If you didn’t live in Acadiana you’d probably believe that the one constant around the world is time. In Acadiana we know that’s not true. We don’t divide up the year by traditional seasons. Unlike most places, it’s too unpredictable. Some years we’ll have a Spring that might last a week before the onslaught of Summer. Other years late Summer can provide Spring-like Fall weather all the way to Thanksgiving. So we’ve taken to living by more predictable seasons. For example, crab and crawfish season. For many of us crabs and crawfish are our favorite foods.

As you might imagine, crabs and crawfish have favorite foods too. They’re called Pogies. Pogies are a fish that are inedible to humans but are so tasty to crabs and crawfish that the promise of a pogie meal lures them into traps.

When young crabs and crawfish ask their parents “Where do Pogies come from?” the truthful answer is usually “Abbeville Louisiana.” That’s the home  of a company called Louisiana Bait Products who catch, process and wholesale huge amounts of Pogies.

Johnny Hollier is Sales Manager at Louisiana Bait Products.

Sherbin Collette knows a thing or two about fish too. Not only is Sherbin the Mayor of Henderson, Louisiana –  you don’t get to be mayor of anywhere without knowing a few things – but he’s also the owner of Collette’s Seafood. And he’s the representative of the wild catfish industry on the Louisiana Seafood Marketing and Promotion Board.

Will Davis is, founder of a company called Ice Shack that makes Ice Bites. An Ice Bite  is a New Orleans style snoball in a pouch, with a screw top that you can grab out of a store freezer, unscrew, and squeeze blue bubble gum, strawberry or wedding cake flavored snocone into your mouth as you bike, walk, or drive away. Ice Bites are spreading across the country, now to 30 states thanks partially to their appearance in World Market.

Out to Lunch is recorded over lunch at Cafe Vermilionville in Lafayette.

For more information about Acadiana entrepreneurs – Innov8 Acadiana and The Opportunity Machine.