Mark your calendar for these Fall regional events

Toledo Bend Rendezvous features top tiers 
from across the region

Fall is a very busy time in the Bayou State: football, dozens of festivals, and even a few events featuring fly fishing and/or fly tying.  Those include club fishing trips (members only) but also some that are open to the public.  

Here are some coming up in the next few months:

Sept. 19 – Flies & Pies Fly Tying Event, LA Sports Hall of Fame Museum, Natchitoches, LA. Admission charge for non-tiers. Casual fly tying event hosted by the ArkLaTexOma Fly Tiers. It’s the same weekend as the world famous Meat Pie Festival so there’s plenty of activities for non-fishing person in your life. For more info, go to www.arklatexomaflytyers.com .

Sept. 26 – National Hunting and Fishing Day. NHFD is recognized by Congress as the last Saturday in September each year. Several states hold festivities, including Louisiana. LDWF holds celebrations at four venues statewide. Admission is free. There are hands-on activities for all ages, plus exhibits, food, and more. The Woodworth and Baton Rouge venues have fly fishing and fly tying supported by local clubs. For details, go to www.wlf.louisiana.gov .

Oct. 3 – Rio Grande Rumble. Hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers, it’s the oldest freshwater fly fishing tournament in the South. The target species is the Rio Grande Cichlid. Pre-registration is now open, and onsite registration is available. Weigh-in and other activities will be held at Lafreniere Park in Metairie. Registration fee $30, includes lunch and refreshments. Benefits Casting for Recovery – Southeast. For details and to pre-register, visit the NOFFC website at www.neworleansflyfishers.com .

Oct. 10 – 11 – The Gathering , Millican Reserve, College Station, TX. 8:00am – 3:00pm. This gathering of casting instructors is hosted annually by Good Fly and the FFI Texas Council. It’s an opportunity for anyone who instructs to spend a day sharpening their casting and instructing skills. Lunch provided.  On Saturday, from 2pm to 7pm, there’s a pre-gathering fishing and socializing for Gathering registrants at a local lake. This activity includes dinner and drinks.   Spots are limited and fill quickly. For details or to register, go to www.goodfly.org

Nov. 6 – 8 – Toledo Bend Rendezvous, North Toledo Bend State Park, Zwolle, LA. A tradition for over three decades, fly tiers and other fly fishing enthusiasts from across several states – along with their families – gather for a casual weekend of fly tying and fishing with only a minimal fee to cover lodging and meals. Some are members of clubs, some are not. Rendezvous is open to all!

There are no organized activities. Everyone is welcome to come fish, tie flies, watch some of the region’s top tiers, or tie themselves. You can come for the day or the entire weekend. If you come as a family, the rate for the entire weekend for the whole family or individual is just $40 which includes lodging. For one night lodging, the fee is $20 and for day only the fee is $10. For details, go to the Toledo Bend Rendezvous website at:
https://rendezvousannually.blogspot.com .

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In addition to these events, there are a few smaller events such as club casting clinics, and outside events like Sugar Day in Alexandria where the Kisatchie Fly Fishers will demonstrate fly tying. Check our Calendar Page for all activities in your area. 

August is here, and what that means

Spanish are active in the surf

1. The last full month of SweatFest ... the festival no one likes to celebrate. It's fairly common for us to have several days this month with heat index at or over 110. So stay hydrated and limit your time outdoors if possible. Also be aware that water temperatures are at their highest of the year, and several strains of aquatic bacteria are active. Especially on the coast where we've had 9 cases of vibrio in Louisiana so far in 2026 (above average).  So bring an antibacterial and treat any cuts or wounds immediately.

2. Closer to the Gulf, the better it gets.  The interior marshes offer limited action unless you enjoy catching hordes of ladyfish and sailcats.  The water is simply too hot.  On the plus side, August is the best time for catching pelagic species like jacks, spanish and king mackeral, and bluefish either nearshore, in passes, or  in lower bays.   Bull reds are making their spawning run and big schools can be found in passes or lower bays.  At night, there's tons of 10-12 inch white trout under lights.  In two months, these fish will be 12-14 inches, so I'm holding off until then.     

3. Lake fishing windows are narrow.  Lake surface waters are hot (upper 80s) so the peak times to fly fish are at night and in the very early hours of morning.  Here on the home lake, the bass are feeding on threadfin shad and small bluegill from first light to about 8:00 am, and after that it's deader than Elvis (assuming Elvis is really dead!).  There's decent action on bluegill, but they tend to be smaller and thinner than the ones caught in Spring or in October.

4. Rivers are an exception.  In August and September, rivers are at their low stages and usually run fairly clear.  In the past, I've enjoyed excellent fishing on the Red River, Atchafalaya River, and Mississippi River, and their oxbows and immediate distributaries.  These waters have cooler temperatures, therefore higher oxygen levels.  For bass, one location that was always golden for me this time of year were the canals and waterways off the Intracoastal Canal near Houma. 

5. It's peak hurricane season - now through September.  NOAA has revised their original prediction for 2026 after confirmation that the strong El Nino in the eastern Pacific will persist for the next several months.  The new estimate is 9 named storms (average is 14.4),  4 hurricanes (average is 7.2), and 1 major hurricane Cat 3 or above (average is 3.2).  So far, we've had only two named storms, with Tropical Storm Bertha hitting southeast Louisiana with minor impact, mostly coastal flooding.  While the update is good news, when Gulf water temperatures are this high, storms can intensify rapidly once they form.

6. Football season kicks off. Louisiana fly anglers love their football just slightly less than they do their fishing.  Saints preseason games start August 15th against the Jaguars.  Fall practice for colleges and high schools start the second week of the month.  This year, there are no Week 0 (August 29th) games for Louisiana college teams, but no one is complaining about having games in August.