Contraband Fly Casters have a new website

The Lake Charles-based club has a long and storied history, especially when it comes to fly tying. In fact, it's full name is "Contraband Fly Casters, Tom Nixon Chapter" in honor of one of it's most beloved members and a legend in warmwater fly tying. Other renown tiers past and present include realistic tyer Fred Hannie and the late Mark Delaney. The club also has several tiers who are regularly featured at conclaves (fly fishing festivals).

Speaking of conclaves, Contraband has hosted some of the best ever held in Louisiana, featuring legends such as Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock and Stu Apte. This July, the club continues that legacy with tier extraordinaire Pat Cohen as headliner for their annual Contraband Fly Fishing Expo. The 2-day event will also feature testing for the FFI Casting Certification program. With the Expo getting loads of attention on Facebook, it's only appropriate that CFC upgrade their website to better market the club and the Expo.  The new URL is www.contrabandflycastersinc.net. Go to their site and bookmark it. And bookmark your calendar for the Contraband Expo on Friday-Saturday, July 13-14. 

Mid-week tidbits 3/7

Later this month is the 71st annual New Orleans City Park Fishtival and Big Bass Rodeo, the oldest freshwater tournament in the country.  Divisions include Conventional, Fly, Rio and more.  There's even a kayak tournament on adjacent Bayou St. John (Boats On The Bayou) for both salt and fresh species. It may be a diversified contest, but there's no question that Ol' Bucketmouth is what draws a huge crowd.  And why Monday's catch by Broc Corcoran is all over social media. The 29 year old New Orleans angler caught a 9.3 pound bass in one of the NOCP lagoons using a soft plastic minnow (casting gear).  After he got it weighed and witnessed, he then released it back safely.  Not only is the fish a new NOCP record, but Fishtival participants have a chance to recatch the monster bass.  And to recatch the 8.3 pounder that Broc caught three weeks earlier!  Note to fly anglers: it's not uncommon for the park's big bass to hit flies.  Check out the complete story by Pat Bonin on www.louisianasportsman.com.

This Saturday is the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club's annual Paddlepalooza, but it's also the first day of their members-only CPR contest sponsored by Masseys Outfitters. The "Masseys Fish Pics" tournament runs through next February, a departure from years past when the event ran from January thru November. Masseys really puts up some great prizes for this event. For example, Tyler Drude won this past year's Fly Division (highest total points for longest red, speck and bass) and received a Jackson Mayfly kayak. I finished 3rd and got a Wilderness Systems waterproof crate. It's so nice I'm worried about getting it wet, LOL. Seriously, this tournament is FREE to all BCKFC members. Check out the tournament details at www.bckfc.org and if you own a kayak, consider joining this great club.

Here's yet another tournament some readers might be interested in - if you love crappie fishing. The 5th annual Crappiefest takes place on March 31st out of Lake Fork. Hosted by the Crappie Anglers of Texas, it's become the largest "Big Crappie" tournament in the country with over 325 participants last year. Why so popular? For starters, it's an individual tournament. Second, there's no restrictions on watercraft. While the vast majority of crappie tournaments forbid the use of paddlecraft, Crappiefest allows you to use kayak, canoe, rubber raft, float tube, whatever! You can even wade or bank fish. Most crappie tournaments also forbid the use of fly tackle. Again, Crappiefest allows any "rod and reel combo". And don't count on veteran anglers to take home most of the winnings. With this event, all you need to win or place is just one (1) big fish.  For more info, go to www.crappiefest.com.

On April 7th, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will celebrate the newest addition to their "Get Out and Fish!" community fishing program with a fishing competition. The pond at Southside Regional Park in Youngsville (also known as Fabacher Field) will allow residents of the Lafayette metro area a chance at quality bank fishing. And this winter, a chance for rainbow trout fishing!  Prior to the contest, the pond will be stocked with adult-sized channel catfish. The contest will begin with registration at 6:30am and end at 10:00am. The first 100 kids to register will receive a free goodie bag. There will be fishing activities, demonstrations, and raffles. Also the Kiwanis Club will offer lunch.  For more info, go to www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

Fishing remains a bit sluggish in north and central Louisiana despite a few nice catches last weekend of big bass and crappie. We're still recovering from 5 to 9 inches of rain a couple weeks back with waters either muddy or a bit milky.  Just yesterday, Cane River opened back up and that will get my attention soon enough. These cool fronts and high pressure have put the fish down a bit, and we still haven't seen the redears bedding up (they usually do this month).  I'm confident if we can avoid the heavy rain the action on bass, crappie and redears will be back to normal within a week or two.
 

Special events this week 3/4

Friday evening and Saturday it's the 15th annual Paddlepalooza, the longest-running kayak fishing tournament in the country. It'll be held out of Bridgeside Marina on Grand Isle. Hosted by the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club, it kicks off with the Captains Dinner on Friday evening. Saturday is tournament fishing day. After the weigh-in, there's fish fry, awards, and a huge raffle. Entry fee is $60. Onsite registration is available. For entry forms, rules and details, go to www.bckfc.org.

Starting Saturday and continuing Sunday, it's the 2nd annual Texas Fly Fishing and Brew Festival at the Plano Center in Plano, TX. Activities include seminars, casting clinics, fly tying, and more. Unique to this event is the series of local microbrewery tasting tickets for each paid admission ages 21 and older. There are also classes and seminars on brewing. Headliners include Jason Randall, Ed Jaworoski, Wanda Taylor, Dave Whitlock, Pat Dorsey, and more. For more info, go to www.txflyfishingfestival.org.

Sunday is the start of Daylight Savings Time. Remember to "spring forward" your clock one hour. 

Season of fly fishing contests

Today is the first day for the New Orleans Fly Fishers "Big Year" contest, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers "Mixed Bag" contest, and the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club's CPR Challenge.  All three are months-long, members-only, CPRE (catch-photo-release encouraged). 

The NOFF and KFF events are different in that, unlike most tournaments, size doesn't matter.  It's about catching the most different species.  Modeled after the birding community's "Big Year" contests, the NOFF Big Year and KFF Mixed Bag have no entry fee.  There's also a prize for one lucky member drawn from all participants who didn't win.  To submit an entry, the photo should be taken "on site" (no driveway pics) and include the fish, the event token, and the fly in the photo.     

The LKFC CPR Challenge has a $10 entry fee for the first time. However, the prizes have been seriously upgraded for 2018.  There are divisions for Conventional and Fly.  Fly entries need to have the kayak, the fish on a measuring board, fly and fly tackle, and token in the photo.  Submissions are made online using the Kayak Fishing Series portal.

Over the next 8 weeks, the following events will have fly fishing contests:  New Orleans City Park Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival (kayak and fly), Lake Athens Fly Fishing Festival and Big Bass Contest,  Fly Fishin For the Mission tournament (Pointe-aux-Chenes), and Bass On The Fly (Lake Fork).  If you love a little friendly competition, the season is here!   

Little Mo Blues

The monsoonal rains that have inundated north and central Louisiana recently have hit Arkansas even harder.  Little Rock finished February with it's highest monthly total precipitation ever.  That same amount of rain fell within the drainage of the upper Little Missouri River.  As a result, Lake Greeson has gone from 10 feet below normal pool to 13 feet above pool in a couple of weeks.

Not unexpected - comes news that the Corps of Engineers has opened both of the bunger valves on Greeson Dam.  For Louisiana trout anglers who frequent the Little Mo, this is bad news.  The big valves dump a LOT of water into the Little Missouri tailwater, making it unfishable.  While this will help lower the lake, it's a slow process because it's a big lake.  We're looking at maybe 6-8 weeks before the tailwater is fishable again.

Red Stick Day this Saturday

The largest annual fly fishing festival (conclave) in Louisiana takes place this Saturday, March 3rd.  Hosted by Red Stick Fly Fishers, "Red Stick Day" activities include seminars, fly tying demos, casting clinics, vendors, raffles, food and more. Time is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Location is BREC Perkins Community Park in Baton Rouge.

Typically the event is held at the LDWF Waddill Outdoor Education Center, but that facility was damaged by the flood of August, 2016, and repairs remain unfinished. However, like Waddill, Perkins Park has a stocked pond with good fishing. So attendees are encouraged to bring their tackle.

RSD has a history of bringing in some great speakers, and this year is no different.  Bill Laminack is quickly becoming one of the most respected fly tiers and warmwater anglers in the country.  The Panama City resident will be a featured tier and also give a program on bass fishing. Other speakers  include Eddie Mullen of Eddies Kayak Rentals in Pointe-aux-Chenes, Capt. Tristian Daire, saltwater fly fishing guide and owner of Olde Towne Fly Shop in Slidell, and Ben Roussel, Jackson Kayak pro-staffer and "Mountains to Marsh" blogger. RSFF member Roger del Rio, a longtime Fly Fishers International (FFI) Certified Casting Instructor (CCI) will conduct morning and afternoon casting clinics.

Once again, the event will feature top tiers from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards the club's conservation and education initiatives. For more info, go to www.rsff.org and click on "Red Stick Day".

Fishing improving daily

A much colder-than-normal winter has been offset by an unusual warm spell the last two weeks. The result? Plants are blossoming, green is returning to the landscape, and fish are biting! Surface water temperatures in the central parishes has gone from upper 40s to low 60s in just that short time. And while deeper water remains very cold, fish are venturing into shoreline areas where food organisms are active.

The biggest obstacle has been strong winds, and in central and northeast Louisiana over 6 inches of rain the last two weeks. So finding clear water has been key. When clear water is found, crappie are bunching along shoreline structure or grass preparing to spawn. Fluff Butts, Silli Butts, Squirmy Butts, Crappie Candies, Death To Crappie, Coyotes and even weighted Seaducers are the ticket.

On the coast, limits of redfish are the rule rather than exception - when wind allows. But just this last week there were good catches of hefty speckled trout in interior lakes. One area that has been red hot - for reds and bass - has been Delacroix. Puddlers are reporting best results in pockets of cleaner water.    

Little Missouri River update

This past Saturday was the 16th-ever Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Organized by Shreveport resident and Little Missouri River fly fishing guide, Jeff Guerin, it's a celebration of fly fishing with emphasis on the year-round tailwater trout fishery below nearby Greeson Lake.  The event was well attended with many of the "usual suspects" - as Jeff calls them - present. In fact, it seemed the rough weather played less a role in limiting attendance than did the current epidemic of cold and flu.

For Louisiana trout enthusiasts in northern and western parishes, the Little Missouri River is our closest year-round trout water, only 2.5 hours north of Shreveport in the Ouachita Mountains.  For that reason, the highlight of this event for us - and for all who fish the Little Mo - is the annual "State of the River" presentation.  Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist Kris Nault shared statistics and catch reports, and pointed out that, because of the flooding of the Spring River hatchery, stocking numbers would be down 25 percent this year. But to compensate, the average size would be slightly up. 

Since last October, the generators on the dam have been under renovation. During this time, there has been no generation. Normally when there is no generation, there is a very small release of water, referred to as leakage amount. However, the Corps has been releasing much more than the leakage amount. This "minimum flow" is about 6-8 inches higher than normal. It has had a profound effect upon the river. Nearly all the shallow rocks are covered, there's flow across the river, the trout are spread out all over, and there's more bugs for this time of year than many of us have ever seen. The trout are strong, and rich in colors.

Work on the turbines will continue until April or May, during which time minimum flow will continue. It has revived the conversation of minimum flow on the tailwater. Even half of what is now being released would be a great improvement over the trickle and would result in an additional mile of trout water during late summer - in addition to the benefits already witnessed in this "trial run". It may take an act of Congress (literally) for it to happen, but given what has happened on the White and Lower Mountain Fork rivers, there is hope.

Timau Claverie remembered

I received some sad news while on my fishing excursion to Arkansas the past week. Last Wednesday, Maumus Claverie Jr, a.k.a, "Timau" Claverie - a giant in marine conservation - passed away at the age of 82. Timau had a distinguished career as an attorney, and equally important, as a tireless conservationist.  For decades he served with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Billfish Foundation, IGFA Board of Directors, New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club, and FFI Gulf Coast Council, to name just a few. He also served on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the National Marine Fisheries Service's Advisory Committee for Highly Migratory Species, and on the U.S. Advisory Committee for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Recently, Timau was honored with the Billfish Foundation's Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award.

Timau was also an avid fly fisherman and an active member of the New Orleans Fly Fishers. An excellent fly tier, his obituary stated that he was tying flies the day before his passing.

Timau and I served for many years on the CCA-Louisiana Science Committee, of which he was chairman. I recall the early days of those meetings. Perhaps it was his experience as a lawyer, or his quick wit and sharp mind, but we were all glad he was on our side in the preservation of coastal resources. Whatever argument was thrown our direction, in terms of allowing antiquated fishing practices to continue, he would crush them in a few sentences.

Our prayers and wishes are for him and his family.  He will be sorely missed.

Special events this week 2/18

On Thursday, Pack and Paddle will host a special seminar "Secrets of Successful Kayak Anglers" featuring two-time world champion Steve Lessard and Hobie Angler of the Year Brendan Bayard.  Time is 6:00pm. There is no cost.  For more info, go to www.packpaddle.com.

On Friday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will host the 2018 Fly Fishing Film Tour at their store on 7610 Bluebonnet in Perkins-Rowe. Time is 7:00pm. Tickets are limited, so check with the store prior to the film showing to find out if tickets are still available. Call 225-7286.  For a list of films to be shown, go to www.flyfishingfilmtour.com.

Also on Saturday, it's the annual Fly Fish Texas at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas. Time is 8:30am to 4:00pm.  All Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center. For a complete list of activities, go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us and click on the "Fly Fish Texas" link.

Ready for the spawn? Curb your enthusiasm.

Well another blast of cold air has moved across our state. Haven't we had enough of winter already?

On Friday, I got a taste of warmer things to come while fishing a pond in southwest Louisiana. The sacalait were in the shallows setting up for their annual spawning ritual. And taking a black and chartruese Fluff Butt almost every other cast. Later that evening, I saw a post on Facebook - same area, but different pond - where the poster landed a five fish stringer of bass between 2 and 4 pounds.

Some folks got excited reading these reports, thinking "it's time". I hate to be Debbie Downer, but with the exception of small waters in the lower parishes, the answer is "not yet". The water temperature needs to be about 56 degrees to trigger activity and spawning behavior of crappie, and about 60 degrees for bass. Right now, most lakes in the central and northern parishes are well below that. For example, Cotile Lake is 47 degrees. That's 12 degrees colder than last year at this time.  The pond near Jennings from which I made my nice catch of crappie last Friday had a temperature of 56 degrees.

Last year spoiled us. By the first week of February 2017, crappie in  most impoundments had moved into spawning areas. Bass in ponds around Baton Rouge were staging for the spawn. Consider that last January was the warmest on record. Baton Rouge had a mean temperature that month of 59.3 degrees, compared to the normal mean of 51.6 degrees. This January, exactly the opposite. The BR had a mean of 46.3 degrees. That's 13 degrees lower than last year! Again, that's the average for the month, where even a couple degrees is significant.

While bass may be as anxious to spawn as we are for them to spawn, they have more sense than we do. They will wait and for good reason. At 65 degrees, the eggs may take as long as 12 days to hatch. At 70 degrees, that hatching period is only 2-3 days. The longer the hatching period, the more vulnerable the eggs are to predators like bluegill. Bottom line: a successful spawn requires the optimal water temperature.

For fly anglers with a serious case of cabin fever, there is hope. Days are getting longer and nights are getting shorter. Several mild days are in the forecast for this weekend and into next week. Until then, there's always a few more flies that need tying.

2018 Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival this weekend

Starting Friday evening, and Saturday, it's the 13th ever Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival at the Community Center in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. The event celebrates fly fishing with emphasis on the local Little Missouri River and it's famed trout fishery. Friday offers gumbo and tying, while Saturday offers programs, fly tying, exhibitors, casting, and the wildly popular "State of the River" address by AFGC trout biologists.  There's also the "Fly Draft" that evening.  On Sunday, there's the "Can You Take It' casting clinic with emphasis on fishing moving waters.  For details, go to www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com.

Book review - Designing Poppers, Sliders & Divers

Last week, "Designing Poppers" made it's way into a number of bookstores and online retailers such as Amazon. In fact, at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show I picked up one of the first copies. The folks at Angling Bookstore had just received a shipment before the show, and within the first hour of the first day had sold most of their copies. By 10 o'clock that morning they had none left!

It's seldom that a fly tying book gets so much pre-publication hype, much less become an instant classic once it hits the shelves. But after spending a week going over this new book by Steven Schweitzer, my conclusion is... it lives up to the hype!

The publisher of Designing Poppers says this: (it's) the most comprehensive book ever written for the topwater lure maker. Three-hundred pages are full of methods, procedures, and examples richly illustrated with 800 detailed full color photographs. Over 50 tips & how-tos  and DIY projects are included. Also included are common design elements and step-by-step instructions for 17 of the most effective patterns.

Everything the publisher states is accurate. There are also over a dozen charts comparing different material aspects, including hooks, pen marker types and colors, coating types, Copic color patterns and much more. To my surprise the book also included, at the end of each chapter, a gallery of flies by featured artisans. Two of the featured tiers are Louisiana's own Kirk Dietrich and Ron Braud. Congratulations to both!

Several times I tried testing the book to see if there was some topic or item it could've missed, and so far, it's covered them all. Granted, a few could've had a bit more information or detail. But given the scope of this book, and the enormous amount of subject matter, Schweitzer did an amazing job of gathering information, collecting detailed photographs, and covering so many topics.

The book comes in binder form for easier access to pages at the tying desk. It sells for $44.95. Designing Poppers is worth every penny!   Rating 4.9 out of 5.

Who's up for some friendly competition?

In last May's Louisiana Sportsman, the Fly Lines column discussed the growing number of competitive fly fishing events. As our sport continues to grow, especially among young anglers, there's been a shift in attitudes about tournaments. The vast majority of these young anglers - like in kayak fishing - readily embrace a contest.

There's several regional tournaments scheduled again this year including the Lower Mountain Fork River Foundations' "Mystery Fly" in February, Lake Athens Festival and Big Bass contest in April, "Fly Fishin For The Mission" saltwater event in April, "Bass On The Fly" at Lake Fork in May, and Rio Rodeo in October.  Also, the CCA summer-long STAR tournament with speckled trout as the target species.

Members of the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club and Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will again look forward to the clubs' CPR tournaments, which run from March through November.  Both BCKFC and LKFC events have a fly division.  Eligible species are redfish, speckled trout, and bass. The LKFC club will also have a bonus award to one non-winning angler who registers an entry in the Fly Division. Only club members can participate. Entry to the BCKFC CPR is free, while it's $5 for the LKFC CPR.

Now two fly fishing clubs - New Orleans Fly Fishers Club and Kisatchie Fly Fishers - have each introduced a fly fishing contest with emphasis on variety rather than size.  Basically, how many different species can a member catch on fly during the course of a year.  Both are modeled after the popular "Big Year" birdwatching contest.

The New Orleans club "Big Year" contest will run from March 1st and December 1st, with the most number of different species getting top prize. All fish must be caught within the boundaries of the FFI Gulf Coast Council. Members must submit a photo of the fish by email, along with angler name, location, species, and fly name. Each photo must include the fish, the fly, and the contest token. Contest details can be found at www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

The Kisatchie Fly Fishers "Mixed Bag" tournament is also free and open to members only.  KFF members will compete to see how many different species they can catch within the boundaries of the FFI Gulf Coast, Texas and Southern Councils. Unlike the NOFFC contest, members can submit their entries via an online portal.  While prizes will be given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers, the biggest prize will be drawn from all members who submitted at least one entry. Contest details will soon be up on their website at www.kisatchiefly.org.

According to KFF Mixed Bag organizers Bill Morrison and Gene Taylor, the purpose of the contest is not just to have fun, but to give members who rarely can attend meetings a chance to be active in the club. Also, to give the club a database by which to show the variety of fish that can be caught on fly, and what flies work for each species.

The FFI Gulf Coast Council has a new website

The Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International (formerly Federation of Fly Fishers) has a new website. In keeping with the name change from FFF to FFI, the GCC has changed their web address from www.gulfcoastfff.org to www.gulfcoastcouncilffi.org. 

The site also has a new look. According to GCC Communications VP, Steve Oliver, the site was changed from a blog-type site to a more information-oriented site. While some tweaking is still going on, it's hoped the new site will be easier to navigate, with more timely information.

Also comes a new email system thru the webhost allowing submissions to the site as well as to GCC board members. This should be implemented in the next 60 days. According to Oliver, the GCC welcomes any suggestions or ideas about the new site.

Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival this Saturday

Hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers of Houston, this annual event features the largest group of fly tiers of any event on the Gulf Coast, with anywhere from 70 to 100 tiers. Once again, it'll be held at Bethany Christian Church Community Center on 3223 Westheimer. Admission is $10 adults, family $15, students & seniors $8, and children under 12 free. In addition to the tying demos, there are also several seminars during the day, there are also exhibitors, including rod companies and demo casting. A barbecue lunch is available.

Each year, TFF brings in a prominent name in fly tying as their headliner. This year's special guest is Rich Strolis, former Connecticut guide and signature fly designer for Montana Fly Company. Rich is a member of several pro staffs, including Regal, Partridge, Solarez, Puglisi, Hatch, T&T Rods, and Flycraft. His patterns have appeared in numerous magazines and books, including his own publication "Catching Shadows".

The Magnificient Seven for 2018

We're just a few weeks away from the start of "kayak demo days", those free events hosted by dealers where folks can test paddle various boats, including popular fishing models. Each Spring, we see a lot of new boats that were revealed at ICAST or Outdoor Retailer and just making it off the production line. For 2018, it seems that manufacturers have recognized the need for lighter boats that offer more a bit more speed.  And we're also thrilled that nearly all these new boats have more open cockpit area. It this the demise of those damn "rod pods" and long center hatches?  We can only hope!

Among the 2018 crop, we picked 7 kayaks that we think will be winners.  All offer a good combination of light weight, speed, tracking, stability and at a price point that's easy on the pocket.

Bonafide SS127. Length 12'7", width 33.5", weight 75 lbs, MSRP $1599. It's been many years since one kayak got so much publicity prior to it's release. But Bonafide is a new company started by YakAngler founder Luther Cifers, and like everything Mr. Kayak does, it went through extensive design and testing. The SS127 has great stability without much of a sacrifice to speed or tracking. The HiRise seat system adjusts to high or low. It also has a great layout that allows for easy access to storage while leaving an open standing area.

Hobie Compass. Length 12'0", width 34", weight 68 lbs, MSRP $1949. The Compass is the new entry-level yak to their Mirage Series. It's lighter than most pedal boats and a lot more affordable. It's both fast and manuverable. To cut costs, it comes with the older Mirage drive (no reverse), and there's limited fittings. But it does have a flat deck for standing. This yak has been out since November and it's already selling great.

Jackson Cruise FD. Length 12'3", width 31.5", weight 68 lbs, MSRP $2399.  Jackson's new Flex Drive pedal power has been added to the popular Cruise series. The Cruise FD shares the open cockpit and slightly narrower profile of it's sibling. For anglers whose priority is speed and open water tracking, but with just enough stability to occasionally stand and cast (in calm water), then this boat fills the niche at a good price point for a pedal drive.

Jackson Liska. Length 12'1", width 34", weight 84 lbs, MSRP $1349. The  Liska is an updated version of Jackson's Cuda series. It's a bit wider and more stable, with more angler features. But most noticeable is the replacement of the long center tray with a shorter center hatch that allows a more spacious and open "standing area".  More evidence that those once-popular "rod pods" were the nuisance many of us said they were.

NuCanoe Flint. Length 11'3", width 33", weight 67 lbs, MSRP $999. The Flint got lots of attention at ICAST last July and for good reason. It shares the clean deck and stability of the larger Frontier and Pursuit, but in a lightweight, more nimble package. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly it accelerated, even if top-end speed was only the same as the Pursuit. It's being marketed as a boat for small lakes, backwaters and rivers, but it'll do just great in the marsh.

Kaku Wahoo 105. Length 10'5", width 33", weight 66 lbs, MSRP $899. Another short, lightweight boat with standup stability. Kaku owner and founder Kevin Hawkins has had great success with his Wahoo 125, especially among fly anglers. The clean deck and tri-hull design are copied in the 105, giving it good tracking, speed and stability for a short boat. As we say, there's always a trade-off (laws of physics) and in this case, it's that the tri-hull can create hull slap. Whether it spooks redfish has been debated a thousand times. But there's no debating that multitudes of reds have been caught from tri-hull yaks.

Native Manta Ray XT. Length 12'7", width 33", weight 67 lbs, MSRP $899. This yak has flown completely under the radar since ICAST, but watch out  - it's not only a great beginners yak (check the price point), but also one that experienced freshwater yakkers will appreciate. For it's length, the acceleration, cruising speed and tracking are impressive thanks to it's sharp bow. It also features Native's high/low seating. While it might not be marketed as a standup yak, the MRXT's 33-inch beam and flat standing area mean fly rodders can rise up on calm waters.

Cenla Fly Fishing Festival this weekend

On Saturday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their biennial "Cenla Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Festival" at Kees Park Civic Center in Pineville. Time is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Admission is free. The event will feature seminars, casting instruction, exhibitors, and nearly two dozen of the region's top fly tiers. Lunch and refreshments will be available on site. The raffle and other fundraising activities will benefit The Food Bank of Central Louisiana, as well as the club's conservation program. Complete details can be found on the KFF website at www.kisatchiefly.org.

New season for Buccaneers & Bones

With the new year comes the return of new seasons of several popular fishing and fly fishing shows on networks like NBC Sports, Outdoor Channel, Sportsmans Channel, Pursuit, and World Fishing Network. One of the most popular fly fishing shows remains Buccaneers and Bones, now entering it's 7th season on Outdoor Channel. New episodes are broadcast on Friday at 10am, Saturday at 3pm, and Sundays at 7am and 5pm. The show runs from January to June.

This season of B&B was filmed at Turneffe Flats in Belize and stars Tom Brokaw, Huey Lewis, Michael Keaton, Yvon Chouinard, Lefty Kreh, Jimmy Kimmel, Thomas McGuane, Jim Belushi, and a collection of the greatest saltwater fly fishermen in the world. The series celebrates the majesty of flats fishing while showcasing the work of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust to conserve and protect bonefish, tarpon, and permit fisheries through sound science.  

LDWF transitioning to new license system

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries is transitioning to a new recreational hunting / fishing license sales system starting the end of this month. On January 30th, all license sales will be down. Then on February 1st, and continuing until April 1st, retail locations will -NOT- be able to sell licenses while new equipment and training is implemented. All sales will have to be done through internet or at LDWF offices in Baton Rouge, Monroe, Opelousas, Lake Charles and Alexandria.

On April 2nd, vendor license sales will resume.

The new system will have numerous advantages. License holders will be able to reprint their licenses online at no cost. Users will be able to create a username and password to get information, including select boater and hunter courses.  Auto-renew options will also be available.

Here comes another arctic blast!

The winter of 2017-2018 is turning out to be true to predictions as one of the coldest in nearly two decades. The only one thrilled about this is Princess Elza from Disney's Frozen. Today's blast of arctic air will give us a repeat of the week after Christmas. Until next Friday, most of Louisiana will have much below normal temps - highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s, with some teens across northern parishes. On Monday - Martin Luther King Holiday - we could warm up a bit. But that day also comes with the threat of wintry mix across north Louisiana.

Here's the good news... looks like we could have mild weather (by recent standards) for the weekend of the 20th. That's important because of two big events that day - the Cenla Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Festival in Pineville and the Minimalist Challenge kayak fishing tournament out of Cocodrie. The Cenla Fest, hosted by the Kisatchie Fly Fishers, kicks off the season's fly fishing activities, while Minimalist , hosted by the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club, kicks off the kayak tournament season. 

LDWF Warns of Potential Fish Kills

Last week's arctic blast brought some of the coldest weather since 1989. Back then, several days of continuous sub-freezing temps resulted in widespread kills of redfish and speckled trout. On Friday, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries addressed concerns of another fish kill.

"Typically water temperatures below 40 degrees for any more than a day begin to cause problems for spotted seatrout, whereas red drum are slightly more tolerant and will begin to experience problems in the mid-30s,” explained LDWF fisheries biologist Jason Adriance. “The rate at which the water cools is also important. If fish have a chance to acclimate and move, the potential for survival is better.”

It's been an abnormally cold season since early December, and that may be the saving grace for specks. Even so, there's been very few trout caught by the handful of anglers who went out the last couple of days. Even though it's believed they're stacked up in holes. On the other hand, redfish catches have been off the charts. Many limits were caught yesterday in just a couple hours.

Welcome to 2018

First off, wishing all our LFF Community and their loved ones the best wishes for a safe, healthy, and prosperous year ahead. May your flies get victimized early and often by various piscatorial predators! And may there be many great fishing stories to tell - even if some are borderline truth.

As you can see from the Calendar page, there are many great activities coming up this Spring for those of us who pursue fish on the fly and/or from a paddlecraft.  Orvis of Baton Rouge has kicked off their Saturday educational sessions, which currently are scheduled through the end of February. These include "Fly Fishing 101", "Fly Fishing 201" and "Fly Tying 101". These one-day, 2-hour sessions are free of charge, but pre-registration is required. Dates and times can be found on our Calendar page.

The new year also brings the start of regional events, including the biennial Cenla Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Festival (Jan. 20), the Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival (Feb. 10), Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival (Feb. 17), Fly Fish Texas (Feb. 24), Red Stick Day (Mar. 3), among others. Then there's the ever-popular Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Orvis store on Friday, February 23rd. This event has sold out the last five years. It's a great time, so be sure to get tickets early!

As for kayak fishing events, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club's annual kickoff tournament - Minimalist Challenge (Jan. 20) - is already booked up on alloted registrations. Fortunately, their premier event - Paddlepalooza (Mar. 10) - has no such restrictions.  All the dates for BCKFC and Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club tournaments are set.  Other kayak fishing events this Spring include "Boats on the Bayou" (Mar. 24) held in conjunction with the New Orleans City Park Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival. Also look for numerous kayak demos starting in March, featuring several new boats including the Bonafide models, Hobie Compass, Jackson Cruise FD and Coosa FD.

Just as predicted - a hard, cold winter

When sneaux blanketed a large portion of the state earlier this month, some thought it was an anomaly.  But with exception of a few mild days, areas north of Highway 190 have been colder-than-normal.  In fact, the mean average daily temperature for December has been anywhere from 3 to 10 degrees below normal. Compare that to last December when the mean average was several degrees above normal. 

For those of us who have lizard blood, Christmas Eve brought us a new level of misery.  It's been hard cold  - today's high was only 42 degrees. The forecast for the next 10 days here in central Louisiana calls for highs ranging from 34 to 50 degrees, and lows ranging from 18 to 28. In other words, it'll be freezing every night, and several days only above freezing for a couple hours!  There's also a good chance of frozen precipitation across most of north and central Louisiana for New Year's Day.

We're not even taking into effect the 15-20 knot winds and the wind chill effect! Brrrr!

I checked the water temperature in the lake yesterday and it was 52 degrees. That's 9 degrees colder than same time last year. Again, that's surface temperature where the warmest water is found. Most of the depths in 20 to 30 feet are likely close to 40 degrees.

With that in mind, it's NOT a good idea to be out on the water right now. Bank fishing is the way to go, even though that's rough. Now is a really good time to be tying flies. Or watching some bowl games. But if you're dead set on fishing from boat or kayak, make sure to read up on hypothermia and take all precautions.

What's happening this week 12/17

Monday's Red Stick Fly Fishers fly tying session has been CANCELLED.

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. In addition to a holiday celebration, the club will also give out awards for their Angler of the Year and CPR Challenge. Also, announcement of their 2018 tournament dates. For more, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

Also on Tuesday, the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St. Paul Lutheran Community Center in Lake Charles. Fly tying and discussion at 6:00pm, meeting at 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.contrabandflycasters.net.

On Thursday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly fly tying workshop at Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City. Time is 6:00pm. Beginners are welcome.

What's happening this week 12/10

On Monday, the Cane Country Fly Casters will meet at Westside Baptist Community Center in Natchitoches, and in keeping with the holiday spirit, will hold their annual Christmas party.

Also on Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold their annual Christmas gathering at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge.

Also on Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers will hold their annual Christmas gathering at Tunks Seafood Restaurant on Lake Kincaid in Gardner.

On Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at the Red River National Wildlife Refuge in Bossier City. Social hour starts at 6:00pm, club business at 6:45pm, meeting afterwards.

 On Thursday, Olde Town Fly Shop on 3675 Pontchartrain Drive in Slidell will hold their monthly tying session. Time is 6:30pm. Bring your tools, if none, the shop has a few sets for use during the session. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome!

The Great Blizzard of December 8th - is more to come?

A few months back, we mentioned that the Old Farmers Almanac was predicting a colder than normal winter, with above-normal snowfall for the Deep South. While many may have dismissed the OFA forecast, several climatologists were predicting likewise.

Sure enough, Friday turned out to prove them right. Significant amounts of snow fell across Louisiana, as far south as Houma. Some parts of the Northshore area reported up to 8 inches of accumulation. It was the most "sneaux" we've seen in many years.

Now here's the interesting part... ALL of the forecasts predicted the most likely snowfalls to occur between mid-December to early February. So we're not even in the peak forecast period yet.

The most likely scenario for sneaux in our state is a combination of (1) the jet stream dipping deep into south Texas,  (2) Gulf moisture streaming from the southwest at the upper levels, and (3) a blast of arctic air.  All three were in place this past Friday. The first two factors look to remain in place for the next couple months. Which means that any blast of cold air could bring more white stuff for some part of our state.

What's happening this week 12/3

On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Hall on 415 Roselawn in Lafayette. Times is 6:30pm. Guests are welcome.

On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Abita Brew Pub on 72011 Holly Street in Abita Springs. Gathering at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm. Guests are welcome.

On Saturday, it's Fishing Tackle Unlimited of Houston's annual Inshore Expo at their Katy Freeway Store. TIme is 9:00am to 5:00pm. There's no cost. Seminars include Plugging for Big (Speckled) Trout, Fly Fishing the Texas Hill Country, and Fly Fishing in Cuba. There's also fly tying and casting. For more info, go to www.fishingtackleunlimited.com.

What's happening this week 11/26

On Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Rapides Westside Library in Alexandria. Time is 6:30pm. On the agenda: recap of their Marsh Invasion weekend, nominations for 2018 board, and discussion of the 2018 Calendar. The public is welcome. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

Also on Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at Cabelas in Gonzales. Time is 7:00pm. Bring your tying tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome! For more info, go to www.rsff.org.

On Tuesday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly "Fourth Tuesday Tying Clinic" in the White River Fly Shop. Time is 6:00pm. Bring your tying tools, if none, they have a few sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome!

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Lakeshore Marina and Fuel (across the parking lot from the Blue Crab Restaurant). Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This day means many things to many different people. For most, it's a day of feasting with friends and family. The turkey, roast, venison, duck or other hearty meat that has been slowly cooked is delivered to the dining table accompanied by veggies, casseroles, and desserts (most notably, pumpkin pie). Here in Louisiana, there's a good chance that bird of choice is stuffed with crawfish or shrimp. Or that one of the "veggies" is sweet potatos or corn machcoux, and maybe even jambalaya. I'm getting hungry just typing this, lol! 

Here in the Cormier household, it's a day of thanks for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. For me personally, I'm thankful for all the many friends I've made through fly fishing and kayak fishing. I wish everyone a great day and lots of love!

December issue of Louisiana Sportsman is out

Sportsman readers will be excited to know that there are changes to the columns format that begins with this issue. New editor Pat Bonin is encouraging more photos in the magazine, and after talking to Pat, we agreed to add photos of one or two flies featured in the "Fishing Forecast" of the Fly Lines column. We think this will aid many readers who have no idea of what a particular fly looks like. For the December issue, the featured flies are the Perch Float Popper and LaFleur's Charlie.  Our column this month is on Christmas gift ideas beyond the usual tackle items.

In the now-expanded kayak fishing column (Paddles N Puddles), Chris Holmes discusses the planning for "Exotic Yak Trips". Chris also writes about targeting tidal lines this month. In his New Product Showcase, Chris writes about the new Jackson Coosa FD pedal drive kayak as well as new tackle from Penn and Stutterstep.  In his December's "Best Bets", he gives tips for Toledo Bend sacalait and Delacroix for reds and specks.

Other columns of interest: Jerald Horst discusses Cubera Snapper in "Creature Feature", Capt. Paul Titus tells why GPS trumps smartphones for use in the outdoors, Jerald and Glenda Horst share oyster recipes for the holidays in "Seafood Bible".  Articles of interest include "Cold Calcasieu Options" by Chris Berzas and "Beating the Bridges" on Lake Pontchartrain winter fishing by Jonathon Olivier.

What's happening this week 11/19

With the Thanksgiving holiday, a very light week ahead.

On Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at the Rapides Westside Library in Alexandria. Time is 6:30pm. Gene Taylor will lead in tying Steve Dally's Hippie Chick, a fantastic fly for a variety of species. Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during the session. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome! For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

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

Also on Tuesday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing club holds their monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle on 601 East Pinhook. Time is 6:00pm. On the agenda, discussion of Turkey Trout Throwdown tournament and recent fishing reports. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

Black Friday starts Monday

Today's newspapers are stuffed with circulars for early Christmas season sales. For decades, Christmas shoppers looked forward to the day after Thanksgiving - known as Black Friday - when retailers offered massive discounts on certain in-store items. A few times I was part of the mayhem, waiting overnight in long lines for the chance to buy a laptop or camera at half price. In recent years, the big discount "day" has spread over a week. A few of the specials are still reserved for Friday, but not nearly as many.

For fly anglers, price protection rules pretty much prohibit discounts. The best bet to find a great bargain on fly rods or reels is to look at house brands like Bass Pro and Cabelas. For example, Bass Pro has their Hobbs Creek Limited outfits on sale for $69. This includes a 9-foot rod - either 5 or 8 weight - with a fully-machined, anodized reel, spare spool, and travel case. While the number of rods, reels or outfits on sale might be extremely limited, there are a lot of fishing accessories marked down. These range from bags to fishfinders to filet knives to waders.

For kayak anglers, it's much the same as with fly anglers. Don't expect to see any kayaks on sale, but the list of accessories and tackle items is pretty much unlimited. Also, discounts on action cameras - including the GoPro - are being advertised.

What's happening this week 11/12

On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.rsff.org.

Also on Monday, the Cane Country Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at the Westside Baptist Community Center in Natchitoches. Casting in the gym at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm. This month, Cane River Pedal and Paddle will give a presentation on kayaking the Cane River, and will bring one of the new Hobie models. Guests are welcome!  For more info, go to www.canecountry.blogspot.com.

On Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Red River National Wildlife Refuge on Sunflower Road in Bossier City. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome.

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers holds the 2nd of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at St. Francis Xavier Church Hall on 444 Metairie Road. Time is 7:00pm. Bring your tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during this session. Materials are provided, bring $1 to cover cost of materials. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Also on Thursday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers holds their monthly tying workshop at the Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City. Time is 6:00pm. Bring your tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during the session. Materials are provided. For more info, go to www.northlaflyfishers.org.

Starting Friday and continuing Saturday, it's the Kisatchie Fly Fishers "Marsh Invasion" fishing trip to Pointe-aux-Chenes for reds, specks, and other inshore species. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

On Saturday, it's the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club's annual "Turkey Trout Throwdown" tournament out of Cypremont Point State Park. Entry fee is $25, open to the public. Heaviest stringer of 5 speckled trout wins. Artificial tackle only. For more info, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

What''s happening this week 11/5

On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders will hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Hall on 415 Roselawn in Lafayette. Time is 6:30pm.  Guests are welcome.

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers will hold the first of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at St. Francis Xavier Hall on 444 Metairie. Time is 7:00pm. Bring $1 to cover cost of materials.  Bring your tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during the session. Beginners are welcome!

Also on Thursday, Old Town Fly Shop will hold their monthly tying session at their location on 3675 Pontchartrain Drive in Slidell. Time is 6:30pm. Beginners are welcome!

Friday is Veterans Day observed, and holiday for some.  Be sure to thank a veteran for their service!

Starting Friday afternoon with the Captains meeting and with the tournament on Saturday, it's the 12th annual "Fall n Tide" kayak fishing tournament hosted by the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club.  Fishing is along the Highway 23 corridor. Its open to the public. Entry fee is $60 and includes tournament entry, Friday night dinner, Captains bag, Saturday fish fry,  and chance at nearly 150 raffle items. There's divisions for Slam, Womens Slam, Youth, Seniors, Leopard Red, and largest red, speck, and flounder. For more info, go to www.bckfc.org.

Also starting Friday and continuing thru the weekend, it's the Red Stick Fly Fishers annual "Fall Catch n Eat" marsh fishing trip along the Highway 1 corridor.  For more details, go to www.rsff.org.

On Sunday, Masseys of Baton Rouge will hold a "Kayak Demo Day" at BREC Wampold Park off Stanford near the LSU Campus.  Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm.  No cost.  Models include Hobie, Perception, Wilderness, Jackson, Native and more. Subject to weather, check their Facebook page to confirm.

What's happening this week 10/29

Tuesday is Halloween.

Wednesday the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Abita Brew Pub on 72011 Holly Street in Abita Springs. Time is 6:30pm, attendees are encouraged to order dinner (optional) prior to the meeting and join in conversation. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.pbasinflyfishers.blogspot.com.

Starting Thursday evening and continuing Saturday, it's the Kayak Bass Fishing Open Series at Toledo Bend. Activities will take place out of Cypress Bend Park and Marina near Many. Registration for this CPR kayak bass fishing tournament is $100. Details can be found at www.kayakbassfishing.com.

Starting Friday, and continuing to Sunday morning, it's the annual "Toledo Bend Rendezvous" at North Toledo Bend State Park near Zwolle. More on this later.

On Saturday, Pack and Paddle in Lafayette will hold their annual Fall Kayak Demo at Vermillionville Pond on 300 Fisher Road in Lafayette (near the airport). Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. Models include Hobie, Wilderness, Native, Jackson, Hurricane and others. Also, new 2018 boats like the Hobie Compass and the Jackson Coosa FD. For more info, go to www.packpaddle.com.

Also on Saturday, Masseys Outfitters in New Orleans will hold a "Kayak Demo Day" on Bayou St. John near Cabrini Bridge. Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. Models will include Hobie, Wilderness, Native, Jackson, Feel Free and others. Including 2018 Hobie Compass and Jackson Coosa FD. For more info, go to www.masseysoutfitters.com.

Also on Saturday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers will hold their annual banquet that evening at Porter and Lukes Restaurant on Metairie Road. Time is 6:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm. Complete details are posted in the Events Forum. Also, check their website at www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

On Sunday, it's the 2nd annual Mission Six Redfish Shootout kayak fishing tournament at PAC Kayak Rentals in Pointe-aux-Chenes. Fishing time is 5:30am to 3:00pm. Entry fee is $40, open to the public. Pedal or paddle power only, heaviest 3 slot redfish wins. Monies raised go to the Mission Six non-profit. For complete rules and details, go to www.mission6.org.

29th annual Toledo Bend Rendezvous this weekend

What is Rendezvous?  It's the largest annual gathering of fly tiers in our state, with no planned activities but plenty of fly tying, food, and fishing. Held annually at North Toledo Bend State Park near Zwolle, the event is co-sponsored by the Gulf Coast and Texas Councils of Fly Fishers International, and is open to the public. It kicks off Friday afternoon and ends after breakfast on Sunday morning. Many of the top tiers from the Ark-La-Tex region and beyond will be on hand tying at the numerous tables inside the large dining room.

Five bunkhouses are reserved for overnight stay on Friday, Saturday or both nights. The 2-night fee is $50 family, $40 single, and 1-night fee is $25 family, $20 single. Those coming just for the day Saturday are asked to make a donation to help offset the rental fees. For more details on this event, check Bowfin47's post on the General Discussion forum.  Or go to this link at Walter McLendon's website.

It's official - Lefty Kreh is retired

Lefty Kreh at 92 years old giving a casting clinic

Almost a decade ago, one of the greatest names in the history of fly fishing - Lefty Kreh - suffered a knee injury and decided that at 82 years old to seriously cut back on his events schedule. Since then, he's still made several annual appearances across the country, including one or two stops each year in the deep South. During that time, I've told folks  Texas, Florida and Georgia. had to For over a decade I've told folks that if they had the chance to see Lefty Kreh, they should definitely make the effort to do so.

Well as of this week, that time has passed. Lefty announced that due to recent heart problems, he will no longer be making personal appearances.  Living to be 93 years old is amazing on to itself, much less deciding at that age to retire! He promises to continue promoting the sport from his computer, but it won't be the same. While he has numerous books and videos to his credit, believe me, there was nothing like seeing Lefty in person - his wit, his humor, his style, and his incredible knowledge of our sport. I was very blessed to have seen  him in person over two dozen times and have taken both a casting class and a tying class under him "back in the day".  I hope we can all can continue to enjoy him - via the internet - for as long as possible. 

For puddlers, it's that time of year

The next few weeks a host of kayak tournaments are taking place, as Fall marsh fishing reaches it's peak. The Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will hold their Trout Challenge and Fall-n-Tide, both along Highway 23. The Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club has it's Turkey Trout Throwdown out of Cypremont Point. This past weekend was the annual IFA Kayak Fishing National Championship out of Venice, which Ty Hibbs of Metairie won.

But it's also that time for the "Kayak Anglers Choice Awards". Like the Espys and Oscars for kayak fishing, but without the long-winded acceptance speeches and absurd wardrobes. KACA is sponsored by YakAngler.com and counts on you, the public, to nominate and vote. There are numerous categories.

The nominations are complete and Phase I voting is in session. Several Louisiana-based anglers, groups, and businesses have been nominated. For example, Matthew Roberts of Mission Six is up for "Kayak Angler of the Year". Matt helped organize the first-ever "Fly Fishin for the Mission" this past June. Mission Six is a great organization dedicated to helping our heroes, either financially or in some cases by providing them kayak fishing trips. Another AOY nominee is Tyler Hicks of Backpacker in Baton Rouge, who has been an advocate for urban kayaking.

Check the forum for links to the KACA voting.

A work in progress

Readers may have noticed we've added a Fly Patterns page on this revised site.  Not all the flies listed on the Patterns page are available - yet.  The hope is to have all the patterns we had listed on the old site back up in a couple weeks.  One of the reasons for the slow progress is that we're updating the images.  In some cases, we'll also provide videos in addition to photos.  One of the features of our new site is that, when you click on a fly image, you get an enlargement of the fly in it's native resolution (typically 800 pixels wide).    Hopefully this helps readers who had trouble determining the makeup of a fly based on the rather small 300 pixel image. 

What's happening this week 10/22

On Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Rapides Westside Library in Alexandria. Time is 6:30pm. With marsh fishing reaching it's peak, Catch Cormier will talk about "Marsh Fly Fishing Basics" with emphasis on Fall fishing. The public is welcome. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

Also on Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at Cabelas in Gonzales. Time is 7:00pm. Mike LaFleur will lead the group in tying his LaFleur's Charlie. Bring your tying tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome! For more info, go to www.rsff.org.

On Tuesday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly "Fourth Tuesday Tying Clinic" in the White River Fly Shop. Time is 6:00pm. Bring your tying tools, if none, they have a few sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome!

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Lakeshore Marina and Fuel (across the parking lot from the Blue Crab Restaurant). Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

On Saturday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will hold the last of their "series tournaments" for the year, the Trout Challenge, off the Highway 23 corridor. Entry fee is $20, and open to the public. Heaviest stringer of 10 speckled trout winds. For more info, go to www.bckfc.org.

Also on Saturday, Masseys Outfitters will hold their 2nd annual Hangout at Second Line Brewing on 433 North Berndotte in New Orleans. Time is 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Local beer, food trucks, live music and raffles with a chance to win a Hobie Sport kayak. Also, bingo for a bike. Monies raised will go to local charities. For details, go to www.masseyoutfitters.com.

NOFF to host Open House on November 11

The New Orleans Fly Fishers club will hold an open house on Saturday, November 11th, 2017, at City Park from 11:00am to 3:00pm. There is no charge. This will take place in the meadow next to the New Orleans Museum of Art. This will be an opportunity for the public to see what fly fishing and the club is all about. There will be casting contests, casting lessons, fly tying demonstrations and some giveaways. There might even be some fishing for rios before they disappear for winter. For more info, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Whats happening this week 10/15

On Monday, the Kisatchie Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at the Rapides Westside Library in Alexandria.  Time is 6:30pm.  Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided.  For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

On Tuesday, the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St. Pius Community Center in Lake Charles.  Fly tying and discussion at 6:00pm, meeting at 7:00pm.  Guests are welcome.  For more info, go to www.contrabandflycasters.net.

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

On Wednesday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will hold their quarterly meeting at Rockin Willys on 140 North Baronne in Pontchatoula. Time is 6:00pm. On the agenda will be the recent PAC Attack tournament and upcoming tournaments Trout Challenge and Fall N' Tide. For more info, go to www.bckfc.org.

On Thursday, CCA Louisiana will hold the annual STAR Awards Banquet at Live Oak Arabians on 6300 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. Gates open at 5:30pm, dinner 7:00pm, awards 7:30pm, auction 8:00pm. Tickets are $50 per person ($35 spouse, $25 youth) and includes admission, dinner and open bar. For more info, go to www.ccalouisiana.org

Also on Thursday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their annual Awards Banquet (in lieu of their tying session). The banquet will be held at Shane's Seafood and BBQ on 9176 Mansfield Road in Shreveport.  There will be numerous raffle prizes as well as a fly tying contest. For more details, go to www.northlaflyfishers.org or check their October newsletter posted in our Forum.

Also on Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold the second of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at St. Frances Xavier Church Hall on 444 Metairie Road.  Time is 7:00pm.  Bring your tools, if none, a few sets are available for use during session. Materials are provided.

On Saturday, it's "Wild Things" celebration at Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge on Highway 434 in Lacombe. Time is 9:00am to 4:00pm. There is no cost. Hosted by the Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, the event features speakers, live animals, demos on pirogue building and wildlife crafts. The Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers will be on hand giving fly tying demonstrations. Food and drink sales at Wild Things help FLWR support conservation and education projects.

2018 Calendar taking shape

In just two weeks, Hallmark Channel will begin showing non-stop Christmas movies and some radio stations will commence playing holiday music.  Yes, Christmas and New Years are almost here, lol.

And while there's still a few significant fly fishing activities left for this year, our 2018 Calendar page is filling up fast.  Here are just a few dates of notable events:

Jan. 20 - Cenla Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Festival
Feb 2-3 - Atlanta Fly Fishing Show
Feb 10 - Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival
Feb 16-17 - Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival
Feb 24 - Fly Fish Texas
Mar 3 - Red Stick Day
Mar 10 - Paddlepalooza
Mar 10 - Texas Fly Fishing and Brew Festival
Mar 15-17 - Louisiana Sportman Show
Mar 22-24 - Sowbug Roundup
Apr 6-7 - Lake Athens Fly Fishing Festival
Apr 7 - New Orleans City Park Big Bass Rodeo
May 5 - Bass On The Fly

And there's more coming soon.
- Cane Country Fly Casters will hold a smaller version of their Natchitoches Fishing Expo sometime in February or March. 
- Mission Six will hold their 2nd annual "Fly Fishin For The Mission" fly fishing tournament in March or April
- North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their Masters Series in July.
- The kayak fishing clubs will schedule their 2018 tournament dates sometime in December.

As in the past, we submit a list of fly fishing events to annual calendar pages published in January, as well as in Louisiana Sportsman magazine and the Outdoors Wire.  The deadline to submit those entries is December 1st.

Also, the guidelines for having an event on our Calendar page remain the same for 2018.

- All in-state events related to fly fishing or kayak fishing.
- Any out-of-state, day-long or multi-day, fly fishing events within 8 hours of a population center
- CCA, LDWF and Bass Life events

Also, club meetings and tying sessions will be listed as they currently are. If date, time or location are changing, please notify us with corrections.

Olde Towne Fly Fishing Hangout tomorrow night

Olde Towne Fly Shop has been conducting fly tying clinics on the 2nd Thursday of each month at their store on 4009 Pontchartrain Drive in Slidell. Starting this month, owner Tristan Daire is expanding the format, calling it the "Fly Tying and Fishing Hangout".  There will still be tying, but also casual conversation and sometimes special guests. Time will be 6:00pm.

Tomorrow night's "hangout" will feature south Louisiana's Sam Collett, a team member of the Skinny Water Culture Collective. Sam will do a presentation on the ins and outs of taking a great photograph on the water. In addition, Tom Jindra - former FFI Certified Casting Governor and TFO Sales Rep - will be on hand with the new TFO Axiom II rod for folks to test cast. The rod has just come out to rave reviews (I got mine a month ago, and it's a great rod for the money!)

For more info, go to www.oldetowneflyshop.com

Winter 2017-2018 to be a cold one

The Old Farmer's Almanac just came out with their Winter forecast and they're calling for a much colder one than last year. It won't be colder than the historical average, though. And a large part of the eastern United States will experience milder-than-average temperatures. However, for north Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas it's going to be "cold and snowy".  Which may imply greater than average days or amount of the white stuff.  Southeast Louisiana will be milder and wet.

While The Almanac bases it's forecast on solar activity, more reliable scientific sources like Accuweather and NOAA are also predicting a much colder winter than last year. LDWF is hoping that it'll get cold enough to knock back salvania on several north Louisiana lakes. 

What's happening this week 10/8

On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Wildlife and Fisheries building off Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.rsff.org.

Also on Monday, the Cane Country Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at the Westside Baptist Community Center off Old Highway 1 in Natchitoches. Casting at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm. Glen 'Catch' Cormier will give a slide presentation on "What's New for 2018" covering new rods, reels, accessories, and kayaks that were showcased at ICAST. He'll also give a "State of the Sport" report. The public is welcome.  For more info, go to www.canecountry.blogspot.com.

On Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at the Red River National Wildlife Refuge off Sunflower Road in Bossier City. Time is 7:00pm. This month, club members will share fishing experiences from this past year, as well as discuss items of interest to the club. Also on the agenda: the annual NLFF Banquet on October 19th. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to www.northlaflyfishers.org.

On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold the first of their twice-monthly fly tying sessions at St. Francis Xavier Church Hall on 444 Metairie Road. Time is 7:00pm. Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome.

Also on Thursday, Olde Towne Fly Shop will hold their monthly tying session at their store on 3675 Pontchartrain Drive in Slidell. Time is 6:30pm. Bring your tools, if none, a few sets available for use during the session. Materials are provided. Beginners are welcome! For more info, go to www.oldetowneflyshop.com.

Also on Thursday, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LWFF) will host its annual fundraiser, "A Wild Night", at Live Oak Arabian Stables on 6300 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. Time is 6:30pm. Tickets are $200 per couple. Local restaurants and caterers will provide food. LWFF helps support programs supported by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, but which are better served outside government agencies. For more info, go to www.wildnight.org.

On Saturday, Masseys Outfitters of New Orleans will hold a free "Kayak Demo Day" at Cabrini Bridge on Bayou St. John. Time is 10:00am to 3:00pm. Models include Hobie, Jackson, Native, Wilderness and others. For more info, go to www.masseysoutfitters.com.

Rio Rodeo Recap

Yesterday was the New Orleans Fly Fisher's 9th annual Rio Grande Fly Fishing Rodeo at City Park in New Orleans. Despite the threat from Hurricane Nate barreling towards the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts, and a citywide curfew set for 7:00pm last night, the event went on. A light drizzle greeted the roughly 35 participants for the first hour.  Afterwards, the rain disappeared for the remainder of the rodeo, although the wind picked up significantly.

Lots of bream and small bass were caught, as well as a decent number of rios in the 6 to 7 inch range. The big rios were absent, except for one caught by Steve Oliver of the North Louisiana Fly Fishers club.  Steve's big rio gave him 1st place honors, a TFO outfit, and bragging rights for the coming year.  We hope to have a full report posted in the forum soon.  Already looking forward to the 2018 Rio Rodeo! 

LDWF taking full fight to Bistineau salvania

At one time, Lake Bistineau was considered one of the five best fishing waters in Louisiana. That was before giant salvania invaded the lake. While salvania is found in nearly every lake in Louisiana, no other body of water (except possibly Caddo) has been ravaged so severely by this floating weed. For over a decade, LDWF has pursued a combination of spraying and drawdowns, but only limited success.

Back in June, the department introduced a third strategy - biological control. LDWF hosted a "Weevil Day" where they provided Bistineau property owners and other volunteers with 115,200 salvania weevils. The weevils have been very effective in consuming the weed, but can be subject to cold weather mortality. This particular batch consisted of weevils that have been bred to cold weather tolerance.

LDWF will continue to employ drawdown and chemical strategies when and where necessary. Currently the lake is under a drawdown since May 1st. Drawdowns quickly kill salvania, but also kill aligator weed which shields the tiny plants from chemical spray. It also helps oxidize shoreline sediments and revives shorelines as prime spawning areas.

What's happening this week 10/1

On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Hall on 415 Roselawn in Lafayette. Casting at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm. Guests are welcome.

On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Abita Brew Pub on 72011 Holly Street in Abita Springs. Gathering at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm. Guests are welcome.

Starting Friday and continuing Saturday, it's the Southern Fly Fishing Fair at Vada Sheid Convention Center on the campus of Arkansas State University in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Sponsored by the Southern Council of Fly Fishers International (FFI), the event is the Mid-South's premier fly fishing and fly tying show. There's seminars, fly tying demonstrations, exhibitors, film festival, workshops, and much more. On-site registration is available. For more info, go to www.ifffsoc.org.

Also on Friday, Olde Town Fly Shop in Slidell will host a "Hells Bay Boatworks Meet and Greet" at their store. Time is 1:00pm to closing time. Folks from Hells Bay will be on hand with several skiff models. Food and refreshments will also be available. For more info, go to www.oldetowneflyshop.com.

On Saturday, it's the 9th annual Rio Grande Fly Fishing Rodeo. More on that later.

Also on Saturday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will host their annual "Cajun Castaway" kayak fishing tournament out of Calcasieu Point Landing south of Lake Charles. The tournament is open to the public. Entry fee is $25. Artificial lures or flies only. Categories are Cajun Slam. For more info, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

This Saturday is the annual Rio Rodeo

The Rio Grande Rodeo is Louisiana's premier fly fishing tournament. Hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers, the target species is the Rio Grande Perch. Considered an invasive species by Wildlife and Fisheries, it's actually native to south Texas - the only American cichlid. However it was not found in Louisiana until pet store (and aquarium) owners began dumping the species into the maze of waterways in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. After the massive flooding of Hurricane Katrina, rios expanded their presence in the two parishes. However, they've not displaced bream species as once feared, perhaps being kept in check by the fact that largemouth bass find them to be easy, delicious meals.

Rios can reach up to 2 pounds in weight, but most average 8 to 12 inches.  Hooking one on a lightweight fly rod is like "fighting a wet cat".  For this reason, many participants will be using fiberglass rods or graphite rods in the 2 to 4 weight range.

This event is open to the public. Onsite registration begins at 7:00am Saturday. Fishing time starts at 8:00am. Weigh-in is at 12 noon. Entry fee is $10 with all proceeds going to Casting For Recovery. All entry fish must be caught on fly tackle using artificial flies. Lunch and refreshments will be available for participants. The registration and weigh-in will be at the intersection of Henry Thomas Drive and Palm Drive. For complete rules and maps of legal fishing areas, go to our Events Forum or check out the NOFF Facebook Page.

The October issue of Louisiana Sportsman is out

While most of the issue is dedicated to hunting - obviously - there's still a lot of great articles for anglers to enjoy.  Starting with my Fly Lines column, "For Pete's Sake", dedicated to our late friend and Louisiana fly fishing legend, Pete Cooper, Jr.  Half of the article details many of Pete's accomplishments, but the other half shares his secrets for catching Fall marsh redfish on the fly.  As always, there's my fly fishing forecast and upcoming events.  The expanded kayak fishing section continues, with columnist Chris Holmes explaining why October is "Prime Kayak Time". Chris also shares tourney winning tactics, new kayak gear, and upcoming events.  Also featured in the expanded yak fishing section are the "Best Bets for October" - locations and tactics for puddlers to insure success. 

Other featured columns this month:  Jerald Horst highlights channel catfish in his "Creature Feature"; Capt. Paul Titus gives us the pros and cons for touch-screen GPS controls in "Ask Capt. Paul"; Jerald and Glenda Horst share recipes from Janelle Folse where Cajun meets Italian in "The Seafood Bible"., Featured articles include:  "Taming the Beast" about targeting choupique by Jerald Horst; trolling for crappie by David A. Brown; and locating bass along submerged ditches by David A. Brown.  Also, solunar tables, tide tables and regional fishing forecasts.