2019 Calendar reminder

Yep, it's that time of year again. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah - and our Spring Calendar deadlines. If you have, or know of, a fly fishing event or kayak fishing event taking place in 2019, please check the LAFlyFish Calendar and see if it's posted and the date and location are correct. Exact details are not required at this time. If the event is missing, or info is incorrect, please email me at catch(at)laflyfish(dot)com.

If you look at our Calendar page, you'll see most of the annual events have already set dates. Event managers know that early announcement leads to better attendance.  Some dates not yet set include series tournaments for the Bayou Coast and Lafayette kayak fishing clubs, kayak demo days, and a few CCA fishing seminars.  We are told the kayak tournament dates will come in late December.

We accept event submissions at any time for our calendar. However, there are publications of these events done on an annual or monthly basis. The first of these has a deadline of December 1st. So if you wish for your event to get FREE publicity - and it's NOT on our Calendar - you have until that day to send it to us.

Rios now eligible for state record listing

Earlier this month, it was reported by outdoors contributor Joe Macaluso in The Advocate newspaper (Baton Rouge) that the Louisiana Outdoors Writers Assocation (LOWA) has added the Rio Grande Cichlid to the state's freshwater fish records list.

Rios are native to south Texas and northern Mexico. Due to the aquarium trade - and intentional or accidental releases into waterways - they've become established in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, and southern Florida. Incapable of tolerating very cold water, Rios are most active from late Spring thru early Fall, and seemingly disappear in Winter. They've become a favorite of warmwater fly anglers due to their tendency to eat flies, their wary nature and dogged fight when hooked. Their popularity among flyfishers led to the New Orleans Fly Fishers club establishing the annual "Rio Grande Rodeo". The 10th annual rodeo was held in early October.

So far, flyfishers have been elated with the news. According to LOWA Fish Records Chairman Lyle Johnson, the state's only cichlid will now list the top 10 of this species effective immediately. This will apply to both "Rod and Reel" and "Fly Fishing" divisions. Records can be submitted via forms on the laoutdoorwriters.com website.

Pat Cohen to highlight Rizzolo Tying Festival

This February, the Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival will celebrate it's 27th year as the largest fly tying event on the Gulf Coast.  Hosted by the Houston-based Texas Fly Fishers club, the fest annually features one of the top names in fly tying and/or fly fishing.  It also features nearly a hundred tiers from across Texas, Louisiana and other states.

TFF has announced that Pat Cohen will be their headliner for the 2019 festival.  Cohen is considered one of the world's top deer hair tiers as well as other patterns for bass, trout, pike and other species.  Pat isn't just a tier who ties flies, but an avid angler who does on-the-water testing of patterns to find what works.

Cohen was featured at the Contraband Fly Casters Expo in Lake Charles back in July.  For those who missed this great fly artist, here's another opportunity.  The Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival will be held on Saturday, February 9th at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Road in Houston. The Festival opens at 8:30 am and tying will continue until 4:30 pm.

For more info, click on the image (for larger size) or go to www.texasflyfishers.org.

Special events this week - 11/11

On Sunday, Pack and Paddle will welcome the "Sage, Redington and Rio Factory Tour" in conjunction with their quarterly "Fly Fishing Hangout". Time is 2:00pm to 4:30pm. Location is the PnP store on 601 East Pinhook in Lafayette. Representatives from all three companies will be on hand with rods, reels and lines for attendees to test cast. Also, there'll be fly tying demonstrations and locally-brewed craft beer. In addition there'll be a raffle for a Redington rod, special discounts on Sage, Redington and Rio products, and more. For details, go to www.packpaddle.com. 

FTU Inshore Expo to feature Enrico Puglisi

On Saturday, December 8th, Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston will host their 11th annual Inshore Expo at their store on 8723 Katy Freeway. Time is 10:00am to 5:00pm. The FTU Expo is a free event dedicated to light tackle and fly fishing interests. In addition to seminars by national and regional anglers and captains, there's also fly tying demos by area tiers, casting demos, and factory representatives.

Each year, the FTU Expo features a renowned name in fly fishing. Past headliners include Enrico Puglisi, Flip Pallot, Steve Rajeff, Andy Mill, Gary Loomis - to name a few. This year's headliner will be Enrico Puglisi. If you missed his appearance at FTU several years ago - or at Uptown Angler in New Orleans a few years back - then this is a great opportunity to see one of the most innovative, entertaining and informative fly tiers alive today.

Other presenters include Laguna Madre guide Ernest Cisneros, Aransas fly fishing guide JT Van Zant, and outdoors artist Chance Yarbrough. For more info, go to www.fishingtackleunlimited.com.