Jesuit High School of New Orleans

The 2014 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo Reels ‘Em In

Posted July 11, 2014 / Last updated July 1, 2015

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Eight is enough! These Blue Jays completed their pre-freshmen year and have only four more years to reach senior status as members of the Class of 2018. From left are John McMahon, Andrew Kuebel, larson McAlpine, Albert Bienvenu, Ben Brodnax, Jay Kuebel, Jake Theriot, and William Brown.

Eight is enough! These Blue Jays completed their pre-freshmen year and have only four more years to reach senior status as members of the Class of 2018. From left are John McMahon, Andrew Kuebel, Larson McAlpine, Albert Bienvenu, Ben Brodnax, Jay Kuebel, Jake Theriot, and William Brown.

The 2014 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo, held on June 28, featured a post-Katrina record number of fishing fans (almost 300), a “king”-sized cooking demonstration, and a trophy trout. For the third consecutive year, the weigh-in was held in the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Pavilion at John Ryan Stadium.

View the 2014 Rodeo Results

View the 2014 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo Photo Gallery

In addition to the usual rodeo festivities, chairman Mike McMahon ’85 and co-chair Bro. William Dardis, S.J. ’58 boosted student participation by organizing a trip to the St. Tammany Fishing Pier. Each Jesuit student that participated in the rodeo received a rod and reel, courtesy of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana. In addition, more than 50 door prizes were distributed to participants and three lucky participants won chartered fishing trips as prizes for their impressive and record-breaking hauls.

Fishing with Blue Jay parent Todd Dulcich, Lee Pierce entered a Venice-caught whopper of a speckled trout that tipped weighmaster Larry Canada’s scale at 8.1 pounds.

Aaron Burgau ’92, executive chef at Patois, who took top prize at the 7th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-off in May, shared his recipe for black drum at a top-notch cooking demonstration held during the weigh-in.

The 2015 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo is scheduled for Saturday, June 27.

 

2014 Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo Results

Division I: All Participants
Flounder
 
Black Drum
 
Roland Vandenweghe, Jr. ’90 1.68 lbs Ricky Trahant ’85 9.58 lbs
    Grant Gonzalez ’13 6.98
    Johnny Franck ’65 2.53
       
Sheepshead
Speckled Trout
Rick Kuebel ’82 4.81 lbs Lee Pierce 8.14 lbs
Chris Nalty ’80 4.78 Todd Dulcich 5.39
Joey Disler 4.11 Ryan Gootee ’91 3.18
       
Redfish
Red Snapper
Joey Disler 9.81 lbs Frank Charneco 15.99 lbs
Doug Miller 7.83 Frank Charneco 13.92
Danny Housey ’09 7.41 Blake Cookmeyer ’12 13.80

 

Division II: Ages 18 Years & Younger
Flounder
 
Black Drum
 
Cole Landrieu ’18 2.35 lbs William Brown ’18 3.60 lbs
Lauren Miller  1.32 William Brown ’18 2.29
William Brown ’18 1.05 William Brown ’18 2.22
       
Sheepshead
Speckled Trout
Robert McMahon ’19 6.30 lbs Chris Zelenka ’17 4.62 lbs
William Simon ’18 5.46 Blake Dulcich ’17 3.68
Connor Housey ’17 3.89 Chris McMahon ’19 2.59
       
Redfish
Red Snapper
Blake Dulcich ’17 6.26 lbs Zack Charneco ’19 15.09 lbs
Blake Dulcich ’17 5.82 Zack Charneco ’19
 11.99
Lauren Miller 5.23 Mackenzie Charneco ’19 10.50

 

Division III: 5 Fish Trout Stringer
 Lee Dulcich
 
   

 

Galleries

Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo, June 28, 2014

  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_01edited
    The 2014 Jesuit Fishing Rodeo brought together almost 275 Blue Jays of all species. This was the second year the rodeo was held under the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Pavilion at John Ryan Stadium. This year's rodeo was Jesuit's 22nd - don't forget the rodeo was canceled in 2010 because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_02edited
    Cameron DiMaggio '18 hops off the bus that transported Blue Jays without boats to the St. Tammany Parish fishing pier in Slidell, where rodeo participants caught plenty of Lake Pontchartrain catfish, along with a sunburn if they didn't lather themselves in suncreen.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_03edited
    Jesuit's 2014 rodeo chairman Michael McMahon '85 pauses for a moment with Letty Clark, chairman emeritus Jimmy Commagere, who tagged behind his grandson Robert Commagere '06.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_04edited
    Helping with the registration process are, from left, Carol Besselman, Sabrina Junius (sophomore at Mount Carmel Academy), Amy McMahon, Mary Billeaud, Olivia Hoffman (sophomore at Mount Carmel Academy), and Alli Perrilloux (sophomore at Archbishop Chapelle).
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_05edited
    Alumni chaplain Fr. Norman O'Neal,S.J. and Fr. Nick Schiro, S.J. '44 visited the rodeo festivities, along with Chef Aaron Burgau '92 of Patois Restaurant and alumni director Mat Grau '68.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_06edited
    Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. '66, president of Jesuit High School, with John Dildy '85.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_07edited
    Chef Aaron Burgau '92 of Patois Restaurant took center stage for a cooking demonstration during which he satuéed fresh speckled trout in butter and lemon. While it sounds simple, Chef Aaron added his own elements of ingenuity that made this dish outstanding.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_08edited
    Aaron Burgau '92 shows off his signature dish of sautéed speckled trout with toasted almonds.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_09edited
    Aaron Burgau '92 of Patois Restaurant with Bro. Dardis, who is about to enjoy the fruits of the chef's labors.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_10edited
    Tony Celano '15 and Josh Orellano '15 are about to hit the buffet of fried shrimp and catfish.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_11edited
    Seph Dupuy '66, Bubby Valentino '65, and Jay Thomas '66 enjoyed their inside marsh fishing trip.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_12edited
    Brian Berrigan '80 and Chris Mills '80 relax in the fan-cooled shade of the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Pavilion.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_13edited
    Chris Mills '80 with a croaker that tipped the scale in the wrong direction.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_14edited
    Ryan Gootee '91 entered these redfish and trout caught at Shell Beach. His trout came in at 3.18 pounds, fetching Gootee a plaque for third place.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_15edited
    Stephen Heier reaches in his ice chest and pulls out this redfish he and his fishing buddies caught offshore.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_17edited
    Gerard Discon '99 and his sons Connor and John admire the winning fish iced down in a display box.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_16edited
    Josh Pierre can't wait to try out the rod 'n reel he received, compliments of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_18edited
    Michael Heier '05, Drew Necaise '05, and Stephen Heierdisplay their big reds.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_19edited
    Eight is enough! These Blue Jays completed their pre-freshmen year and have only four more years to reach senior status as members of the Class of 2018. From left are John McMahon, Andrew Kuebel, Larson McAlpine, Albert Bienvenu, Ben Brodnax, Jay Kuebel, Jake Theriot, and William Brown.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_20edited
    Bro. Dardis has a boatload of door prizes to give away before announcing the winners of the trophies and plaques.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_21edited
    Lee Pierce and Todd Dulcich entered a string of five trout weighing 21.4 pounds, which was good enough for this first place trophy, which was presented by rodeo chairman Mike McMahon '85.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_23edited
    In the under-18 category, these Blue Jays are 1st place winners, from left: Robert McMahon '19 (6.30-lb. Sheepshead); Blake Dulcich '17, who placed 1st and 2nd in the Redfish category (6.26 and 5.82 pounds; he also netted 2nd place for his 3.68-lb Speckled Trout); William Brown '18, who swept the Black Drum category with fish tipping the scales at 3.00, 2.29, and 2.22 pounds; Chris Zalenka '17 (4.62-lb. Speckled Trout); and Zack Charneco '19, who took 1st and 2nd place in the Red Snapper category with fish weighing 15.09 and 11.99 pounds.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_dardis_img_0127web
    Jesuit offers a special thanks to Bro. Billy Dardis, S.J. ’58, who drove the bus from John Ryan Stadium to the St. Tammany Fishing Pier, a new addition to the rodeo for 2014.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_gros_dardis_img_0104web
    Randy Gros with Bro. Billy Dardis '58
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_gros_randy_img_0083web
    Randy Gros assists a couple of young ladies from Girls Hope.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_gros_randy_img_0131web
    Jesuit parent Randy Gros enjoyed helping supervise pier operations.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_group_pier_mg_0038web
    A flock (or should we say a school) of Blue Jays and friends, arrive at the St. Tammany Fishing Pier in Slidell.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_mcmahon_dardis_mg_0044web
    Fishing rodeo chairman Mike McMahon '85 shares a moment with friend and co-chairman Bro. William Dardis, S.J. '58.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_mcmahon_dimaggio_cameron_img_0120web
    Rodeo chairman Mike McMahon '85 lends his fishing expertise to Cameron DiMaggio '18.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_mcmahons_groh_img_0123web
    Matthew McMahon '17, Rusty Gros '17, and Christopher McMahon '18
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_mcmahons_img_0085web
    Christopher '18 and Matthew McMahon '17
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_melito_trey_img_0087web
    Between casts, Trey Melito '18 flashes a "whopper" of a smile.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_newfriends_img_0114web
    The Blue Jay Fishing Rodeo is always a great opportunity to make new friends.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_orellana_josh_celano_tony_img_0050web
    Josh Orellano '15 and Tony Celano '15 prepare their poles and bait their hooks with dead shrimp supplied by fishing rodeo chairman Mike McMahon '85.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_roth_chuck_img_0110web
    Chuck Roth brought a van load of students from Boys Hope / Girls Hope to the St. Tammany Fishing Pier.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_smile_img_0079web
    For this youngster, fishing is everything it's "croaked" up to be.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_spinosa_trevor_tim_img_0062web
    Trevor Spinosa and his son Tim, who will join Jesuit as a pre-freshman in the fall of 2014.
  • fishing_rodeo_2014june28_tackle_img_0109web
    Fishers used a combination of artificial bait and dead shrimp.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_24edited
    The list of winners in the Division 1 categories reflects a great day on the water.
  • fishing-rodeo-2014_weigh_in-festivities_06282014_25edited
    The list of winners in the under-18 age categories is not exclusively male.