Monica Alexander and James Alexander, both of Aransas Pass, Texas, weighed a two-fish limit that totaled 17.44 pounds to win the first regular-season event for the Texas Division of the IFA Redfish Tour presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s on March 30 at Port Aransas, Texas. The team won a fully rigged Ranger RB190 boat prize package powered by a 90-horsepower, four-stroke Mercury outboard.
The husband-and-wife team stayed close to the take off at Port Aransas.
“It was a great day of fishing,” said James Alexander. “With the first cast with a four-inch Berkley Gulp with rattle attached, my wife caught a 28 1/4-inch redfish. Everything got better after that. We caught a ton of fish, mostly oversized but the right ones too.”
The duo switched back and forth from the Berkley Gulp! 4-inch softbait and Berkley crankbaits. For their efforts, the team took home a total of $30,285 in winnings, including $2,535 in Anglers Advantage cash and the $500 Berkley Big Redfish award along with $250 in Berkley Gulp! products courtesy of Berkley Gulp!.
“We performed well and did not lose any fish,” said James Alexander. “I am very proud of my wife. She caught one of the winning fish.”
Michael Laskowski Sr. and Michael Laskowski Jr., both of La Verna, Texas, weighed a total of 16.22 pounds to take second place. The team ran to Aransas Pass to fish flooded grass with Berkley Gulp! under popping corks under ideal conditions.
“We were needing and hoping for the exact conditions we ended up with,” said Laskowski Sr. “It was nice to have low wind for a change. Everything went great. We caught a few bigger fish while pre-fishing but are thrilled with what we caught today.”
The father and son won the $2,528 second-place prize along with adding $1,235 in Anglers Advantage cash.
Former IFA Team of the Year titleholders, Mason Lincoln and Melissa Lincoln, both of Corpus Christi, Texas, weighed 15.46 pounds for a third-place finish. The anglers also experienced great conditions with light winds and high tides while fishing soft plastics in the Laguna Madre area. The team won a total of $2,540 for their limit.
The next stop for the IFA Redfish Tour is set for New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on April 13. Teams that compete in at least two regular-season events will be qualified for the 2019 IFA Redfish Tour Championship.
IFA events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of these well-respected brands: Hobie Fishing, Ranger Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Mercury Marine, Garmin, Berkley Gulp!, Berkley Gulp! Alive!, PENN Reels, Spiderwire, Navionics, Power-Pole, Valley Fashions, T-H Marine, ATLAS, G-Juice, and Powertex Group.
For more information or to become a member of the IFA, visit www.ifatours.com.
IFA Redfish Tour – Texas Division
Port Aransas, Texas (Top 10)
- James Alexander/Monica Alexander – 17.44 .lbs
- Michael Laskowski Sr./Michael Laskowski Jr. – 16.22 .lbs
- Mason Lincoln/Melissa Lincoln – 15.46 .lbs
- Colby Braune/Mac Wilson – 15.26 .lbs
- Benjamin Human/Andy Gallegos – 15.25 .lbs
- Levi Price/Kimberly Lewis – 15.03 .lbs
- Russell O’Riley/Cory Servant – 14.52 .lbs
- Paul Braly/John Bremser – 14.16 .lbs
- Kyle Ross/Jason Trevino– 14.05 .lbs
- Kyle Burges/Jayson Arnold – 13.76 .lbs