Learn fly fishing basics at these upcoming clinics

Fly fishing is a great hobby, but the learning phase can be somewhat lengthy if you don't have instruction to help guide you through the tackle, terminology, and most important, the casting basics. That's where fly fishing clinics can get beginners on the fast track.

With the closing of the Orvis store in Baton Rouge, which provided several clinics through the year, the options for those seeking a comprehensive course are fewer.  But at least two hands-on workshops are available coming in February - and both are free! 

Acadiana Fly Fishing 101 - Feb. 21

The Acadiana Fly Rodders of Lafayette will host  a "Fly Fishing 101" on Saturday, February 21st at the East Regional Lafayette Parish Library in Youngsville.  Time is 10:00am to 1:00pm. 
There is no cost, but pre-registration is required.

The agenda includes fly fishing overview, hands-on casting instruction led by FFI-Certified Instructors, hands-on knots and leaders, discussion of equipment and accessories needed for fresh and marsh fishing. For complete details or to register, go to www.acadianaflyrodders.org and click on "Fly Fish 101".
  
Cenla Fly Fishing 101 - Feb. 28

The Kisatchie Fly Fishers will host their annual "Fly Fishing 101" on Saturday, February 28th at Booker-Fowler Hatchery on Joan Stokes Rd in Forest Hill. Time is 8:30am to 12:30pm. There is no cost, but pre-registration is required.

The agenda includes fly fishing overview and terminology, hands-on casting led by FFI-Certified Instructors, hands-on knots and leaders, discussion of equipment and accessories needed for fresh and inshore saltwater fishing, and different types of flies for various fish.  For complete details or to register, go to www.kisatchiefly.org and click on "FF101".

Its rainbeaux trout time!

Every winter, rainbow trout are stocked in numerous public lakes and ponds across Louisiana, either by parish agencies or as part of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries "Get Out and Fish" community fishing program.

The first stockings began before Christmas, by East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation (BREC) in their parish lakes, along with Ascension Parish at Lamar Dixon.  Later in January, LDWF will stock ponds statewide.  A list of locations and dates is on the graphic to the left.  Click on the image to view an enlarged version.

The trout are stocked as put-and-take, with a daily limit of either four (4) or five (5).  In conjunction with their stockings, LDWF holds fishing tournaments at most of their community lakes, while BREC has a tagged fish contest.

Louisiana joins over 30 other states that have wintertime stockings of the popular coldwater species in small lakes and ponds where bank anglers have easy access. It provides a very active fishery at a time when warmwater species are fairly dormant. Whatever trout survive harvesting will likely die sometime in late March or early April when the water temperatures get too warm.

Fly anglers across the state, regardless of skill level, can be found at these ponds once the rainbeaux trout arrive. While corn, marshmallows, powerbait and other "commie tackle" might work best, once the trout become acclimated to the food life of the pond, they soon revert to those bugs. Advantage fly fishers!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Here's wishing everyone a merry and most blessed Christmas.  Hope Santa brings that one fishing gift you really need... a new fly rod, a new fly line, or perhaps a ruler to measure those 24-inch speckled trout you claim to catch!

While Christmas is a season of festivity, let's not forget the reason for the season: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….” John 1:14. Please be giving to those in need, and pray for those who are less fortunate, for those in suffering, and for those away from their families this season.

We also wish everyone a prosperous and healthy New Year.  With the new year we hope to see a continuance of excellent marsh fishing as we've had the past couple  of months, and the restart of great freshwater fishing, beginning with crappie and chain pickerel.

Final days of Orvis Baton Rouge

Back in October, Orvis announced it was closing 36 retail locations across the country as part of a strategic shift to focus more on fly fishing and wingshooting. Among the reasons given by Orvis President Simon Perkins were "a need to focus on core products" and a difficult, "unprecented tariff landscape".

Before I get to that last statement, let's talk about the one concern on everyone's minds: the announcement that the Orvis store in Baton Rouge was on the hit list. It's set to permanently close on December 24th.  If you get a chance, go by the store and thank Matt and John for all they've done for the local flyfishing community.

To say many of us are disappointed would be the understatement of the new millennium. The store opened in November, 2008, to much fanfare. It's been the hub of fly fishing activity in south-central Louisiana ever since. Orvis-BR has held numerous special events, from film festivals to guest speakers to "Conservation Days" and much more. Their Fly Fishing 101 and Fly Tying 101 classes have introduced a few hundred anglers to the sport and the art of tying. 

There's a personal connection as well. My older son, Kevin, was one of the store's first fishing managers. During his short stint (8 months), he taught a couple dozen folks how to fly cast. Since him, the list of Managers and Fishing Managers includes a renown group of fly anglers, from Capt. Bailey Short to Ian Huang to Alex Beane and others. 

It's going to be a tough loss for sure. While Bass Pro and Cabelas will still sell some fly fishing gear and fly tying material, there's no comparison when it comes to knowledge, customer service and quality of product.

Now to get to the other part of this post: the aftermath. As you might expect, social media blew up when the announcement was made. And as always, the Facebook fact checkers were missing in action.

First, Orvis cutting back stores is not "another sign" that fly fishing is on the decline. In fact, since 2010, fly fishing participation has grown on average of 2% per year. We now have the most fly anglers in America since surveys began in the 1970s. If the industry is in decline, it's not surprising. As I've said a hundred times - and I'll say a hundred times more: most of the folks running fly fishing companies - and individuals in the industry - aren't qualified to run a lemonade stand!

Second, many folks are buying into this nonsense that tariffs are the culprit for Orvis discontinuing most of their clothing line.  Unless the clothes are made in China, tariffs haven't been that high - they certainly haven't devastated the rest of the apparel industry. Besides, margins in apparel are so high in most cases that the impact is minor.  Perhaps the reason is that the 1950s called Orvis and wanted their clothing back. Really. When was the last time you walked into an Orvis store and said, "Wow, that looks so fashionable - and so affordable!". 

Anywho, Kevin says Orvis is making a huge mistake getting out of the clothing line instead of renovating and expanding the line. "Clothes have a life cycle... fly rods with lifetime warranties don't.".  We shall see.  

In the meantime, No Wake Outfitters in Metairie and Pack & Paddle in Lafayette will remain the alternatives for fly anglers eager for a customer-focused experience.  

2026 Calendar reminder

It's that time of the year again.  Christmas, Hanukkah - and our annual request for calendar submissions. We collect submissions for several online calendars, newspapers and even a magazine or two. Deadline is December 21st for some publications, but for this website any time is good. 

If you know of a fly fishing event taking place next year, please check the LAFlyFish.com Calendar page and see if it's posted and the information is correct. If the event is missing, or info is incorrect, please email me at catch@laflyfish.com.

2026 is turning out to be an odd year as several events across the South had to be cancelled or postponed for a variety of reasons. That includes the very popular Atlanta Fly Fishing Show. So the list is small, but not insignificant!

Here are some regional events through July:

Jan. 24 - Cenla Fly Fishing Festival, Kees Park Civic Center, Pineville, LA. Free admission. This biennial event is hosted by the Kisatchie Fly Fishers in even years. Features fly tying, casting instruction, seminars, raffles, and more. www.kisatchiefly.org .

Feb. 6-7 - ALTO Little Mo Home Waters Celebration, Municipal Building, 204 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, AR. No cost. Hosted by the ArkLaTexOma Fly Tyers, this is a weekend of tying, casting, seminars, vendors, raffles. For details, go to www.arklatexomaflytyers.com .

Mar. 7 - Red Stick Day, 4141 North Flannery, Baton Rouge, LA.  Free admission. The Red Stick Fly Fishers host the longest-running fly fishing event in Louisiana, featuring fly tying, casting, seminars, great food, and on-the-water activities including fishing on premises. www.rsff.org .

Mar. 26-28 - Sowbug Roundup, Mountain Home, AR. Hosted by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, this is largest fly tying event in the nation, with as many as 140 tiers from across the country and even other countries at one time. There's also free introductory classes, and free beginner fly casting lessons. www.naff.org.

May 1-2 - Gulf Coast Classic, Gulf Shores State Park Learning Campus, AL. Admission $15 per day, discounts for family, some workshops are an extra fee. Hosted by the FFI Gulf Coast Council, this event features some of the nation's top fly tiers and casting and fishing experts, a film festival, a "mixed bag" fishing contest, raffles, and much more. For details, go to www.ffigulfcoastclassic.org.

Also, some clubs will be holding "Fly Fishing 101" for beginners. Again, check the calendar for dates and locations.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This day means many things to many different people. For most, it's a day of feasting with friends and family. Here in Louisiana, the dinner table will be adorned with turkey, roast, venison, duck or other hearty meat slowly cooked, along with Cajun favorites like sweet potatoes and corn machcoux. There's a good chance that the bird of choice is stuffed  with crawfish or shrimp.  I'm getting hungry just typing this, lol!

Here in the Cormier household, while we do enjoy our feasting and football, we still recognize Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. We're thankful for all the woods, waters and wildlife we have here in the Sportsmans Paradise. And for the numerous friends we've made through our love of outdoors.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

It's the most wonderful time of the year

No, it's not Christmas yet.  Seems like it, given that the Hallmark Channels have been showing Christmas movies for a month, and the stores - especially Hobby Lobby - have had decorations up for even longer.  But for marsh anglers, it's like Christmas.  Reds and specks on the fly rod, and from a kayak, is the gift that keeps on giving.  

Right now is prime time for speckled trout - the interior lakes and bayous are thick with the silver wonders.  I love to fish poppers early and late, and on overcast days.  These also tend to attract larger trout. Pete's Perch Float Popper, Bob's Banger,  Rainey’s Bubblehead Popper, Skipping Bugs, and Foil Pencil Popper (e.g, Walt Holman style) are all very good options.

Later in the day, I’ll switch to the old “VOSI - Dropper combo". Either a Clouser Minnow, LaFleur's Charlie or EP Spawning Shrimp under a Vertically Oriented Strike Indicator.  The VOSI is constructed from half a perch float, and acts like a fly rodder's popping cork. 

To achieve best results, I use about 30 inches of fluorocarbon tippet, with the VOSI placed just past the connecting knot with the rest of the leader.  Make a strip, pause a couple seconds, another strip, another pause, etc..  

If we’re coming off a cold front, trout action can be slow, so I’ll scout for reds. A day or two after a front, the wind often lays down and the tide is low. Perfect conditions for spotting the Spottail Elvis! This time of year, reds are more apt to hit poppers longer in the day, and especially if it's overcast. 

If they're not in the mood for topwater, a wide variety of other patterns will work.  Some reader favorites include: Copper Spoon Fly, Root Beer Charlie, Grey’s Spawning Crab, Scrambler, Borski Slider, and the Chernobyl Crab. But if you see sprays of shrimp, that Spawning Shrimp is a sure thing!

One thing you need to beware of... there are bulls on the loose!  During summer, these bigger poisson rouge were mostly on the edges of lower bays and lakes. But with cooler weather, they sometimes move into the deepest parts of the marsh. Last year, we encountered two fish over 35 inches on the north side of Galliano. In a boat, it's a heck of a fight. But in a kayak, it's a long sleigh ride!

Commission votes to reduce menhaden buffer zone

Yesterday was a very disappointing day at LDWF headquarters in Baton Rouge, as members of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries (LWF) Commission voted 4 to 3 in support of a Notice of Intent to reduce the commercial menhaden buffer zone from 1/2-mile to 1/4 mile in most areas along the coast.

This meeting took place only a year after the current regulations of a 1/2 mile buffer were established as a "compromise" between conservationists and industry representatives. At the time, it appeared almost certain a one-mile buffer would be set, but Governor Landry insisted that there be some compromise.

Now the industry has broken it's agreement.

In testimony yesterday, industry leaders argued with some data that they claim would not result in additional bycatch of red drum and black drum if the buffer were reduced. Most of that came from a year-long bycatch study by LGL Group. 

LGL President Scott Raborn was asked to speak first and answer several questions. During the questioning by LWFC Chairman Kevin Segura, it was vague whether moving the buffer would result in greater bycatch.  However, Dr. Raborn was not allowed to finish his testimony which, in those areas where the 1/2 mile buffer was deeper than 22 feet, there WOULD be an increase in bycatch.

The industry reps continued their arguments claiming:

• the buffer was impacting their ability to catch pogies
• that menhaden is overrated as a forage species, 
• that pelagic fish will gravitate towards other prey such as shrimp and crabs if menhaden are reduced in their area
• that the menhaden harvest in Louisiana reduces the total biomass of menhaden in the Gulf of Mexico by only 3 percent.

Conservation advocates - including State Representative Joe Orgeron, Chris Macaluso of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Glen Cormier of the FFI Gulf Coast Council -tore apart each of these arguments in short order. Also joining in dissecting the misinformation - as well as providing supporting scientific facts were representatives of CCA Louisiana, American Saltwater Guides Association, Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Center for Sportfishing Policy, and several others. 

Overall, the opponents in attendance and number of speakers in opposition was 3-to-1 to the commercial industry. And this is even more impressive when considering that an overwhelming number of guides were unable to attend since October and November are their busiest times of the year. In addition, over 800 emails and letters were sent to the Commission opposing this NOI.

Despite the overwhelming opposition and "real" scientific arguments by conservation representatives, the Commission voted as many expected - right along commercial / sport lines. With the 3-3 tie, Chairman Segura cast the deciding vote in favor of the NOI.  

Here's what happens next...

The Notice of Intent will be published, and once so, there's a public comment period that opens on December 19th and concludes on January 23rd. It then goes to the Legislative Oversight Committee for review, and if no action is taken, it would become official on March 20, 2026.

While the comments period is certainly an opportunity to express our displeasure with the NOI, it's our opinion that further comments will do little the votes on the Commission. As stated, these votes were cast along partisan lines and there's little expectation that will change.

Therefore, all effort must be made to persuade members of the House and Senate Natural Resources Committees. These members make up the Legislative Oversight Committee that can veto the NOI. 

To use a football analogy, it's halftime and we're down on the scoreboard. But we have a chance to pull out a victory if we work hard enough!  Stay tuned for more details to come.

Review: OEFS Bonefish vs Nirvana Apex saltwater lines

OEFS Bonefish line 2-tone color

One question I often get is: do I really need to buy a $120 premium fly line for saltwater?  The answer is "no", even though as a general rule, you get what you pay for. Which is especially true for saltwater fly lines.

Given that the 8-weight is the standard de facto rod for marsh fishing, it's no surprise that I have four 8-weight rods in my arsenal. Each is equipped with a separate reel and line, instead of just one or two reel/lines shared. And that's because - as I've pointed out countless times - it's the rod / line combination that matters. Certain rods perform to an intended purpose better with some lines than others. 

Overall, there's no question that the best line in my 8-weight arsenal is a SciAnglers Amplitude Textured Bonefish. On just about any of my rods, it can make incredibly accurate casts both at 20 feet and at over 100 feet. Which is probably why it costs $120.

But the second best line is probably a tie between a Wulff Triangle Taper line ($69 / $99) and a Cabelas Prestige Plus Saltwater line ($49). The latter is no longer made now that Bass Pro has discontinued all of Cabelas really good fly fishing stuff and replaced it with it's own inferior White River brand. 

The Triangle Taper line is still widely sold. For ages, I used the classic TT line for saltwater and cut the first 2 feet of line tip off to better cast poppers and streamers - a trick that David Diaz shared with me. Although rated for cooler water, I never had a problem with limpness but then again most of my marsh fishing was (and is) October through June.  They now make a Bermuda TT line with a shorter head (32 feet) and stiffer core intended for tropical use.

What you probably have noticed is that I don't use short head/belly lines. Just don't like them. This also gives me some flexibility when shopping for lower cost alternatives to premium lines. The dilemna is in finding a quality saltwater line at a value or budget price.

For reference, this is our current line price rating system:
Premium: $99 up, Mid-priced: $69-$95, Value: $45-$69, Budget: under $45.

At the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show in February, we came across two vendors that were selling their own labeled saltwater fly lines: Moonlit Fly Fishing and Olde English Fly Shop. Both were generous enough to let us cast them on the pools, and initial impression was good enough for us to purchase from each. 

I finally got around to full testing on each line. Since lines perform differently on different rods, I tested each on my Sage XI2 (fast-plus action) and Sage DS2 (medium-plus action).

Moonlit Apex Flight ($75 but discounted to $49)
This line is also sold under "Nirvana" branding. The line color is blue. It features a rather long 58-foot head, 95-foot overall length, and promoted as withstanding tropical use. Interestingly, the description says, "built to meet the rigorous demands of FFI CI and MCI tests". 

This line performed very well on both rods at all distances: 20, 40, 60, and "longest". It did best at 60 feet on both rods, and on the longest test, routinely hit between 100-105 feet on the XI2, and 90-95 feet on the DS2. I understand the promotion for FFI testing as I was able to carry a LOT of line false casting with its 58-foot head. The stiffer XI2 handled this better than the more moderate DS2.

Olde English Fly Shop Bonefish Taper ($36)
Don't let the name fool ya... this fly shop is owned by an English couple who live in Summerland Key, Florida. They told me the line is used extensively by a couple of local guides. The taper is very close to that of the Rio Avid Bonefish, a 37-foot head with 7-ft front taper. It comes in two tone color, light blue for the head, and sand for the running line. 

This line felt good loading on the DS2 in the 20 foot range, really good on the 40 and 60 ranges. For longest, it occasionally hit the 90-foot marker, but not once further. On the XI2, while it loaded well on the shorter distances, it was able to hit 90-95 feet every cast. No surprise here, the faster XI2 always gives a good line more distance.

Conclusion
The Moonlit Apex line was everything as Brandon Moon stated, it's definitely a great line for longer casts as I often need when fishing from a boat, whether in Louisiana, Texas, or southwest Florida. 

But I'm nearly all kayak angler these days, and for that, the OEFS line would be my favorite. It loaded so well in the shorter ranges that I catch 99% of my redfish, drum, sheepshead, trout - and on the DS2 which like the TFO TiCR is my favorite kayak rods. I also like the lighter blue color that is easier to see (I'm a big believer in light-colored lines).

So I'd say both are equally good depending on what type of fishing you do and what distance range you need. And while neither challenges my Triangle Taper or Amplitude Textured for superior status, they do represent a quality alternative to those higher priced lines.