibodeaux, who organized the party from 1 to 3 p.m., said, “ I‘m excited we are getting this many people. Last year we were supposed to have the 60th anniversary of Clovis and with the pandemic Ms Julie couldn’t come. So, we are doing a belated birthday party, which works out since the book did come out in 1961 and he is 61 years old this year.”

There were about half-dozen youngsters present as Landry began signing books that were for sale.

“I think the kids are enjoying it too and they they are waiting for the birthday cake,” Thibodeaux said.

Clovis author Fontenot was a school teacher, reporter and editor for many newspapers including The Eunice News. Eighteen of the Clovis books were written by Fontenot in a series that featured a variety of critters.

Landry, who grew up in Eunice, has added two books to the Clovis series and says she plans more.

Debbie Charlie, of Ville Platte, says she became a Clovis fan through her daughter and grandchildren.

“When my daughter was in elementary school at Sacred Heart in Ville Platte, Ms Mary Alice Fontenot had come a couple of times to introduce her books. So, of course I had to buy a book and they are signed,” she said after Landry had signed her armful of Clovis books.

“Slowly I started getting them until I have one of every one, “ she said.

Charlie started following Clovis Crawfish 25 to 28 years ago.

“I’m just excited and look forward and hopefully they’ll have more of them,” she said.

During the city’s 125th birthday celebration in 2019, a monument to Clovis Crawfish was unveiled in front of the museum.

The Clovis Crawfish begin from Fontenot’s kindergarten class at St. Edmund Elementary.

Many of the characters were from Eunice.

Clovis is named for a former police chief, Clovis Durio. Leo and Laurice Lightning Bulb were named after Leo and Laurice Ardoin, owners of an electrical supply business. The Red Birds are the Soileaus of Eunice.

In an email before Saturday’s birthday party, Landry wrote:

“I think the books have endured for several reasons. They started basically at the beginning of the Cajun “renaissance” when people here began to take pride in their heritage. Now they have become part of that heritage, with people buying them for their great-grandchildren. Each book offers a good story. The illustrations appeal to children. Children can relate to the characters. Each book contains one or more interesting facts about nature. Each book contains a lesson about friendship, cooperation, diversity, etc. The use of French expressions and the pronunciation guides add cultural and educational dimensions. The songs with simple piano accompaniment allow children to practice still other skills.”

Symbols of Christianity were all around: the serving of fish, an identifying sign used by the earliest Christians, and the Stations of the Cross commemorating the passion of Jesus.

But the most potent symbol on display at the Good Friday Fish Fry at Lawrence Park may have been the event itself, which attracted people from across the area.

“It brings the whole community together …,” said the Rev. Joy Comeaux of Pharr Chapel United Methodist Church. “It’s a way we can minister to our community.”

Pharr Chapel and Trinity Episcopal worked together on this year’s fish fry. They’re two of the churches that came together for the first community fish fry more than a decade ago.

Cornerstone and Walmsley UMC also played roles in the origin of the annual event.

Planning for this year's fish fry began n January and gets underway during Holy Week, as about 35 volunteers do as much preparation, some of whom wore green Community Fish Fry T-shirts as they served plates with fried fish, white beans and rice, slaw, bread and cookies.

Among the people who at-tended was Cherie Rigaud, one of the people who read at each of the Stations of the Cross. She moved out of state from St. Mary Parish and has since returned.

“I started attending Pharr Chapel because it was my mom’s church,” Rigaud said.

Howard Pinkston and Gail Jackson were sitting at one of the tables set up in Lawrence Park for the event. Both live in Gibson, although Pinkston is originally from Morgan City.

“We’re familiar with the Stations of the Cross and the event,” Pinkston said. “This has been a good experience for us so we thought we’d come and see what we could do.”

“It’s a nice post-COVID event,” Jackson said.