A Passion Born In the Marsh – The Broussard Family Story
The Fishing and Outdoors Family Bond That Built Success
Call it resilience, call it determination, or just call it the Cajun way, it seems tenacity is a characteristic for anyone growing up in Cajun country.
Phileas Broussard was 5 years old when his father started taking him hunting and fishing – and not just on the weekends. Phil’s classroom was on the water and his bed was the tall Rosseau cane of a goose-filled marsh. “I loved those times with my Dad.” explains Cajun Phil.
Cajun Phil has raised his son Kevin Broussard the same way and they have followed their love of the outdoors together with a bond most fathers and sons wish they had.
“My Dad’s not only my Dad, but he’s also my best friend. We’ve hunted and fished together and shared every aspect of life together,” Kevin shares.
Through their 51 years of hosting their television show, Cajun Phil and Capt. Kevin have shared their marsh heritage with millions of television viewers. Thousands of clients have received the first-hand experience chasing fish and waterfowl in the marsh on guided trips.
The Broussards have also experienced over 14 years in the limelight as one of the hottest teams in the Redfish Cup history, accumulating several awards along the way, including two-time "Team of the Year" winner, nine first-place, 29 top 5's and 35 top 10 finishes, along with the Redfish Cup Championship in 2009.
Putting the Minn Kota Raptor™ Through the Paces
The Broussard’s diverse background and fishing experience caught the attention of several Minn Kota engineers who were looking to create a more technical shallow water anchor – the Minn Kota Raptor.
Much of the Broussard’s fishing happens shallower than 5 feet, and the soft marsh mud makes it tough to hold anchor – especially with tides and winds.
But it was time for a new kind of hold, and it had to be adaptive, much like their life in the marsh. Who better to test pre-production models of the Minn Kota Raptor™ than the Broussards – nobody.
“We like seeing the early stages of the products they’re developing. We make sure we punish them, so when they come out, we KNOW they’re gonna be good after all our testing,” shares Cajun Phil.
The Marsh Methods for Redfish, Trout, Flounder and more
So as the spring temps climb, the flounder return to the marsh from their deeper winter holding areas. “A Gulp grub and live shrimp presentation are as effective as they are practical. It’s hard to think of improving on Gulp, or live shrimp, but when you put them together, it’s like a one plus one equals three kind of thing,” says Cajun Phil. But it’s not just about what you’re fishing as where. If you can find the right intersection point, you can really catch them,” adds Kevin.
“Areas where currents neck down and funnel the flow, are best by far. The spring tides bring a flowing buffet of shrimp, pogies, and crabs that draw lots of fish, but especially the flounder. The bottom gets scoured leaving sandy or shell-bottom flats that the flounder really like,” explains the guide of over 40+ years.
We look for areas of the marsh that have cuts with current moving through, but you’ve got to find that sweet spot. Even though they look good, some cuts, just aren’t deep enough to hold fish.
Sure, anyone can spot areas with current, but the Broussard’s have some help. “We’ve been using the AutoChart Live feature on our Humminbird SOLIX units to find the deepest parts of the cuts. The unit creates a custom map, combining the depth and the exact GPS location into a spot-on map.”
“It’s nice because you can see how the current bends around in each cut and I can put my boat a short cast away from the best spot,” comments Cajun Phil.
“Now here’s where our work with the Raptors really pays off. I usually have several clients in the boat, so I need to position us broadside to the current, so every client can cast at the best spot in the cut.
Holding securely is a must. There’s an Auto-Bottom™ mode built into the Raptors that senses how much force is needed so the spike doesn’t overdrive in soft marsh mud.
But when the tides change or the wind picks up, they also have an Active Anchoring™ feature that monitors the force needed to stay put and it re-drives the spike automatically. So once I set my boat position, never worry about having the wind or current shove me off where I want to be.
I press the button on my remote or right from the Humminbird SOLIX and when the spike hits the bottom, I won't go anywhere – no matter what.
“I remember the first time I noticed the Active Anchoring feature re-driving as my clients stepped to the same side of the boat. The Raptor on the opposite side re-drove the spike by about an inch or so and it made me realize that they were really working without me doing anything. It’s really a set it and forget it kind of thing,” says Cajun Phil.
Enduring Adversity – 2020 Impact on Hackberry, Louisiana
A lifetime in the marsh and all the fishing success hasn’t come without some adversity though. The outbreak of Covid-19 had most guide businesses shut down, including the Broussard’s.
Just as things were loosening up in the fall of 2020, Hurricane Laura devastated Hackberry, LA. As if that wasn’t enough, then Hurricane Delta all but finished off the Broussard guide business, the lodge, and their personal homes.
“One thing that gets us through are the clients we’ve met and the friendships we’ve made over the last 60 years of doing this. I won’t lie, the thought of packing up and heading somewhere else has come to mind, but where would we go? This is our home. This is where we’re from and we’re not leaving.” says Cajun Phil.
As a potter shapes clay, the Broussard’s helped shape the Raptors that keep them pinned to the marsh.
Despite all the disruptions and difficulties that 2020 delivered, like their Raptors, they’re fastened to the marsh and they’re not going anywhere. Here’s to better times for all those affected by the challenges that 2020 delivered.
As Cajun’s motto says, “Come and getcha some!”
Interested in a guided trip with Cajun Phil & Kevin Broussard? Visit www.cajunparadisecharters.com for more information.
Learn more about Minn Kota Raptor Shallow Water Anchors.
