Sunday, February 23, 2020

What's happening this week - 2/23

On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold their monthly fly tying session at the Independence Park Library on 7711 Goodwood Blvd in  Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during the session. Materials are provided. For more, go to www.rsff.org.

Tuesday is Mardi Gras. Your last chance to enjoy king cake in 2020.

On Tuesday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly general meeting at Rapides Westside Library in Alexandria. Time is 6:30pm. Casting outside on the lawn begins at 5:00pm. Carlton Townsend will lead a presentation on "Rigging & Tactics for Coldwater Trout", with emphasis on upcoming club trips to the Little Missouri River. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

On Wednesday, LDWF will hold another in its series of statewide public meetings on the future of speckled trout management at Calcasieu Parish Extension Office, 7101 Gulf Highway in Lake Charles. Time is 6:00pm. Conservationists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and fill out a BLUE card to comment at the end of session and voice support for a 14" minimum size regulation.

On Thursday, LDWF will hold another in its series of statewide public meetings on the future of speckled trout management at Rapides Parish Extension Office, 300 Grady Britt Drive in Alexandria. Time is 6:00pm. Conservationists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and fill out a BLUE card to comment at the end of session and voice support for a 14" minimum size regulation.

Also on Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Crab Trap Room across the parking lot from the Blue Crab Restaurant. Guest speaker will be Randy Richter who will present on fly fishing in the Amazon. Randy has made many trips to South America to chase various species in the Amazon River, including the notorious peacock bass. He will outline travel arrangements, equipment, flies, etc. that are necessary to make a trip to the Amazon successful. NOFF will also raffle off a 7-weight TFO fly rod at the meeting. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

On Saturday, LDWF will hold the final meeting in its series of statewide public meetings on the future of speckled trout management at Lincoln Parish Library, 910 North Trenton Street in Ruston. Time is 1:00pm (afternoon). Conservationists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and fill out a BLUE card to comment at the end of session and voice support for a 14" minimum size regulation.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

What's happening this week - 2/16

On Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at Rapides Westside Library on Provine Place in Alexandria. Bill Morrison will lead a tying techniques clinic prior to the regular session, starting at 5:30pm. The regular session kicks off at 6:30pm. This month, the group will tie the A&W Emerger followed by the Bluegill Belly Bean. Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during the session. Materials are provided. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

On Tuesday, the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St. Paul Lutheran Church on 1620 East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. Fly tying and discussion at 6:00pm, meeting at 7:00pm.  Guests are welcome. For more info, go to their Facebook page.

Also on Tuesday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club holds their monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle on 601 East Pinhook in Lafayette. Time is 6:00pm. Visitors are welcome. For more info, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

On Wednesday, LDWF will hold another in its series of statewide public meetings on the future of speckled trout management at East Bank Regional Library, 4747 West Napoleon Avenue in Metairie. Time is 6:00pm. Conservationists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and fill out a BLUE card to comment at the end of session and voice support for a 14" minimum size regulation.

On Thursday, LDWF will hold another in its series of statewide public meetings on the future of speckled trout management at Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 Second Street in Slidell. Time is 6:00pm. Conservationists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting and fill out a BLUE card to comment at the end of session and voice support for a 14" minimum size regulation.

Also on Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold the 2nd of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at the River Ridge Public Library on 8825 Jefferson Highway. Time is 7:00pm. Beginners welcome. Bring your tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during the session. Bring $1 for materials. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Starting Friday and continuing thru Sunday, it's Troutfest 2020 at Lazy L&L Campgrounds in New Braunfels, Texas. Sponsored by Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited is a fly fishing banquet and exposition to raise funding to conserve, protect and restore the cold tailwater fishery below Canyon Dam, the southernmost year-round trout fishery in the USA. Seminars, fly tying demonstrations, casting clinics, Kid Fish Pond, vendors and much more.  For more info, go to www.grtu.org.

Monday, February 10, 2020

Time for fly anglers to fight for conservation!

Tonight kicks off the first of 8 public meetings hosted by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the future of speckled trout management. The meetings are in response to biologists studies that show that seatrout are overfished, and changes are necessary in order to recover the stock.

Some of the responses I've seen on Facebook give new meaning to the word "stupid". Some of the very same folks who said that the Calcasieu limit of 15 was implemented despite the "science", and we should've listened to the biologists, are now saying the science is unreliable, the biologists are not always right and no changes should be made. Honestly folks, you can't make this sh*t up!

Regardless, it points out that there will be resistance to tighter limits. Those of us who support conservation MUST be at these meetings and make our voice heard. I hate to say this, but there are a good number of fly anglers who either don't care about speckled trout, or give conservation lip service. Therefore those of us who DO LOVE to fly fish for specks must carry the burden.

The chart says it all. We need a 20% savings in the spawning potential ratio. This means a 14" minimum size limit with either a 15 or 20 daily limit.

Personally I strongly support 14/15 - 14 inch minimum size and 15 fish daily limit. This will get us back above the conservation target in the least amount of time and keep us safely above that target for the foreseeable future. 

For meeting dates and locations in your area, check out our Calendar page.

What's happening this week - 2/9

On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly general meeting at Broadmoor United Methodist Church inside the Adult Education Center. Location is 10230 Mollylea Drive in Baton Rouge. Casting practice at 6:30pm, meeting at 7:00pm. The public is welcome. For more, go to www.rsff.org.

Also on Monday, LDWF will begin the first of several public meetings on the future of speckled trout management, with a meeting at the North Branch Library on 4130 West Park Ave in Gray. Time is 6:00pm.

On Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Red River National Wildlife Refuge in Bossier City. Gathering starts at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:45pm, program at 7:00pm.  The public is welcome! For more, go to www.northlaflyfishers.org.

On Wednesday, LDWF will hold a public meeting on the future of speckled trout management at LDWF headquarters on 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Time is 6:00pm.

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers will hold the first of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at St. Francis Xavier community building on 444 Metairie Road. Time is 7:00pm. Bring $1 for materials. Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during the session. Beginners welcome! For more, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Also on Thursday, LDWF will hold a public meeting on the future of speckled trout management at the Lafayette City Council Chambers on 705 West University Avenue. Time is 6:00pm.

This Friday is Valentine's Day. Do something special for the one you love and take them fishing!

On Saturday, it's the 15th-ever Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival at the Community Center in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. This popular event celebrates southwest Arkansas' premier year-round trout fishing river and features between a dozen and two dozen fly tiers from across the Ark-La-Tex. There are also programs, vendors and exhibitors. That evening is the annual "Fly Draft".  The event concludes on Sunday with an on-the-river casting clinic. For more info, including list of tiers and programs and schedule, go to www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com.

Sunday, February 02, 2020

What's happening this week - 2/2

On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Abita Brew Pub on 72011 Holly Street in Abita Springs. Gathering starts at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm.  Guests are welcome. For more info, go to  www.pbasinflyfishers.blogspot.com.

On Thursday, the Orvis Baton Rouge store will hold a weekday edition of "Fly Fishing 101" at their store on 7601 Bluebonnet. Time is 4:00pm to 5:45pm. FF101 covers the basics of tackle and rigging, with hands-on fly casting. There is no cost, but seats are limited so pre-registration is required. For more info, contact Orvis BR at 225-757-7288.

On Thursday, Pack & Paddle in Lafayette will hold a "Community Fly Tying Night" at their store on 601 E. Pinhook. Time is 6:00pm. The event is free and open to the public. Bring your vise and tools if you have them, if not, PnP has a few sets for use during the session. For more info, go to www.packpaddle.com.

On Saturday, it's the 28th annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival in Houston.  Location is Bethany Christian Church Community Center at 3223 Westheimer.  Time is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Admission is charged.  Hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers, this event features the largest group of fly tiers of any event on the Gulf Coast, with over 60 tiers. This year's special guest is Gunnar Brammer. For more details, see our January 28th post, or go to www.texasflyfishers.org.

Also on Saturday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold another of their "Fly Tying 101" sessions at their store on Bluebonnet in Perkins-Rowe. Time is 2:00pm. FT101 is a free one-day, 2-hour hands-on clinic covering the basics of fly tying. Pre-registration is required as class size is limited. For more info, call 225-757-7286.