After 2 years on high-school circuit, Girouard, Guidry are on their way to state tournament
Two junior-varsity basketball teammates from Teurlings Catholic High School, both starters, are reeling in points in another sport that’s on the rise in the Sportsman’s Paradise.
They already have qualified for this year’s Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship and have two more years to make more of an impact in a male-dominated sport. Yes, two TCHS Fishing Team members are 16-year-old girls, Sadie Guidry of Scott and Lily Girouard of Broussard.
The team — “captained” by Lily’s father, Jeremy Girouard — is hooked on tournament fishing. The G&G duo puts bass on the digital scale more often than not.
“We’ve done pretty good,” Girouard said, matter-of-factly.
Their highest finish was seventh on Nov. 7 at a Western Division qualifying tournament at Toledo Bend. Sophomores, the two caught about 30 bass and culled to a 5-bass limit weighing 10.29 pounds, punching their ticket to the state championship on May 8-9 out of Doiron’s Landing in Stephensville.
“I remember we went on a long ride. We were fishing shallow, up against the bank,” Guidry said, adding they used junebug and watermelon plastic worms.
Lily said they rely mostly on Zoom Speed Worms.
Jeremy Girouard, 48, said he drove the girls far up the wind-whipped lake from San Miguel SRA Park to Martinez Creek. They were in a 17-foot G3 with a 90HP Yamaha, their regular ride.
“They caught a lot of fish. It was a good time,” Jeremy Girouard said.
David Guidry, Sadie’s father, credited their advanced skill level after just two years to their captain.
“These girls are a serious threat on the water. A lot of it is, I have to thank Jeremy Girouard,” he said.
“I love it, actually. I’d rather take them than go myself. It’s a good time. I love it. I can’t wait for the next one,” said Girouard’s father, who patiently taught Guidry when to time a hookset on a plastic worm bite.
“We always fish with a worm, a lot of straight-tail worms. It’s very slow,” Guidry said.
Occasionally, Lily Girouard said, they throw their second-favorite artificial lure, a topwater popper.
“It’s really fun. Me and Lily cut up and joke around, but we’re serious at the same time,” she said.
Cut up? Joke around? Many a time, David Guidry passes them and hears music coming from the boat, where the girls might even be dancing.
Guidry, a brunette with long hair, has been bass fishing for 2 years. Girouard, who is blonde, has one more year of bass-fishing experience and has been reeling in sac-a-lait for quite a few years, including during weekly sac-a-lait tournaments with her father out of Cypress Cove Landing on Henderson Lake. The Girouards, who cash in consistently, have won two Angler of the Year titles. She also fishes evening bass tournaments at Henderson Lake with her father in a crawfish skiff rigged for bassing.
“Those are fun. I get so excited. It’s fun,” Girouard said.
The duo’s rookie season came as freshmen in 2019-20. David Guidry, was responsible for pairing the two girls, who had also played basketball together the year before.
“I’m extremely proud. I didn’t think she’d actually join the team their freshman year. I knew Lily liked to fish. I said, ‘Why don’t you team up and give it a try?’ “ David Guidry said. “They teamed up. It’s been an awesome experience. She got into it. I enjoy her time in the tournaments. It’s been a good thing. It’s been a blessing, for sure.”
A handful of girls fish the state’s high school circuit.
“Last year was weird. We were the only ones,” Lily Girouard said. “I don’t think we would have done it if the other didn’t, like if we had to fish with a boy partner.
“I think it’s going to grow pretty fast. I see more and more freshmen joining the Teurlings team, and I see a bunch more people than last year.”
For example, 36 students — 18 teams — are on the TCHS Fishing Team, according to David Guidry.
A Northern Division qualifier was the girls’ first scheduled event of 2021, a week ago on Caney Lake. They planned to fish a Western Division qualifier March 27 on Henderson Lake.
Girouard, who works in project management for Accurate Measurement Controls Inc., probably will continue as captain.
“We don’t want to mess up a good thing. The girls are kicking butt on this high school thing,” David Guidry said. “I don’t know if there’s been another girl-girl team beat them in a tournament. They were 20th in state last year. Not another girls’ team came close. I’m a proud dad.”
Sadie Guidry’s older brother, Dylan, a senior, fishes with Brayden Melancon on the TCHS fishing team. David Guidry captains that team.
What’s in the future? Sadie Guidry wants to fish at least one national tournament.
“I know Jeremy wants to make a national appearance,” David Guidry said.
Ditto for Lily Girouard, who’s thinking about bass fishing after high school.
“Depending on how good I do, the opportunities,” she said, noting she believes girls can be as successful as boys in competitive bass fishing.
To find out more about Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation, go to louisianahighschoolbassnation.com or the organization’s Facebook page.
