Challenging Conditions Fail to Swamp Blue Jay Fishers at the 2015 Rodeo

This is the first year that the rodeo recognized “Living Legends of Louisiana Fishing.” The honorees are, from left, fishing fanatic Allen Sumas, charter boat captain Dudley Vandenborre, retired physician and fishing addict Bob Weiss ’62, and Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. ’58, Jesuit’s director of special projects who is an avid fisherman and the icon of the rodeo for the past 23 years.
View the 2015 Jesuit Fishing Rodeo Photo Gallery
The 2015 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo included 240 registered participants, a new fish toss competition, and special presentations to a stringer of Louisiana fishing legends. The 23rd annual event took place on Saturday, June 27, at Jesuit’s John Ryan Stadium.
A strong easterly wind and popcorn thunderstorms limited the number of entries that were displayed on ice, but the weather did little to dampen enthusiasm for this increasingly popular event of connection for students, parents, alumni, and friends of Jesuit.

Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo chairman Mike McMahon ’85 congratulates William Martin of the Class of 2020 for hauling in the largest fish, a 28-pound bull redfish. Martin will be a pre-freshman at Jesuit when the 2015-16 school year begins.
The inaugural Ray Coates ’44 Memorial Mullet Throwing Contest — named in honor of, and in memory of, longtime Jesuit coach and teacher Ray Coates — hooked contestants, who used their best underhand bowling style to fling the frozen “cigars” as far as possible. Mullets are known for jumping out of the water and taking flight, but these fish never flew so far. Coates, a Jesuit alumnus of the Class of 1944 who died July 3, 2013, often used the word “mullets” in an endearing fashion when referring to his pupils.
Special plaques honoring “Louisiana Fishing Legends” were presented to masters of the sport. After Bob Weiss ’62, Allen Sumas, and Dudley Vandenborre were recognized at the weigh-in festivities as the inaugural legends, rodeo chairman Mike McMahon ’85 surprised Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. ’58 by including him among the honorees for his unwavering support of the annual summertime event, as well as for his fervent love and devotion to God, the Blessed Mother, Jesuit High School, and thousands of Blue Jays.
About the Legends…
A retired physician who fishes 300 days out of the year, Weiss is known on the water as “Dr. Pontchartrain.” He is the father of three Blue Jays (Rob ’87, Philip ’91, and Sean ’93) and the grandfather of Robert Weiss ’16. In 2012, Weiss won the Coastal Conservation Association Star Tournament with an 8.02 pound speckled trout, netting him a new 18-foot Nautic Star boat.
Sumas bought his first skiff when he was 12-years old and used it to catch fish that he sold to Schwegmann’s for 25 cents a pound. Sumas turned over his fish money to his mother to help with family expenses. His recalled that his best day on the water was in 1993 when he caught nine fish each weighing better than nine pounds. “I eat, sleep, and dream about fish,” he admitted.
Vandenborre, often described as the “Master of Lake Pontchartrain” and the “Fish Whisperer,” worked as a roofer before taking the plunge as a full-time fisher. In addition to designing lures, including the well-known Deadly Dudley, Vandenborre currently is the captain of his own charter fishing business.
In honoring Br. Dardis, who is director of special projects at Jesuit, McMahon said Brother has been the cornerstone of Jesuit’s fishing rodeo.

Chef Carl Schaubhut ’00, juggling a spoon in one hand and a microphone in the other, explains to his audience one of his easy recipes: South Louisiana Seafood Chowder, sans potatoes.
“When Brother goes fishing, he concentrates only on catching fish,” said McMahon. “Brother doesn’t put down his rod until it’s time to go home. He doesn’t read tide charts, solunar tables, or even check the weather forecast. He simply and repeatedly states, ‘Don’t worry, the Blessed Mother will provide.'”
The weigh-in festivities were held in the shade of the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Pavilion and featured a cooking clinic put on by alumnus Carl Schaubhut ’00, executive chef at Café Adelaide (located in the downtown Loews Hotel), who demonstrated the art of concocting a South Louisiana seafood chowder without using potatoes.
The largest fish was brought in by one of the youngest participants — William Martin ’20 reeled in a bull redfish that tipped the scale at 28.2 pounds. Martin will be a pre-freshman Blue Jay when the 2015-16 school year begins. Other winners at the 2015 rodeo are pictured in the accompanying photo gallery.
2015 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo Results
Division I: Ages 19 and OlderBold Denotes 1st Place Winners |
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Flounder |
Black Drum |
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Patrick Browne, Jr. ’88 | .93 lbs | Eric Brown | 8.07 lbs |
Glenn Gillen ’85 | .78 | Gavin Gillen ’98 | 6.62 |
Sheepshead |
Speckled Trout |
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James Bonck ’05 | 6.08 lbs | Damon DiMarco | 3.23 lbs |
Patrick Browne, Jr. ’88 | 5.62 | Bart Barrè ’79 | 3.18 |
Bart Barrè ’79 | 3.61 | Ricky Trahant ’85 | 3.08 |
Redfish |
Red Snapper |
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Ricky Trahant ’85 | 7.60 lbs | Michael Heier ’05 | 13.73 lbs |
Ricky Trahant ’85 | 6.72 | Michael Heier ’05 | 13.65 |
Kelly Kropog | 6.56 | Michael Rooney ’84 | 13.41 |
Bass |
Largest Fish
|
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Bill Moran ’87 (Only entry) |
1.24 lbs | William Martin ’20 (Redfish) |
28.02 lbs |
Division II: Ages 18 Years & Younger |
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Flounder |
Black Drum |
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No entries | Matthew McMahon ’17 | 7.31 lbs | |
Blake Dulcich ’17 | 5.85 | ||
Michael McMahon ’15 | 5.30 | ||
Sheepshead |
Speckled Trout |
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Robert McMahon ’19 | 6.82 lbs | Blake Dulcich ’17 | 3.69 lbs |
Rusty Gros ’17 | 5.27 | Brook Barrè ’19 | 3.02 |
Cole Trosclair | 4.12 | Michael McMahon ’15 | 2.65 |
Redfish |
Red Snapper |
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Sophie Kropog | 7.57 lbs | Kyle DiMarco ’16 | 12.26 lbs |
Eli Sisung ’17 | 6.90 | Tanner Burgess ’15 |
12.22 |
Cole Trosclair | 6.49 | Paul Gelpi ’16 | 11.05 |
Bass |
Five Trout Stringer |
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Will Moran ’19 | 2.03 lbs | Team DiMarco | 15 lbs |
Rusty Gros ’17 | 1.64 | ||
Robert McMahon ’19 | 1.35 |
Ray Coates ’44 Memorial Mullet Throwing Contest |
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Men’s Division | It’s a Mystery! |
Ladies’ Division | Carol Besselman |
Youth Division | Paul Gelpi ’16 |
Galleries
Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo, June 27, 2015
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Division 2 winners in the bass category are, from left, Robert McMahon '19, Rusty Gros '17, and Will Moran '19, who brought in a 2.03 pound bass that took 1st place.
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Manning the weigh-in table and scales are, from left, Ray Faugeaux '73, Larry Canada, and Michael Heier '05.
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Rodeo chairman Michael McMahon '85 presents William Martin with a plaque and a fishing rod for winning the biggest fish category with a redfish that tipped the scale at 28.2 pounds. Martin, who just finished seventh grade at Holy Name of Jesus School, will be a pre-freshman at Jesuit for the 2015-16 school year.
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This is the first year that the rodeo is recognizing "Living Legends of Louisiana Fishing." The honorees are, from left, fishing fanatic Allen "Chink" Sumas, charter boat captain Dudley Vandenborre, retired physician and fishing addict Bob Weiss '62, and Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. '58, Jesuit's director of special projects, an avid fisherman, and the icon of the rodeo for the past 23 years.
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Division Two (18 and younger) winners in the speckled trout category are, from left, Michael McMahon '15 (3rd place), Brook Barre '19 (2nd place), and Blake Dulcich '17 (1st place). Dulcich's winning trout tipped the scale at 3.69 pounds.
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Division 2 winners in the redfish category are, from left, Cole Trosclair (3rd), Eli Sisung '17 (2nd), and Sophie Kropog, who landed a 7.57 pounder to capture 1st place.
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Division 2 winners in the red snapper category, from left: Paul Gelpi '16, Tanner Burgess '15 (2nd), and Damon DiMarco (1st), who was standing in for his son Kyle '15. DiMarco's fish weighed 12.26 pounds.
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Division 2 winners in the sheepshead category, from left: Cole Trosclair (3rd), Rusty Gros '17 (2nd), and Robert McMahon '19 (1st), whose entry tipped the scale at 6.82 pounds.
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Division 2 winners in the black drum category are, from left: Michael McMahon '15 (3rd), Blake Dulcich '17 (2nd), and Matthew McMahon '17, whose 7.31-pounder was good enough for 1st place.
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Unbeknownst to Br. Dardis, rodeo chairman Michael McMahon has arranged for a fourth honoree to be recognized. When it dawns on Brother what McMahon is up to, his eyes glisten and he suddenly gets all choked up. Presenting Br. Dardis with his special plaque is Michael's wife Amy McMahon.
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Division 1 winners in the speckled trout category are, from left, Ricky Trahant '85 (3rd), Bart Barré '79 (2nd), and Damon DiMarco, whose 3.23-pounder captured 1st place.
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Division 1 redfish winners were Kelly Kropog (3rd) and Ricky Trahant '85, who took 2nd and 1st place. His winning redfish weighed 7.60 pounds.
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In the Division 1 red snapper category, Michael Heier '05 captured the top two spots with fish weighing in at 13.65 and 13.73 pounds. Third place went to Michael Rooney '84, whose son Tyler '12 accepted the award for him.
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Division 1 sheepshead winners are Bart Barré '79 (3rd) and James Bonck '05, whose 1st place fish weighed 6.08 pounds. Patrick Browne, Jr. '88 won 2nd place but was not available for the photo.
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Glenn Gillen '85 took 2nd place in the flounder category while his brother Gavin '98 was runner-up in the black drum category. First place winners in black drum and flounder categories were not available for a photo. Eric Brown's 8.07 pound drum landed in 1st place while Patrick Brown, Jr. '88 brought in a 1st place flounder that weighed .93 pounds.
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Rodeo chairman Michael McMahon '85 presents Ray Faugeaux '73 (white shirt) with a fly rod and reel. Faugeaux, who usually fishes the rodeo, spent the entire day assisting weigh-master Larry Canada.
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Bill Moran '87 entered a 1.24 pound bass that won first place. Carol Besselman (left) and Amy McMahon congratulate him for having the only bass entry in Division 1.
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Strong thunderstorms swept through the area but cleared out just as the 23rd Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo was cranking up for the influx of fishers and guests at John Ryan Stadium. Whew, good thing! Nothing would jeopardize the inaugural Ray Coates Mullet Toss contest.
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Rodeo chairman Michael McMahon '86 (with microphone) introduces the Living Legends of Louisiana Fishing: seated, from right, are Dudley Vandenborre, Allen "Chink" Sumas, and Bob Weiss '62. Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. '58 stands nearby to assist with trophy presentations, but he's about to get a big surprise. Chris Mills, who serves on the rodeo committee, stands between Br. Dardis and McMahon.
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Chef Carl Schaubhut '00, juggling a spoon in one hand and a microphone in the other, explains to his audience one of his easy recipes: South Louisiana Seafood Chowder, sans potatoes.
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Alumni director Mat Grau '68 with Chef Carl Schaubhut '00 of Cafe Adelaide, who put on a live cooking demonstration at the weigh-in.
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For the 2015 BLue Jay fishing rodeo, 240 participants signed up. As they trickled in to John Ryan Stadium for the weigh-in festivities, Blue Jays enjoyed chowing down on jambalaya and fried catfish and shrimp in the shade of the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Pavilion, a delicious feast cooked on the premises by Koz's Restaurant.
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Blake Dulcich '17 displays one of his huge redfish.
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Kelly Kropog is proud of her 10-year-old son Luke, who apparently had an easier time landing this nice redfish than hoisting it for display. Luke Kropog is a fifth grader at St. Dominic School.
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Steve Heier gets ready to place this red snapper on the scale while his son Michael '05 holds two others caught on their successful trip.
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John Discon points to one of the fish he landed on a trip with younger brother Connor and their dad Gerard Discon '99, who's busy completing forms at the weigh-in table.
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At the scale reserved for the larger fish, weigh-in assistant Michael Heier '05 steadies this bull redfish while Br. Dardis slips the hook onto it.
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Ryan Gootee '91 (left) and Michael McMahon '85 serve on the rodeo committee that organizes the annual summer event. McMahon has chaired the committee for the past three years.
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Some of the rodeo volunteers greeting participants at the registration/check-in table are, from left, Mary Billeaud, Amy McMahon, Jenny Johnston (with her daughter Piper), Carol Besselman, and Breni Crabtree.
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Jesuit president Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. '66 displays excellent bowling form in tossing this mullet some 25 yards. The distance kept Fr. McGinn in first place almost to the very end.
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Carol Besselman takes a turn in the mullet toss contest. Her throw was long enough to win first place in the "ladies division."
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Throwing a frozen mullet is more difficult and dangerous than it might first seem as contestants could not cross the yellow line. Br. Dardis tried valiantly, but unsuccessfully, not to cross the yellow line. In the process, he nearly lost his balance.
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For the inaugural "Ray Coates Memorial Mullet Toss" contest, Brother Billy Dardis, S.J. '58 is given the honor of throwing the first fish, a frozen cigar which soars up, up, and away, but not too far.