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A crabbing trip to Rockefeller Refuge reels me into Louisiana life

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A crabbing trip to Rockefeller Refuge reels me into Louisiana life


When friends found out I’d never been crabbing in Louisiana, they were determined to set things right.

Getting to Pecan Island on a Friday afternoon required patience, but the hardest part of the whole adventure was finding a time that worked for all our schedules. The evening before we left, Adele Netterville messaged to say, “You’ll need to get a fishing license if you don’t have one.”

Getting a Louisiana fishing license was simple. Five minutes on Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ website, and I was officially licensed — and impressed.



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Camps in Pecan Island, a ridge of high ground about 10 miles from the Gulf.

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Fishing license in hand, my friends, including Adele’s husband Craig Netterville, picked me up at 4 p.m. Friday and off we went, headed to a camp in Pecan Island, a ridge of high ground about 10 miles from the Gulf. 

We picked up Michelle Kallam in Lafayette, then hit the Best Stop in Scott for boudin and crackers. Eating hot boudin in the backseat of a truck on the way to a camp in Pecan Island felt like pure Louisiana.

After winding through Acadiana’s backroads with boudin in our laps, we arrived at the camp. Robert Kallam greeted us with a cooler full of crabs he had caught using traps. He had a giant boiler on the burner already bubbling.

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Columnist Jan Risher saw many goats and a giant pig on the banks on her way to go crabbing at Rockefeller Refuge. 


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As the sun was setting, we took a quick boat ride into the marsh, floating past goats and a giant pig on the banks. The Kallams explained that their camp was not waterfront property when they bought it 20 years ago, but after Hurricane Rita, some water never left.

Back at the camp, we sat down to a crab feast outside. The mosquitoes nearly hauled us off. So we retreated indoors.

The crabs were the best I’d ever had. I believed I’d soon be a crabbing expert and wanted mine to taste just like that. Thankfully, Robert Kallam was generous to share his secret: Louisiana Fish Fry Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab Boil. 



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Adele Netterville, Michelle Kallam and Jan Risher in a boat at Pecan Island on May 30, 2025




After a full week of work, we hit the hay early. I got the bottom bunk in a room all my own. The crabbing experts said we had to leave by 6 a.m. to head to Rockefeller Refuge to get a spot.

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They weren’t joking. When I went outside at 6:15 a.m. Saturday, a line of trucks were already barreling down La. 82 headed south. 

Truth is, I’m not a 6-a.m.-Saturday-morning-up-and-at-’em kind of human. Last weekend was the exception. 







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The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge is a large area of marshland in Cameron Parish and Vermilion Parish.

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We pulled into Rockefeller Refuge minutes after the sun began to rise. Looking out the window onto the incredible morning sun hitting the Roseau reed felt like riding into a painting.

I grew up among a family of hunters and fishermen. I’ve remained baffled at why they got up at the crack of dawn day after day to head into the woods. But on Saturday, the glow on the reeds gave me insight into my brother, uncles and father.

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After a string of busy weeks, quietly watching that kind of beauty was indeed enough to pull me back again, even at 6 a.m. — and we hadn’t even gone crabbing yet. 







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View out the window, with the truck in the shadows of the Roseau reed at Rockefeller Refuge on May 31, 2025.

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My friends showed me that crabbing is easy. All you need is string, a net and some chicken legs or turkey necks. Tie the bait, drop it in. When the string moves, gently pull it in and scoop up the crab with the net.

For two hours, we couldn’t move from string to string fast enough. Granted, many were juveniles, which we released, but the catching was nonstop. It was a blast.

Then, all of a sudden, they just stopped biting. We sat on the pier for a while longer. We had made friends with the young family beside us from Holmwood. The two little boys, Maverick and Maddox Suire, were as helpful, kind and confident as they could be.

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Jan Risher with her first crab catch at Rockefeller Refuge on May 31, 2025. 



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When we walked up, Maverick, the 5-year-old younger brother, exclaimed to his mom, “This is only my second time crabbing, and I’m already good at it.”

Maverick and I became fast friends. He found a bird’s feather and a piece of string. I told him if he could find another piece of string, I would make him a headdress. String is easy to find on a crabbing pier. 

Maverick wore the makeshift headdress proudly for the rest of our time together, as happy as a child could be. 







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Maverick Suire of Holmwood, Louisiana, wearing his feather headdress at Rockefeller Refuge on May 31, 2025. 



Since we had already eaten crabs the night before, we asked Maverick’s mom if she would like the ones we caught. She gladly accepted. The boys were pulling crab lines as we drove away. 

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Turns out, slow time with friends, a feather, a string and a 5-year-old on a crabbing pier go a long way in reminding us what joy looks like. 

We stopped at Suire’s grocery south of Kaplan for lunch. It was like a little slice of heaven. I was glad my friends took it upon themselves to go crabbing. 



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Louisiana passes law allowing state park rangers to enforce littering laws anywhere in state

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Louisiana passes law allowing state park rangers to enforce littering laws anywhere in state


BATON ROUGE – Louisiana passed a state law allowing state park rangers to enforce state litter laws anywhere in Louisiana.

The increased enforcement comes alongside revamped reinforcement efforts with a hotline. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will field hotline calls and pass information to state park rangers, who if given proper information, can issue a citation.

Simple littering, such as trash flying out the back of a pickup truck, carries up to $175 in fines plus court costs. Intentional littering, such as deliberately throwing trash out of a window onto a roadway, brings up to a $250 fine. Gross littering, such as depositing large amounts of trash into a ditch or having an illegal dumpsite, carries $500 to $1,000 in fines.

Officials say crimes such as dumping violations have more in-depth processes; anyone interested can find more information at the Keep Louisiana Beautiful website.

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This Week in Southeastern Athletics – September 15-21, 2025 – Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics

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This Week in Southeastern Athletics – September 15-21, 2025 – Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics


This Week in Southeastern Athletics – September 15-21, 2025
Monday, September 15
Golf | at Grover Page Classic | Memphis, Tenn. | 8:15 a.m.
Football | Inside Southeastern Football with Frank Scelfo | Brady’s | 7 p.m. | Kajun 107.1 FM | The Highway 104.7 FM | The Boss 97.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM
            – Community Spotlight Guest: Scott Henderson, The Salad Station/Tommy’s on                                 
             Thomas
 
Tuesday, September 16
Golf | at Grover Page Classic | Memphis, Tenn. | 8:15 a.m.
 
Thursday, September 18

Volleyball | at Texas A&M (Texas A&M Invitational) | College Station, Texas | 6 p.m.
 
Friday, September 19

Volleyball | vs. LMU (Texas A&M Invitational) | College Station, Texas | 3 p.m.
 
Saturday, September 20
Football | at LSU | Baton Rouge | SEC Network | SEC Network | Kajun 107.1 FM | The Highway 104.7 FM | The Boss 97.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM

Volleyball | vs. New Hampshire (Texas A&M Invitational) | College Station, Texas | Noon
 
Sunday, September 21
Soccer | at UTRGV | Edinburg, Texas | 1 p.m. | ESPN+*

Southeastern home events in bold | All times Central | * – Southland Conference event

 

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University football and two-time defending Southland Conference champion volleyball team hit the road for nonconference play, the SLU soccer team opens Southland Conference play, the Lion men’s golf team opens the fall portion of its 2025-26 schedule and Southeastern Athletics will compete in the university’s Giving Day during this week in Southeastern Athletics.

 

The SLU football team (2-1) will close out nonconference play at No. 3 LSU. Saturday’s game will kickoff at 6:45 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.

 

The Southeastern volleyball team (5-3) will close out an eight-match road swing this week, heading to College Station, Texas to compete in the Texas A&M Invitational. The Lady Lions will face host Texas A&M Thursday at 6 p.m., Loyola Marymount Friday at 3 p.m. and New Hampshire Saturday at noon during the tournament.

 

The SLU women’s soccer team (1-4-2) will open league play on the road this week. Southeastern will face new league member UTRGV Sunday at 1 p.m. in Edinburg, Texas.

 

The Lion golf team opens the 2025-26 season this week. Southeastern will head to Memphis, Tenn. to compete in the Grover Page Classic Monday and Tuesday.

 

Southeastern Giving Day is set for Wednesday and is an opportunity to give back to the university, including Southeastern Athletics. Visit www.southeasterngivingday.org for more information.

 

On the Air

This week’s football game will be televised on SEC Network, while Thursday’s volleyball match will air on SEC Network+. Sunday’s soccer match can be seen on ESPN+.

 

The 2025 season of Inside Southeastern Football with Frank Scelfo will continue Monday at 7 p.m. at Brady’s in downtown Hammond. Scelfo and host Allen Waddell will discuss all things Lion football on the hour-long show weekly during the season, which airs on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 97.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM).

 

Scott Henderson of The Salad Station and Tommy’s on Thomas will be Monday’s Community Spotlight Guest.

 

The same Southeastern Sports Radio Network stations will broadcast Saturday’s football game.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

For more information on Southeastern Athletics, follow @LionUpAthletics on X and Instagram or like /LionUpAthletics on Facebook.

 

CLEAR BAG POLICY

Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.

 

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Louisiana’s Win Streak Snapped After Hard-Fought Battle at Ole Miss

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Louisiana’s Win Streak Snapped After Hard-Fought Battle at Ole Miss


OXFORD, Miss. – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball team had the momentum in its favor each of the first two sets before Ole Miss battled back and went on to post a 3-0 win (25-20, 25-22, 25-19) on Friday, September 12 at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center in Oxford, Mississippi.

The Rebels (4-3) leaned upon 16 kills each time to overcome the pressure from the Ragin’ Cajuns (6-2) and open a 2-0 match lead. Then in Set 3, Ole Miss hit .400 and sided out at 80 percent to end the contest early.

Louisiana put itself in position to be the ones ahead 2-0 in the match, tied 13-13 midway through Set 1 and laying hold to a 17-13 advantage late in Set 2. Ultimately the offensive edge for Ole Miss, which held a 45-29 edge in kills and .391 to .176 advantage in hitting percentage for the match, paid dividends.

Both sides had balanced scoring, the Ragin’ Cajuns led by nine kills from Cailin Demps and seven kills from Grace Sweeney. The Rebels, though, were able to have four players score more than five kills led by the trio of Shayla Meyer (10), Melia Johnson (9) and Gabi Placide (9) each reaching nine scores.

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The loss snapped Louisiana’s three-match win streak, the squad ending a five-match road swing with a 3-2 mark.

Ole Miss claimed victory in its 2025 season home opener and remained unbeaten in the 2000s against UL.

Jazmine Gaston scored a kill on each of her first two swings in Set 1 as the Cajuns remained ahead early 9-7 after taking the lead at 4-3 on a Kennedy Gustafson ace.

The teams were near even with five kills apiece and both hitting .300-plus through the 13-all tie. Meyer helped the Rebels make the decisive move, scoring the tiebreaking kill and serving up an ace to gain separation for good.

Sweeney asserted herself at the onset of Set 2, scoring two aces and a kill in a personal 3-0 run that pulled Louisiana ahead 4-1, then preserved the lead with yet another early kill to make it 9-7.

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Later on, Sweeney teamed up with Harley Krause on back-to-back winners as the Cajuns stretched the lead out to 17-13. The Rebels, though, reversed course as a kill, ace and block all in succession ignited a 12-5 set-ending run that prevented Louisiana from evening the match.

With a kill on each of its first three swings in Set 3 the Rebels quickly opened a 5-3 lead and led the rest of the way. Demps, who scored five kills in the frame, began to find her groove getting two kills over a span of five rallies keeping the Cajuns within striking distance at 15-11.

Ole Miss sided out after a UL service error then came up with another timely block to advance the lead to 17-11. The teams traded side outs through Demps’ final kill of the night which made it 21-16 before the Rebels scored three straight for the final separation.

LEADING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Sweeney in Set 2 and Demps in Set 3 both turned in a five-kill set performance. The duo combined for 16 of the Ragin’ Cajuns’ 29 kills.

Demps’ output marked the eighth time in as many matches she’s scored at least nine kills.

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Freshman Lindsey Henry had a hand in both of the team’s blocks while Gustafson collected a team-leading eight digs.

Sweeney was a close second with six digs and setter Ryleigh Garis scooped five digs to go with her team-high tying 12 assists.

Chelsea Gilmore and Sweeney served up two aces apiece to pace the Ragin’ Cajuns to six aces.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin’ Cajuns return home to E.K. Long Gym for the Ragin’ Cajuns Classic scheduled for Friday-Saturday, September 19-20.

Louisiana hosts Southern and Nicholls in the round robin event, meeting the Jaguars on Friday (Sept. 19) at 6:00 p.m. and then matching up with the Colonels on Saturday (Sept. 20) at Noon.

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The Ragin’ Cajuns Classic marks the final non-conference matches of the 2025 season. Louisiana opens Sun Belt play the following weekend, September 26-27, on the road at Texas State.

FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB [twitter.com]), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB [facebook.com]) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB [instagram.com]) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.

Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin’ Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here [apps.apple.com] for iOS/Apple platforms and here [play.google.com] for Android platforms.





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