Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

VIDALIA — Two Concordia Parish bass fishers won bass fishing tournaments, one at Lake St. John and the other at Lake Concordia.

Robbie Buckles and 19 other people fished on March 14 in the Dixie Bass Club bass fishing tournament on Lake St. John. 

Buckles won the Dixie Bass Club fishing tournament on Lake St. John with a five fish limit. The fish weighed a total of 12.79 pounds.

The biggest fish Buckles has caught at Dixie Bass Club tournament was a 7.20 pound fish.

Buckles has fished in the Dixie Bass Club for 20 years.

“Fishing is my hobby and I’m the tournament director for Dixie Bass Club,” Buckles said. “We fish once a month and that’s something I look forward to every month. It’s a bunch of friends in a small club. It’s exciting and it’s just a good time.”

As the tournament director, Buckles helps put on the “Kickin’ Bass” tournament. The tournament raises money for cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

April 18 will mark the third year for the tournament. Every year, Buckles said he pairs up with Kenneth Mahoney, a club member.

“Kenneth and I have started fishing together in the tournament, since I began fishing,” Buckles said. “We are the reigning champions. It’s a big tournament and I enjoy fishing in it. It raises money and brings more awareness to cystic fibrosis.”

Randy Miller won the Borderline Bass Anglers bass fishing tournament out of 16 people on March 14 at Lake St. John.

Miller said he’s no stranger to winning the bass fishing tournaments.

Miller said he has been fishing for more than 50 years.

“I like being out on the river and fishing,” Miller said. “The biggest thing right now is fishing is a puzzle and trying to see what makes the fish tick on a given day.”

Miller first became involved in Borderline Bass Anglers when he was 20 years old. Miller said he took a few years off due to having kids and being busy with their activities.

Now, Miller has fished for four to five years with the Borderline Bass Anglers.

The largest fish Miller said he has caught at a bass fishing tournament was 7.20 pounds last year.

With Miller’s fishing experience, Miller said he hopes to give kids some advice on how to fish.

“If I were to give a kid advice that was starting out fishing, then I would tell them to learn how to cast accurately and put your bait where other people can’t get it,” Miller said.