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An Ostrea 600 fully equipped for competition
For the 2026 edition of the Grand Pavois Fishing , the Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury team fielded a crew consisting of Romain Rozier, Nicolas Zaorski, and Marc Lepeigneul. Their boat: a Ostrea 600 equipped with a 200 ch Mercury V6 outboard motor and 10-inch Lowrance HDS Pro electronic displays .
Upon arriving in La Rochelle on Thursday, September 24, the three anglers took advantage of a short pre-fishing session to identify several promising spots and prepare their strategy.
This outing also provided an opportunity to test the BOOST system recently installed on the Mercury V6. Initial impressions were positive, particularly in terms of acceleration and planing, two key factors for quickly reaching fishing spots.
A successful first round thanks to Lowrance electronics
On Friday morning, the 35 competing crews set off at 8 a.m. After about 20 minutes of sailing, Team Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury reached its first sector.
There are sea bass, but those with mesh marks remain rare. Nevertheless, a first specimen makes its way into the fish tank before the action slows down.
The crew then decided to move to a different area. It was during this move that the Lowrance HDS Pro will make all the difference .
As the boat was traveling at about 24 knots, an interesting detection appeared on the screens, in water only five meters deep. The fishermen immediately turned around and set a waypoint to explore this school of forage fish.
It didn't take long to see results: several bass were caught within a few minutes, including two that exceeded the minimum size required for the competition.
This ability to quickly detect underwater activity and adapt one's strategy highlights the value of modern electronics in saltwater sport fishing.
Four mesh bars and a promising fifth-place finish
At the end of this first round, Romain Rozier, Nicolas Zaorski, and Marc Lepeigneul presented four mesh-bagged sea bass to the judges.
With fish from 53, 45, 45, and 44 cm , the crew has racked up 187 points and earned a great 5th place out of 35 participants .
This encouraging result allows the Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury Team to head into the second round with real ambitions.
A second round complicated by the weather conditions
On Sunday, fishing conditions changed significantly. The previous day's strong wind had clouded the water with particles and disrupted the fish's activity.
In the first areas surveyed, fish are being caught one after another, but most of the sea bass are still below the competition's minimum size limit.
The crew then decided to radically change their strategy and head to another area near La Rochelle.
Once there, a current line quickly caught their attention. It took just a few casts to confirm the area?s potential: A magnificent 68-cm sea bass is caught , followed by a second fish measuring 45 cm.
With forty minutes left in the race, Team Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury can still hope for an excellent result.
Respect for the fish comes before the competitive result
But one event will change the course of the final stages of the competition.
The 68-cm sea bass is beginning to show signs of fatigue in the livewell. Rather than continue fishing in a particularly active area, the three competitors decide to quickly head to a judge?s boat to have their catch verified and ensure it is released back into the water under the best possible conditions. It was a responsible decision, but one that cost them precious minutes. By the time they returned to their spot, the current had weakened and the sea bass had stopped feeding.
This episode serves as a reminder that Sports performance should never take precedence over respect for fish , especially in competitions where caught fish are released back into the water.
Mercury and Lowrance: Two Complementary Technologies
The Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury Team finally finished this second round in 11th place with 303 points , while the third spot on the podium is up for grabs at 401 points.
Beyond the rankings, the 2026 edition served to confirm how well Mercury engines and Lowrance electronics complement each other.
The Mercury V6 200 ch provided the power and responsiveness needed to make frequent trips between sectors, while the Lowrance HDS Pro have made it easier to assess the seabed, identify forage fish, and locate productive areas.
Two brands owned by the Brunswick Group that combine their technologies to serve the sportfishing industry.
For Romain Rozier, Nicolas Zaorski, and Marc Lepeigneul, the 2026 Grand Pavois Fishing left them with some regrets, but also plenty of satisfaction. With a fifth-place finish in the first round and several tactical decisions that paid off, The Lowrance%E2euros%93Mercury Team has proven its ability to compete with the best crews , while noting that success in competitions depends as much on the anglers' experience as on the quality of their equipment.
