Casting a wide net produced records results. With an all-hands-on-deck effort to reach out to parents, students, and alumni, the 2021 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo was the biggest ever with close to 300 registrants, even after the 29th annual event had to be rescheduled due to a tropical weather threat in June.

Jesuit president Fr. John Brown, S.J., an avid outdoorsman himself, opened the award presentation by thanking attendees and members of the committee before offering a familiar and appropriate axiom. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. It’s true,” Fr. Brown said. And it was never truer than it was on Saturday, July 17, at John Ryan Stadium.

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Before committee members Jude Trahant ’80 and Ryan Gootee ’91 handed out trophies and plaques to the winners (see list below), FOX 8 fishing reporter Capt. C.T. Williams provided fishing tips and words of encouragement to the crowd in Pontiff Pavilion. The initial presentations ended on an emotional note with chairman Mike McMahon ’85 honoring two members of the Jesuit fishing team. After pointing out that competitive fishing is now a Louisiana High School Athletic Association sanctioned sport and how the Jesuit Fishing Club has flourished, a choked-up McMahon shared the heroic story of two graduating seniors, Jacob Reinhardt ’21 and Carter Morris ’21, and how they saved three grown men from drowning in a Shreveport lake during the LHSAA state fishing tournament in April. Reinhardt was there to accept a special award from the rodeo committee, and Morris’s proud parents, Gretchen and Pat Morris ’90, accepted Carter’s plaque. Their son was not able to attend because he was fishing with his grandfather in Alaska.

Art Brewster ’80 won the Grand Prize Fishing Trip and parent Angie Flynn took home the 75-Quart KYSEK Ice Chest donated by Brian Bent ’89 and Greg Bent of Bent’s RV and Bent Marine. In addition to enjoying a delicious seafood meal prepared by Max Gruenig ’06 and his team and sharing fishing stories (most of them true), every registrant walked away with a ditty bag packed with door prizes, a Jesuit fishing towel, and a dry-wick fishing shirt emblazoned with the new rodeo logo and A.M.D.G. down the sleeve.

The event concluded with the aforementioned Reinhardt presenting a framed photo to McMahon from the fishing team for the chairman’s good work and support. Jesuit thanks all those who contributed to the success of this year’s event.

DIVISION 1 (ADULTS)

DIVISION 2 (18 & UNDER)

DIVISIONS 3, 4, & 5