Elmer's Island... the good news! In yesterday's Baton Rouge Advocate, Outdoors Editor Joe Macaluso reported that LDWF has extended indefinitely the weekend openings of the road to the state portion of Elmers Island. For the members of Louisiana and Mississippi fly fishing clubs going down to Grand Isle July 17-19, this is great news! The road will be open from one-half hour before sunrise on Friday, and close one-half hour after sunset on Sunday. The premises are for day-use only... no camping! Everyone over age 16 must hold either a 2009-2010 Louisiana saltwater fishing license, or a Louisiana Wild stamp.

Elmer's Island... the bad news! In today's Baton Rouge Advocate, it was reported that the attorney for Charlie Elmer, owner of Elmer's Island, is not pleased with LDWF or Governor Bobby Jindal for declaring road access to the state portion, and opening it to the public. No action will be taken to stop access. However, attorney Todd Slack stated that his client "is concerned that somebody will get hurt and he will get sued. That happened to his brother. [] That was the reason why, in 2002, he locked the gate.". Slack also said that the state has not yet made a firm offer for the Elmer's property. But LDWF Secretary Robert Barham said an offer was made in June, and he's heard no response. Sounds like we need "Priceline Negotiator" to step in on this one...

Starting this week, you need a saltwater license to fish in Connecticut or South Carolina. And Florida residents are now required to hold a saltwater license if they fish from shore. Previously, only out-of-state anglers needed a shoreline license. I can tell you from time spent in the bait shops last week in Navarre and Pensacola, this is not popular among the natives! And according to news reports, it's not popular in Connecticut or South Carolina or other states that are in the process of initiating a salt license. Don't blame the states... blame Obama! Or Bush. Actually, both! States are being forced to saltwater licenses, and here's why: starting in 2010, federal law will require all saltwater fishermen to be registered, whether they fish from a boat, dock or shore. The federal registration fee will be $25. For states that have saltwater licenses, their anglers will be exempted as long as the state provides the feds with the angler data they need. It's been speculated that for every $25 collected, a state will likely spend less than $2 collecting and maintaining the necessary data... and get to keep the rest. So you're the governor of a state and here's your dilemna... should we have a license and keep the money ourselves, or let the feds collect $25 per angler. DUH?!?

Speaking of politics and fishing, the Chief of Spain's intelligence agency has stepped down after it was reported that he went on fishing trips to exotic locations at taxpayers' expense. Alberto Saiz likely would've been only reprimanded had he not tried to fire as many as 60 agents who leaked this information to the press. Now here's my question... couldn't he just have stated that the fishing trip was a diversion, and that the real mission was top secret. That excuse works pretty good on my wife!

Wednesday, July 1
Yesterday was a big day for Grand Isle. First, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the island to mark the opening of LDWF's new $23 million research center. The hurricane-proof facility (at least as good as it gets) contains state-of-the-art equipment. It replaces the Grand Terre facility that was only accessible by boat, and easily subject to hurricane damage. During the ceremony, LDWF Secretary Robert Barham announced the opening of road access to Elmer's Island for the first time in eight years. According to an article in The Advocate newspaper, Barham led a tour of Elmer's Island yesterday afternoon and stated that the gates off Highway 1 to the island would be open one-half hour before sunrise this Friday, for the fourth of July weekend. The bad news is that come Sunday night, the gates will be locked again and not reopened "until we can develop a long-term plan for its use". That means that members of Louisiana and Mississippi flyfishing clubs attending the annual Grand Isle outing on July 17-19 may find the gates closed. More on this later.

Today is the first day that you must possess a 2009-2010 Louisiana fishing license or you will be ticketed. Remember, to fish saltwater you need BOTH the basic permit plus the saltwater stamp. The exception is if you fish with a charter captain who provides a trip license.

Tuesday, June 30
Temple Fork Outfitters has announced a new rod series to be introduced later this summer. These new rods are designed in part by Bob Clouser, and will be part of TFO's TiCrX family of rods. Available in line weights five through nine, the Clouser rods will be 8-feet, 9-inches long and retail for $224.95 to $249.95, and are designed to efficiently cast weighted flies and sinking fly lines. For more details, check the post in Tackle Talk forum.

A break in the weather has resulted in some fairly good catches in recent days. Although it's still hot - and will be until September - the return of daily afternoon thunderstorms has improved bream action. In addition, the falling rivers have seen good catches of white bass and sacalait in backwaters. On the coast, speckled trout action has slowed down from early and mid-June, but catches of 10-15 fish are still common. Action on topwater has gotten better: popping bugs for bream, Pecks Poppers for bass, and Crease flies/Bob's Bangers/Perch Float poppers for specks and reds.

Sunday, June 28
What's happening this week. On Monday, the Ouachita River Fly Fishers will meet at 7:00pm at Judd Moore's home in Monroe. If interested, please contact Judd at (318)396-4521. Also on Monday, the Cajun Chapter of CCA-Louisiana will hold a fishing seminar starting at 5:30pm at the LSU Cooperative Extension office in Crowley. Admission is free, and food and drinks will be provided. Guests are encouraged. Guest speaker will be Capt. Doug Blanchard of Star Charters who will talk about summer fishing. For more info, contact Tony Berrigan at (225)952-2000. On Wednesday, the Ponchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at 6:30pm at Friends Coastal Restaurant, on the river in Madisonville. Guests are welcome. On Thursday, Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City will hold their monthly "Fly Tying for Beginners" clinic at 6:30pm in the White River Fly Shop. For details, contact Phil Cole at (318)549-8800. On Saturday, July 4, Lake Claiborne State Park will hold a clinic, "Kayaking on Lake Claiborne" at 3:00pm. It will cover the basics of kayaking; the program is open to anyone age 12 or older. For more info, call 888-677-2524 toll free.

Be careful out there! There was a report of two men drowning at Grand River when their bateau hit a submerged object and they fell overboard unconscious without life jackets on. I know it's hot to wear a PFD at all times, that's why I wear inflatables. A little more money, but how much is your life worth? West Marine, Bass Pro and Cabelas have some models on sale right now. I'm vacationing in Florida and there was a local report of a kayaker being killed when he was run over by a large boat. I don't know the details, but I'd bet alcohol was involved.

LDWF has treated 1500 acres on Toledo Bend lake for giant salvania and other invasive weeds. According to the Shreveport Times, nine crews and 21 employees broadcasted herbicide during the last week in sections of the upper half of the reservoir. Along with previous treatments, they've created open water areas that had been completely covered by vegetation for two years.

Thursday, June 25
Congratulations to the LSU Tigers on being the 2009 NCAA baseball national champions. It was an exciting College World Series final against Texas. Even if the scores in the last two games weren't close, you felt no lead was safe and it took outstanding pitching from Taylor Jungmann (Texas) on Tuesday night, and Chad Jones (LSU) last night to hold the other team at bay. There will be parties and celebrations galore - hey, this is Louisiana - for a few more weeks, before attention turns to football.

Was that rain? Yes, it was! If you're lucky to live in one of the spotty locations in south Louisiana that unexpectedly received thunderstorms yesterday afternoon, then your grass and garden got a much-needed cool drink. This is one time we're happy the weatherman was wrong. I noticed the short-term forecast for SoLA now looks a little wetter than it did yesterday (20% chance versus no chance of rain).

The Rio Grande Rodeo has been postponed. I received notice that the New Orleans Fly Fishers will likely reschedule in September due to the fact that a full-day fishing event in late July might be too hot for some participants. Good move. I think the Rios will still be active then, and as fast as they grow, hopefully bigger!

The Texas Fly Tying Festival date has been announced. It's historically the first Saturday of February, and there's no change for next year. The Fest will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Special guest will be Bob Clouser.

Wednesday, June 24
Tonight is the third and final game of the College World Series, after LSU suffered a power failure against Texas ace pitcher Taylor Jungmann, last night. I don't think I'll be able to sit and tie flies while watching tonight's game, like I did when LSU played Rice a couple weeks ago.

Be careful out there! There's a double danger that awaits outdoors. First, most parishes are under a heat advisory or an extreme heat advisory. High temperatures (some record) will be near or at 100 degrees thru Saturday, with heat indices in the 104-110 range. Second, we are just past the summer solstice, so clear sunny skies are allowing UV radiation to pour down in it's highest intensity. Take the following precautions: fish early, apply a high-SPF sunscreen before taking to the water, and hydrate well and often. A good sunscreen is SPF-30 or above and water-resistant/waterproof. The best fishing has been first light to about 10am; that's also a good time to avoid the brunt of the heat and UV rays. There's a silver lining on the few clouds we've seen: long-term forecast models indicate a possible weakness in the Gulf high pressure, and a change early next week to not quite as hot with a chance of daily showers.

The drought is affecting the fishing. And if you're a flyrodder, it's not all bad. Water levels are low, and I'm seeing more "moss" and clear water in ponds and lakes than I've ever seen. In some places, it's like fishing an aquarium. Of course, Cormier's 2nd Law of Fly Fishing states, "Clear water favors the flyrodder". And from recent reports and personal experience, I'd say the 2nd Law is holding up like gravity! Poppers and wet flies rule the sweetwater. The downside is that fish activity has slowed down from the high sun and heat. Checking out the report in the Monroe News-Star on Friday, it seems several of my favorite northeastern bream spots are experiencing "fair" fishing. The exceptions being Black Bayou, Caney Lake, D'Arbonne, and backwaters of the Ouachita. Further south, there's still good bream action in the northwest sector of Cataouche. With the major rivers falling, I expect bream action to bust open within 10 days on live oxbows at Morganza, Vidalia, Deer Park, and Yucatan.

Tuesday, June 23
What a game! Everyone today was talking about last night's thrilling come-from-behind, extra-innings victory by LSU over Texas in the first game of the College World Series finals. I left for my club's fly tying session around 7:00pm and Louis Coleman had already given up 3 homers and I was fearing the worst. The session had a decent attendance, not the usual 25-30 folks, but we all understood why. I did learn that a few Red Stick members and a couple of Pontchartrain Basin members have been tearing the specks up in the surf on flies, using clousers, poppers, Marc Pinsel's 4M and Greg Brignac's Commie Cokaho (which he tied for us last night). The session was brief and I got back home in time to witness LSU tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. From there, it seemed the Tigers bats got hot on the outstanding Texas pitchers. Let's hope it continues tonight in Game 2. As for Mikie Mahtook, the freshman outfielder from Lafayette, it was an emotional moment when he batted in the winning run, then looked up, as to acknowledge his late father. I saw tears among some LSU fans. Anywho, Texas has a great coach, and if LSU weren't in the finals, I'd likely be pulling for UT. But LSU is our team. And besides, we need a reason to party!

Here come the weevils! According to an article in the Bossier Press-Tribune, LDWF is getting set to moving massive numbers of salvinia weevils into Lake Bistineau. It's an all-out assault to stop the growth of giant salvinia which has plagued the lake. The plan is to put 50,000 pounds of weevil-infested salvinia into the lake by the end of June. That much salvania contains over one million adult weevils and between two and three million eggs and larvae. The floating colonies will be spread across areas of the lake. They have been raised by LSU AgCenter at a nursery in Lafourche Parish, where the water is warm enough year-round for weevils to survive. Meantime, the research on a cold-tolerant salvania weevil continues.

Monday, June 22
What's happening this week. Today the LSU Tigers face off against the Texas Longhorns in the best-of-3 championship finals of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. A classic matchup of "Small ball" (Texas) versus "Gorilla ball" (LSU). Even if you don't bleed purple and gold, most of us will be watching pulling for the home team... GEAUX TIGERS! Tonight, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold their monthly fly tying session at 7:00pm at Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs. Featured tier will be Greg Brignac. On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at the Whitney Bank Building, 1441 Metairie Road. Discussion will include their upcoming Rio Grande Fly Fishing Rodeo on July 25. On Friday, it's the first day of the Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston, and in conjunction, there's a Kids' Fishing Tournament at Lincoln Parish Park starting at 8:00am. Prizes and refreshments are included. Check www.louisianapeachfestival.org for details. On Saturday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly fly tying clinic from 10:00am to noon. Guest instructor will be Tommy Sharp. Also on Saturday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold a fly tying clinic at Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the White River Fly Shop. Beginners welcome. Also on Saturday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will hold a members outing at Dulac. Also on Saturday, Academy Outdoors will hold their "Meet The Pros" day at selected stores across the state. A chance to talk to bass fishing professionals. For a list of names, store locations and times, check out this link.

Hope all you dads had a great Fathers Day. Our family met my parents in Lafayette for lunch, and Dad and I planned a trip coming soon for Old River Morganza. He'd been doing great on sacalait at Cow Island, but with the Atchafalaya River falling so fast, it'll require a portage from now on. He has a big garden at the house, and it's been impacted by the drought as everything else has. The bushels of sweet corn may turn out to be "bushel" this year. My Father's Day present came Saturday morning when I took my daughter fishing at my sister-in-laws pond. She caught several nice bream and one bass close to 3 pounds, all on poppers, before the midday heat started to wilt us. Doesn't look like there will be a reprieve from the drought this week, in fact, more record hot temperatures are in store across the state. We'd almost need a tropical depression to catch up on rainfall.

Wednesday, June 17
Your 2008-2009 Louisiana fishing licenses expire July 1st. The new licenses for 2009-2010 are currently available and are good from date of issue. That means if you want to go fishing this weekend, but don't have a license, you can buy next year's and be legit. In Louisiana, you need both the basic permit (good for freshwater only) and the saltwater tag to fish saltwater.

More hot weather forecast thru the weekend. No thanks to high pressure centered in the northern Gulf, daytime highs will remain in the mid-90s with heat indices in the 100s. We're at the summer solstice, so the sun is at maximum radiation: I measured the temperature inside my Highlander at noon today at 120 degrees! There have been several reports of deaths or hospitalizations due to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Even before this weather pattern set in, we were under a severe drought. Some parts of south Louisiana are 50 percent below normal rainfall for the year, with most of that rain coming in early March. Bottom line: take care of yourself, your pets and your plants.

Tuesday, June 16
The 1st Annual Rio Grande Fly Fishing Tournament has been announced by the New Orleans Fly Fishers, who will host the event on Saturday, July 25. It could've been easily called the "Rio Grande Club Challenge" because the tournament will pit Louisiana fly fishing clubs against each other in a duel to the death. Well, maybe just a duel. Members who are interested will sign up through their club, and if they win, will share the million-dollar prize money. Well, maybe NO money, just bragging rights. The NOFF club will provide po-boys and drinks for contestants... can't beat that! Another opportunity to battle those wily rios... well, that's all it takes for me. Sign me up, Mr. RSFF El Presidente! Check the forum for more details.

The first show dedicated to kayak fishing will air on the Sportsmans Channel beginning next spring. "Ruthless Kayak Fishing" will be hosted by Cory "Ruthless" Routh, kayak fishing expert and author of "Kayak Fishing: The Complete Guide". It promises to include all species, all waters, from "panfish to pelagics". We're excited to hear that. Unfortunately some puddlers who write articles or do podcasts are singular minded towards saltwater. Fact is, many of us LOVE kayak fishing on streams to lakes as much as we love bays and ocean. I'm already looking forward to the first episode...

Monday, June 15
CCA STAR entries impressive. We're only 3 weeks into CCA-Louisiana's summer-long STAR (Statewide Tournament and Anglers Rodeo) and already big fish are topping the leaderboard. Right now, it takes a flounder over 5 pounds to get your name up, and in the Trout Division, an 8-pounder to make the leaderboard in any of the four trout regions, except for the Southwest (Vermillion to Mermentau) which is running a couple pounds smaller. Of interest to LFF readers is the Kayak Division, where largest speck is the criteria. Here, we have 3 leaders in the Western Region: Mitchell Labbie (3.1lbs), Marc Obrien (3.0lbs) and Greg Sonnier (2.75lbs). In the Southeast Region, Jason Powers is the sole entry with a 2.36lb trout. The East and Southwest regions are wide open. I expect this to change shortly. While the Atchafalaya River remains high, it's difficult to reach good trout water from yak in the Southwest region without a mothership operation.

The 2010 calendar is already beginning to fill up with spring events. The Little Mo Fest, the Acadiana Fly Rodders conclave, and the Red Stick club's "Red Stick Day" are on consecutive weekends in late February thru early March. Some of these events have conflicted in recent years, so it's good to know some of us will be able to attend them all once again. The biggest event on tap will be the FFF Gulf Coast Conclave, which next year will be held at the Civic Center in New Braunfels, April 8 thru 10, with the show on Friday and Saturday. There's excellent fishing real close, and if you watch the Food Network, you know this is the heartland of barbecue and Tex-Mex. I expect the tradition of great food at the Gulf Coast conclave to continue.

Sunday, June 14
What's happening this week. On Tuesday night, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at the YMCA Camp Forbing in Shreveport. Guest speaker will be Johnny McJunkins, aka "The Trout Professor" who will discuss a number of topics. Also Tuesday night, the Contraband Fly Casters will hold their monthly meeting at 6:00pm at St Paul Lutheran Church on 1620 East Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. Fishing in the Calcasieu estuary has been really good the last couple of weeks, so I expect much discussion there. Also on Tuesday night, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will hold their monthly meeting at 6:00pm at Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. On Thursday, the Delta Chapter of CCA will hold their annual membership banquet at Southport Hall in Jefferson. Festivities begin with an open bar and silent auction at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm and live auction at 8:00pm. Tickets are $60 per person ($45 spouse, $40 youth) and include one-year membership, dinner, and more. For tickets, contact Julie Grunewald at (225) 952-9200. On Saturday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will host the 3rd event - The Redfish Rumble II - of their 2009 Tournament Series. The tournament will compete along Highway 23 from 5:30am to 12 noon. Check the bckfc.org website for details. Also on Saturday is the annual "Texoma On The Fly", the Red River Fly Fishers (Sherman, TX) annual club conclave. Check their website at www.rrff.org for details.

The Leeville Toll Bridge Tour continues this week with meetings at the following locations/dates: June 15, South Lafourche High School, 16911 E. Main St. Galliano. June 16, Larose Civic Center, 307 E. 5th St. June 17, Thibodaux Civic Center, 310 N. Canal Blvd. June 18, Grand Isle Community Center, 3811 La. 1. Each of these meetings will be from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Their purpose will be to explain how the toll system will work, and to take feedback that might help implementation. Anyone who fishes Grand Isle/Fourchon should take an interest in these meetings.

LDWF crews will begin this week to attack giant salvania on Saline Lake and later, on Bistineau Lake. They're using a new herbicide called Galleon that has proven to be highly effective. Problem is, it costs about $1,700 per gallon! Altogether, close to $1 million will be spent battling the aquatic weed. The cheaper and more effective solution is it's natural enemy, the salvania weevil. Researchers are working on a cold-tolerant version of the bug that would help establish it as a permanent fixture on these lakes.

Friday, June 12
Weekend prognostication. It's an ill wind that blows from the southwest this time of year: it brings hot dry weather off the north Mexican deserts, and pushes high river water back into the Barataria and Terrebonne coasts. High temperatures will hit the mid-90s in northern and southeast parishes this weekend, with heat indices topping 100. You want to fish from sunrise and get off around noon (a good plan - you can rest before LSU takes on Virginia at the College World Series at 6pm - Geaux Tigers!) The outlook for coastal anglers doesn't get better: fairly flat tides starting Saturday and running thru Wednesday. Don't be alarmed. All this potential "doom and gloom" scenario means is that instead limiting out in 3 hours on speckled trout and redfish, as many anglers - including flyrodders - have been doing, you may actually have to work to catch a decent mess of fish. Winds will be light, so you do have that advantage. Freshwater-wise: the bream are still tearing up at Toledo Bend, and biting fairly good along shorelines in open lakes like Kincaid and Claiborne. In yesterday's Advocate newspaper, outdoors editor Joe Macaluso mentioned that Lake Cataouche remains the hottest bream spot in the state. Try the northwest corner, he says. Other waters: big rios are biting at Bayou St John, and the Little Missouri tailwater (southwest Arkansas) is fishable again. Broken Bow is good also but fish early before the rubber hatch breaks out.

Father's Day sales circulars are clogging my mailbox. If you're in the market for fly fishing gear or accessories, or just general fishing items, like shirts or GPS units, there isn't a better time than during the next week. I'm seeing lots of stuff like outfits, waders, and flies on sale at Bass Pro, Cabelas, Dicks. Orvis also has a coupon for $25 off when you purchase $50 or more.

One of my favorite lakes when I lived in Opelousas was Dubisson Lake. It's better known as the large rest area off I-49 north of Ville Platte. It's got decent fishing for bream and bass, but it's one heck of a crappie hole in winter. It was finally beginning to emerge as a good bass lake until Gustav and Ike hit, and the lake suffered a moderate fish kill. Yesterday, agents from LDWF stocked 4,000 fingerling largemouth bass into the lake. There's a good forage base in the lake right now, so the bass should grow pretty fast.

What's the best state for flyfishing? That's the question that was posed on this blog on Field and Stream Online. So far, the states mentioned are Michigan, Montana, Alaska, Florida and Texas. I think Arkansas and Louisiana are definitely top five states. Certainly from a numbers perspective, we have the edge on everyone else in saltwater, and fall just behind Texas and Florida in freshwater. We also have what I believe is the best kayak fishing waters - many places you can get away from crowds. But we don't have salmonid species, or a large number of exotics like Florida has (which are excellent on flyrod). Florida also has thousands of retention ponds and limestone natural lakes which give them the "sightcast bass" edge, and another edge when it comes to variety and proximity: I've caught kings, snook, tarpon, permit, cobia, bonefish, snapper, bonito, dolphin, grouper, sawfish, barracuda, and many more either fishing inshore or right off the beach. Public access is also important, and for me, Arkansas, Idaho and Wyoming are the best in that category. But if you gave me a free airline ticket to any of the 50 states, no doubt I would return to Alaska. I try to tell folks what it was like to flyfish up there, and honestly, there's no way I can ever do it justice. It just has to be experienced.

Monday, June 8
What's happening this week. Tonight the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their general meeting at 7:00pm at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge. Guest speaker will be Harry Blanchet, LDWF Marine Finfish Manager, who will talk on "Food Habits of Speckled Trout and Redfish in Louisiana Estuaries". On Thursday evening, the Westside Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at the Addis Community Center in Addis. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm. Cost is $50 (spouse $30, youth $25) and includes dinner, bar, one-year CCA membership. For more info, contact Ronnie Mire at (225)241-5871. On Saturday, Pack and Paddle in Lafayette will hold a hands-on saltwater kayak fishing clinic. Cost is $85 per person, and includes use of a kayak, paddle, PFD, a small lure selection, instruction and yes, actual fishing for saltwater species! For details, visit www.packpaddle.com. Also on Saturday, there's a Kids Fishing Derby starting 8:00am at Lake D'Arbonne State Park in Farmerville. Meet at the boat launch area. The first 100 kids will receive a free fishing pole to take home! Wow... a great way to get a kid into fishing. For more info call 888-677-5200 toll free.

The World Fly Fishing Championships are underway in Scotland, having started on Friday and running through this coming Friday. Competitors representing 27 different countries are attempting to catch-and-release the most / largest number of brown trout and grayling. Being world champion in fly fishing doesn't carry anything close to the same status as being world champion in bass fishing (BassMasters Classic winner), and in fact, not even the same status as world champion of fly casting. So whatever news comes from this will be slow.

Pinkie the Dolphin making news again. Fox News reported on the sighting of the albino dolphin that lives in Calcasieu Lake. With increased boating activity for summer, there are more frequent sightings. The pink coloration is due to blood vessels showing from beneath the pale skin. This is only the 3rd albino dolphin ever spotted in the Gulf of Mexico waters.

Hot weather is here, take precautions. It's that time of year when the weatherman can take a very long vacation. Except for an occasional storm in the Gulf, he can set a video recording to repeat the same forecast: highs in the 90s, lows in the 70s, chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Since March 21, the sun has been out longer and higher each day, and the summer solstice will be later this month. That means we're into the danger period for UV radiation which causes sunburn and skin cancer. Here's a few tips for heat/sun safety: apply a good waterproof sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher at least 15 minutes before getting out in the sun. Carry lots of water or a light electrolyte such as Propel. I store mine in a small coolie in the front hatch of my kayak where the sun can't hit it directly. I wear long sleeve nylon shirts and pants and nylon stockings so the sun doesn't sunburn through the holes in my clogs. Also a long bill nylon cap and polarized sunglasses. Nylon clothing can be waterproofed with Grangers or similiar. Likewise, you can also wash nylon with products that add SPF rating (if they're not already SPF/UPF rated).

Thursday, June 4
The June Louisiana Sportsman is out and it's dedicated to speckled trout fishing. Just in time, as the specks, they are a-bitin! Darren Digby has an article titled "Casting at the Capitol", the byline which states "The Baton Rouge area offers plenty of public ponds that present anglers young and old the opportunity to fill their stringers." The emphasis is on the BREC ponds, but I'd also remind Red Stickers not to forget Waddill and Waneteri lakes as options also. My Fly Lines column asks the question, "Are Paddlecraft Laws Meant to Be Broken" as I detail pedal-based craft including the very latest models (if you live in the BR area, you can test these yourself this coming Saturday from 10am to 3pm at Baton Rouge Beach). My friend Jerald Horst's column discusses where and how to fish platforms. There's an article on Kepler Lake (one of the toughest waters I've fished) and the latest on the red snapper management controversy (will the Feds ever get it right?).

I don't have all the details yet but according to a document I received this morning, the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) has a couple of proposals of interest to anglers. One is the creation of a document outlining canoe and kayak trails, some of which would be established, as well as paddlecraft launching areas (including the new launch at the LDWF Grand Isle facility). Another is creation of a document outlining bank fishing areas where anglers would not be faced with "roadside issues". I hope to learn more about these proposals in the weeks ahead.

We're not even into mid-year and already the 2010 calendar is getting busy. Most of the major commercial shows have set their 2010 dates, and except for the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show, all are either in the northeast, upper midwest, or west. Regionally, the Little Mo Fest will be Presidents Day weekend in February, the Gulf Coast FFF Conclave will be April 9-10, the Southeast FFF Conclave will be in early June (no specific date given yet). There is also planning going on for a new fly festival in Pensacola in March or early May.

Tuesday, June 2
The Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will hold their quarterly membership meeting this Thursday night at 7:00 pm at Massey's on 509 N. Carrolton in New Orleans. Guest speaker will be Mandy Tumlin of LDWLF who will discuss fish tagging, and do a presentation on the procedure. She'll also be taking applications from BCKFC members for tagging kits. Food will be served, so reservations are needed. Go to the BCKFC.ORG forum to reserve.

The Louisiana CCA is asking everyone to contact their legislators in opposition to House Bill 613 by authors Armes, Howard, and St. Germain. HB613 would give the Legislature oversight and veto power over decisions made by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission relative to establishing hunting seasons. CCA feels that passage of this bill would open the way to politicizing all hunting and fishing regulations. Currently, the appointed members of the LDWF Commission hear both scientific and public input, then consider and make management decisions based on that input. Commission members are chosen based on their knowledge and expertise, and represent varied interests of the sporting, conservation and seafood industry. HB613 could have single-interest legislators setting policy, or worse, setting policy based on what a campaign donor wishes. The bill has already passed the House Natural Resources Committee and will be voted on by the full House. Please contact your state representative and ask them to vote 'NO' to HB613.

Monday, June 1
What's happening this week. Tuesday night, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting in Lafayette at 6:30pm at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall, with casting prior to the meeting at 6:00pm. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at 6:30pm at Friends Coastal Restaurant in Madisonville. For more info, check out their website at www.northshoreflyfishing.org. On Thursday, Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City will hold their monthly "Fly Tying for Beginners" clinic at 6:30pm. Instructor will be Phil Cole. On Saturday, the Bayou Haystackers club will hold their annual Paddle Demo Day from 10am to 3pm at Baton Rouge Beach off Stanford in Baton Rouge. They'll be joined by Backpacker with their boats, and the Lafayette Paddle Club. A great chance to check out a multitude of boats and riggings. Also on Saturday, Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges (FLWR) will hold their annual Youth Fishing Event from 8:00am to 12 noon. For kids ages 4 thru 12, each child receives a t-shirt, rod & reel (to keep), lunch and drinks, tackle and bait. For more info, contact Byron Fortier at 985-882-2025 or Jim Schmidt at 985-882-2019. Also this Saturday and Sunday, it's FREE fishing days in Louisiana... you don't need a license! Even non-residents can take advantage of this offer. In addition, the Office of State Parks is offering free day-use admission on Saturday June 6. The agencies are also collaborating to offer Family Fishing Day to first time fishermen and parents or guardians with children, at these state parks: Bayou Segnette SP, Westwego; Chicot SP, Ville Platte; Fontainebleau SP, Mandeville; Lake Claiborne SP, Homer; Poverty Point Reservoir SP, Delhi; and Sam Houston Jones SP, Lake Charles. Time is from 9:00am to 1:00pm. See the LDWF website or our calendar for more details.

We are saddened to learn that Fred Miller passed away earlier today. Fred's dedication to the outdoors and conservation in Louisiana was remarkable. They included terms as commissioner and chairman of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, state chairman of Ducks Unlimited and state president of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), and most recently a member of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. He was also a member in several other organizations. Miller was a native of Shreveport, and a practicing attorney since 1970. He was 64.

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