July is here

A number of big events taking place this month.

Next week - Tuesday thru Friday - in Orlando, Florida, is the annual IFTD trade show (fly tackle), held in conjunction with the ICAST trade show (conventional tackle). Most of the new products coming out Fall 2018 and into 2019 will be revealed. As always, we'll be covering live from the show and posting press releases and updates on our sister blog, flytacklereport.blogspot.com.

July 13-14 is the annual Contraband Fly Fishing Expo to be held at Isle of Capri Casino in Westlake, featuring special guest Pat Cohen. Details were posted here last week, but since then the Contraband Fly Casters have added the event booklet to their website at www.contrabandflycastersinc.net.

July 20 thru 22nd is the annual Louisiana Sportsman Duck, Deer, and Fishing  Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.  Last year, the publishers of Louisiana Sportsman magazine - which now run the show - expanded to two shows a year, one in Gonzales in March and a second in New Orleans in July.  The summer show will feature exhibitors and multiple daily seminars, including kayak fishing.  Also the New Orleans Fly Fishers will be taking part in the show.  For more info, go to www.louisianasportsmanshow.com.

July 21 is the annual "LA 1 Slamboree" kayak fishing tournament along Highway 1 corridor from Golden Meadow south. Hosted by the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club, it's their largest tournament of the year and open to the public. Details can be found at www.lafayettekayakfishing.com.

July 28 is the annual North Louisiana Fly Fishers "Masters Series" to be held at the Red River National Wildlife Refuge in Bossier City. This year's headliner is renown big fish guru Kelly Galloup. Some tickets are still available for $40 which includes lunch and refreshments. For more info, go to www.northlaflyfishers.org.

Contraband Fly Fishing Expo booklet now online

14th Contraband Fly Fishing Expo
Friday-Saturday, July 13-14, 2018
Friday,  Noon - 4pm
Saturday, 8am - 4pm
Isle of Capri Casino Hotel, Westlake, LA
Free admission!

Next month the Contraband Fly Casters of Lake Charles will host their annual expo, and plan to make it the biggest one in many years.  Headlining the event is Pat Cohen, one of the most recognized names in fly tying, and a master of deer hair flies.

In addition to Pat, some of the top fly tiers in the Gulf Coast region will be demonstrating their favorite patterns - including nationally-recognized realistic tier Fred Hannie.  Several of the region's top fly casting instructors - such as Jay Clark and Jeff Ferguson - will be on hand to give casting sessions and instruction.  There's also a number of programs covering everything from fishing South Louisiana waters to fishing the Texas Hill Country.

Exhibitors and vendors will also be present. There are raffles and silent auctions to  benefit Project Healing Waters and Reel Recovery.

The Contraband club has put out an Expo booklet with schedule of activities, speaker bios, list of tiers, and much more.  The booklet is available online - click here to open.

For more info, go to www.contrabandflycastersinc.com or call 337-540-1292.

Mid week tidbits 6/27

With only 12 days to go until IFTD / ICAST, the release of new fly fishing and kayak fishing products is gaining momentum.  The latest release comes from St. Croix Rods. Available in September of 2018, the new Mojo Trout series will consist of 11 new beautiful and dutiful 2-piece and 4-piece models from 6-feet to 9-feet in length, covering 2-weight to 7-weight.  The blank will be built on SCR's high-modulus SCIII graphite, and will be targeted at a price point "not to break the bank".

Another new product getting much buzz in advance of the trade show is Flymen Fishing Company's new soft-body Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper.   The original SSDD Bug came out last summer and won Best of Show (Flies category) at IFTD.  Incidently, it caught the most bass on the pond at the IFTD Demo Day of any flies used.  Well, Flymen has improved the bug by switching from a hard-epoxy coating to a flexible coating.  The company even has a video out where the body is tested with a hammer (ouch!) and still holds up!

EFTTEX, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Exposition, is this week and several fly companies have introduced new products.  However EFTTEX is far more secretive than IFTD / ICAST and only a few scraps of information can be found.  What we have learned is that TFO, Winston and Hardy all have new rod series.  We did know of the TFO Finesse being upgraded to a more powerful blank, but retaining the classic action. 

Fishing from a plastic boat - an anniversary and a prospect

A tease pic of the 2019 Topwater kayak

Thirty years ago this month, I did something that radically changed my life forever. I rented a kayak down in Sanibel. And went fishing in it.  After getting the feel of the plastic boat, I managed to lay a cast along some mangroves. I twitched my topwater lure a few times, pausing after each twitch. Then suddenly, an explosion of water where my lure was. A good-sized fish then took to the air. I had hooked a snook! Just as important, he had hooked me - into puddling (fishing from a canoe or kayak).

When I got home, I started fishing from a friend's canoe. Soon after, I started fishing from another friend's kayak. Shortly after that, I bought a canoe so I could share my paddle fishing adventures with my boys. In 1997, I bought my first kayak. I've had six more since then, as many as 3 at one time. Today, the lone boat in my plastic navy is a Native Ultimate 145. Although I am in the market for a sit-on-top.

No one knows when the first kayak was created. But folklore tells of an Inuit eskimo who carved the first kayak out of ice. His name was Jerry Utkuhikhalikaha (Ut for short). Ut had two problems with his creation - his butt got cold sitting on ice, and his kayak would melt away in summer. Ut had to move south to California where there were trees. Here he was able to carve a kayak out of wood.

As materials evolved, kayaks went from wood to fiberglass to rotomolded plastic. As of 1988, all kayaks were SINKs (Sit INside Kayaks). That year, Tim Niemer founded Ocean Kayak in Ferndale, Washington and launched the first SOT (Sit On Top) kayak. It completely revolutionized the recreational kayak industry and paved the way for kayak angling to become popular.

The last decade has seen an explosion in kayak fishing. Once considered an extremely niche market, fishing kayaks now dominate sales. Companies have risen and fallen. At the time that I bought my Ocean Kayak, it was the most popular kayak brand. Today, it's struggling to keep up with the likes of Hobie, Jackson, Native, Wilderness, NuCanoe, Vibe, and most recently, Bonafide. Not to mention a host of standup paddleboards.

With ICAST coming up in three weeks, I once again expect to see a bunch of new boats. That's been the case the last four years. Ocean Kayak finally made some waves last year after a decade of dormancy with their Malibu Pedal boat. It was a good effort, but it got lost in a wave of other new offerings - especially the introduction of the Bonafide.

OK's sister company, Old Town (both are now owned by Johnson Outdoors) has been leaking bits of information and "mystery video clips" about a new boat called the Topwater.  They describe it as the "compact SUV of kayak fishing".

Many years ago, I sent a design to OK for a new version of their popular Caper - one of my favorite kayaks ever. The design had a framed seat and a flat cockpit area.  It kept the dimensions similiar, but added an inch to the width to accomodate the frame seat. It also retained the tri-hull design that provides great tracking and stability.

From the little I've seen of the Topwater, it's either this "Dream Caper" or a smaller, more streamlined version of their highly popular Predator MX. Nearly everyone who owns a P-MX loves it, but at 82 pounds it's a bit heavy. If the Topwater does happen to be an improved P-MX, I expect it will be a highly popular boat.  Not sure if it would be the 2nd boat in my plastic navy. But as I remind my wife, I'm actually two boats short.

Sun safety - always in season!

It never fails. As we approach the 4th of July holiday, or the summer solstice, suddenly a barrage of articles about summer safety. Particularly those warning folks to be careful to protect their skin through Labor Day.  If you think about it, the amount of solar radiation that hits Louisiana in early September is the same that hits us in mid April. So those articles are bit late, if you ask me! Nevertheless, good advise is always welcomed.

If you ask a dermatologist, they'll tell you that you should protect your skin from sun damage year-round, even if the period from Spring equinox to Fall equinox is the worst time. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation can cause sunburn, wrinkles, skin spots, eye damage and worst of all, skin cancer. Each year, nearly 70,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma - the worst form of skin cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises the following:
- Limit your time in the sun, especially between 10am and 3pm.
- Wear clothing to cover skin, SPF rated clothing is best.
- Use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF factor 15 or higher.
- Apply sunscreen liberally and reapply every 2 hours.
- Wear sunglasses with a UVA/UVB rating of 100 percent.

Of course, protecting the skin and eyes from sun doesn't protect one from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Or from the threat of summer lightning storms. So make sure to pack plenty of water (not highly-caffeinated liquids) on your fishing trips. And be alert to the weather around you. If you hear thunder, you're probably closer to danger than you think. Stop fishing and start making your way back towards harbor. 

Finding Joe Brooks airs this weekend

The world premiere of the highly-anticipated fly fishing film Finding Joe Brooks is set to air on Father’s Day weekend, June 15-17 on Sportsman Channel (Friday at 7:00pm CT) and World Fishing Network (Friday at 9:00pm CT), and Outdoor Channel (Saturday at 6:30pm CT).

One of the most iconic fly fishers of the 20th century, Joe Brooks wrote for many of the top outdoor publications in the nation including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and many others. Brooks was a born natural with the fly rod, whether casting or catching, much like his good friend and fellow Maryland native Lefty Kreh.  His articles and books on our sport gained national  attention propelling him to become one of the most respected fly fishers in the industry.  

I was a young boy still mystified by this thing called "fly fishing" when American Sportsman first aired on the ABC Network.  Brooks was a frequent guest, and his adventures with the long rod were my early inspiration.  Although my maternal grandfather was an accomplished flyrodder and fly tier, by this time he had passed.  Those American Sportsman episodes - especially with Joe Brooks - were the next steps to my lifelong pursuit of this sport.

I'm really looking forward to this film, and hope you are too!

We're a month away from ICAST / IFTD

Let's start with some acronyms. ICAST = International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, the world's largest fishing trade show. It's hosted by the ASA = American Sportfishing Association. IFTD = International Fly Tackle Dealer, the world's largest fly fishing trade show. It's hosted by AFFTA = American Fly Fishing Trades Association.

For decades, ICAST and IFTD held separate events, in different locations, usually 2-3 weeks apart each summer. In 2013, the two shows merged into one. Giving retailers, media and industry folks a chance to see all fishing-related products at one event. And reduce their expenses of having to travel to two different events. ICAST and IFTD held separate auxiliary events - such as seminars and demo days - but the rest of the event was seamless.

That 2013 show was held in Las Vegas. Since then, ICAST/IFTD has been held in Orlando. The event has continued to grow - last year it hosted 582 exhibitors in nearly 2000 booths covering 650,000 square feet of space. Almost 15,000 folks attended - quite a number considering that ICAST is not open to the general public.

However, this July 10-13 will be the last year of the merged show. Next year, ICAST returns to Orlando for the 6th straight year, while IFTD will be held in Denver. While the merged show has numerous advantages for the fly industry, it's no secret that many have "Florida Fatigue". Most fly companies are located in the Midwest or west of the Mississippi. Florida was fun at first, but the combination of long travel and tropical heat have offset the saltwater and warmwater fishing opportunities. For those of us media who cover different categories of products (e.g., fly fishing and kayak fishing), the merged show has been golden. It will be greatly missed!

Why is IFTD so important to you the readers? It represents an opportunity for us in the media to see, exam, and even test out just about every fly fishing product there is. Including some new products that will hit retailers in Fall 2018 or early 2019. Even the largest public event - the Somerset Fly Fishing Show - has only a fraction of this many product companies. 

As writers, that gives us great responsibility. Take fly rods, for example. Of the nearly 80 companies that sell fly rods, only about five percent are sold at any fly shop. And 90 percent of all fly shops combined only sell about 16 different brands. That same level of exclusivity applies to nearly all product lines. There's also many accessory products that seem lost in a world where marketing isn't just important - it's life or death!

Most media simply edit the countless product press releases. I'm proud that we're one of the few that go to every booth, exam and test every product (best we can) and give an unbiased review. As well as give the inside scoop on the people and companies that make these products. And learn why each product fits a specific need. It's not an easy task - from 8:30am to 6:00pm each day with no lunch break. Plus the demo days. Even then, we sometimes miss a product.

Once again, our focus will be on fly fishing products, any and all accessories of interest to fly anglers, kayaks and kayak fishing accessories. As of today, there's been some rumors about new rods from Sage and others. As for kayaks, Bonafide and Old Town have confirmed new boats. Everything is tight-lipped, even among pro staffers. Companies love to make the big announcements at ICAST, and we respect that.  Here's what we can say - the last three years have seen an unprecedented number of new fly and kayak offerings, and like with Orlando, there's fatigue!  So expect fewer new products this year.

New book features Fred Hannie flies

Fred Hannie of Lake Charles is one of the most respected fly tiers in the country. His realistic flies are incredibly lifelike. One time he gave me a wasp fly and I left it on the kitchen counter. My wife spotted it and grabbed a swatter and hit it several times before I walked in and saved that priceless bit of tying art!

Hannie's flies have been featured in several magazines, in his own book on realistic tying, and now in a new book by Tony Lolli. "The Art of the Fishing Fly" is 240 pages long and features stunning photography by Bruce Curtis of flies and the anglers who use them. It also focuses on the evolution of fishing flies and profiles 75 different flies. Included in that list are a dozen of Fred's flies. The book's forward was written by former president Jimmy Carter!

The Art of the Fishing Fly is now available on Amazon. Hardcover price is $25.70 and Kindle price is $14.99.  For those who want to see Fred tie one of his incredible creations, he'll be one of the featured tiers at the upcoming Contraband Fly Fishing Expo in Lake Charles on July 13-14.

ACA National Casting Championships coming in July

The American Casting Association will hold it's 110th annual National Casting Championship July 25-28 at the Valparaiso Casting Club in Valparaiso, Indiana. Most of the top casters in the world - both fly and conventional - will be on hand to compete for distance and accuracy. Among the many events are Single Hand Distance, Two Hand Distance, Trout Accuracy and others.

For two decades after World War II, competitive casting in the United States was a big deal. While it may have lost much of it's appeal domestically, it remains very popular in Europe. However, the USA has it's stars. Steve Rajeff and Henry Mittel have dominated much of the competition, setting world records in fly casting. And in 2015, 11 year old Maxine McCormack brought national attention as she broke several records. In 2016, she won the world casting title while competing with the USA Team in Estonia. Her emergence has reinvigorated interest in the ACA Nationals.

Some of the records set at the ACA Nationals include 1-Hand Fly Distance men's of 243 feet (Steve Rajeff, 2009) and women's of 155 feet (Pamela Peters, 2006). The 2-Hand Fly Distance men's record is 294 feet (Henry Mittel, 2011) and women's record of 179 feet (Pamela Peters, 2010). Anglers Fly Distance records include men's of 190 feet (Rene Gillibert, Steve Rajeff), women's of 150 feet (Alice Gillibert) and junior of 122 feet (Maxine McCormick).

Free fishing days start this weekend

This weekend kicks off National Fishing and Boating Week, a celebration of the importance of recreational boating and fishing in America. Most states, including Louisiana, have designated "free fishing days" either the first weekend or second weekend in June.

Free fishing days are a perfect opportunity to try out fishing for the first time. Or, if you're willing to travel, to partake of fishing in another state without having to purchase a license. Some states may have certain restrictions. For example, you might be able to fish freshwater for free, but still have to buy a saltwater permit or trout permit. So please check before making plans.

Louisiana's free fishing weekend is June 9-10. You can fish fresh or salt over these two days without needing a license.

Adjacent states:
- Arkansas, June 8-10 (beginning noon June 8th)
- Mississippi, June 2-3
- Texas, June 2nd (state parks are always license-free with admission)
- Oklahoma, June 2-3

For a complete list of free fishing days in all states, go to www.takemefishing.org.

Another setback for Alaska's Pebble Mine

This week, the proposed Pebble Mine project took another hit when Northern Dynasty Minerals - the company backing the project - failed to reach an agreement with it's financial backer, First Quantum Minerals. This was the fourth failed attempt for Northern Dynasty to secure a financial partner. 

Anglers, sportsmen, commercial fishermen, conservationists, and environmentalists everywhere celebrated the latest setback and hoped that this might shut down the Pebble Mine project once and for all. Pebble Mine is located in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near world-famous Lake Iliamna, and contains ore deposits rich in copper, gold and molybdenum. Widespread opposition is due to the fact that mining operations such as this generate large amounts of waste water - possibly toxic - that would put at great risk one of the world's greatest salmon fisheries. Also at risk would be countless wildlife that depend on the river, including bears and eagles. It would also risk thousands of jobs that depend on the renewable resources of the area.

Pebble Mine came to the forefront of the fly fishing community in 2013 during the Fly Fishing Film Tour. The movie "The Last Cast" told the story behind the Stop Pebble Mine initiative. Numerous fly fishing companies, such as Orvis and Patagonia, as well as organizations such as the Federation of Fly Fishers (now Fly Fishers International) voiced their opposition to the project. Today over 300 companies in the industry have united in opposition to Pebble Mine.

Tidbits

Congratulations to David Drez of the Contraband Fly Casters club. Yesterday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, David passed the Fly Fishers International Casting Instructor certification exam. He becomes the 11th FFI-CCI in Louisiana.  A list of current CCIs can be found at www.gulfcoastcouncilffi.org.

The 9th annual Bass On The Fly tournament has been featured on the BassMaster.com website.  The article recaps the tournament stats and winners, as well as acknowledging sponsors. As the article states, weather was a detriment to this year's attendance, even though a total of 39 boaters and 23 kayakers participated. The husband-wife team of Don and Kim Penick took first place in the Boaters Division, while Rex White and Eric Dilts of the North Louisiana Fly Fishers finished 2nd for the 2nd year in a row. Kevin Fuller took 1st place in the Kayak Division with 5 fish totaling 56 inches. For the complete article, click here.

Speaking of fly tournaments, this is the last week to register for the 6th annual Cedar Lake Fly Fishing Tournament to be held June 30th out of Biloxi, Mississippi. The freshwater tournament is sponsored by the Mississippi Coast Fly Fishers, and the $25 entry fee includes lunch from Your Mamaz House. For more details, go to this site.

KastKing introduces fly outfits benefitting "Anglers of Honor"

Click on image for enlargement

In 2011, Tate Cui and some of his college buddies at Syracuse University decided to start a fishing tackle company that emphasized value. KastKing was founded on the concept of providing a quality product, yet keeping prices low by selling direct to customers via eBay, Amazon, and through their website. 

KastKing has expanded a great deal in the last 7 years. Two years ago, they broke into the fly fishing market. One of their big sellers has been the Emergence outfit that features rod, reel, fly line, backing, and carrying case. Like most cheap Chinese products, it was a bit on the heavy side and therefore for my annual ratings didn't beat out similiar combos from Redington, Cabelas, TFO, Bass Pro, and Echo. However I would note that the KastKing outfit has had generally good reviews on Amazon (4.8 out of 5).

Yesterday KastKing announced a new combo series called the Defender series. It's dedicated to U.S. military veterans and the support organization Anglers of Honor (www.anglersofhonor.org). The outfit includes a 9-foot, 5-weight, 4-piece rod, CNC machined fly reel with graphite disc drag, floating fly line, backing, tapered leader and carrying case with "Anglers of Honor" logo.

Although it was created for veterans, KastKing is selling to the public and will donate a portion of each sale to Anglers of Honor. The outfit is available on Amazon for $99. The rod and reel look to be of higher quality than that of the Emergence series, and at a lower price, may be worth taking a closer look at. We hope to test this outfit in July at ICAST and will report back.

Masseys, Pack & Paddle offering Tidal Watersports

Just this week, Masseys Outfitters of New Orleans and Pack & Paddle in Lafayette announced that they will be carrying kayaks from Tidal Watersports. These basic kayaks offer a number of features at great bargain prices. They are meant to compete against cheap kayak offerings from Bass Pro, Cabelas, Academy -  even Walmart, Tractor Supply and T.J. Maxx! Yes, kayaking has become that popular. As the PnP blog puts it, "Why stand in a box store trying to get someone (who knows nothing about kayaks) to help you, without trying it first and have no service after the sale?".

The three boats in the Tidal Watersports lineup are the "Coast", the "Shoreline", and the "Vista". One benefit of Tidal kayaks is that - unlike the vast majority of boat makers - dealers have the latitude to offer promotional sale pricing instead of being locked into the manufacturers MSRP price.

The Coast is 10 feet in length, comes with waterproof hatches, removable padded seat, 4 rod holders and a paddle. MSRP is $559. This weekend, Pack & Paddle is offering this boat on sale for $449.

The Shoreline is their premier fishing boat. It's 12 feet long and features a hi-low frame seat, open floor plan (great for fly casting), dry storage up front, gear tracks, and a weight capacity of 400 pounds. The MSRP is $899.  Again, PnP is offering it for sale this weekend for $799 and that price includes paddle and life jacket!

The Vista might just be a big win for Tidal. At 13 feet long, this tandem sit-on-top kayak has frame seats and beaucoup open floor space. It also comes with four plastic accessory mounting points, tub type dry storage for each paddler, and four rod holders. With a capacity of 500 pounds. It's rare to find tandem kayaks of this type, but almost impossible to find at an MSRP of just $1199. Again, Pack & Paddle is offering this boat this weekend for just $999.

As with all their boats, Masseys and Pack and Paddle offer "try before you buy" testing. The rental fee can be applied towards the sale price when you buy.  For more info about these boats, go to www.masseysoutfitters.com or www.packpaddle.com.

LDWF to hold research symposium on June 4th

On Monday, June 4th, biologists with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from across the state will meet in the Louisiana Room at LDWF headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. The purpose will be to present the latest information on wildlife and fisheries research.

The event runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm and is open to the public. There is no cost. Preregistration is not required. For those unable to attend in person, a webinar link will be provided at :
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5262302623075376385.

For more information, contact Jeff Duguay at 225-765-2353 or jduguay@wlf.la.gov or Brett Falterman at 504-286-4160 or bfalterman@wlf.la.gov.

Potential world record fly rod redfish caught from kayak

Photo by Joe Underwood, courtesy of IGFA

Without question, Louisiana is the redfish capital of the world. But when it comes to bull reds on fly, Virginia has quite a legacy. Many years ago, I worked with Stuart Lee, who was our accounting manager at the Richmond office. At the time, Stuart held two fly rod world records for red drum. Both caught in Virginia's fabled Eastern Shore waters of Chesapeake Bay.

Currently, Louisiana holds the IGFA fly rod record for 20 pound tippet -  a 41.65 pounder taken by Conway Bowman out of Hopedale while guided by Capt. Gregg Arnold. But that record is now in jeopardy.

On May 14th, well-known kayak angler Rob Choi of Richmond Virginia was fly fishing the Eastern Shore from his yak using a Half-and-Half (half Clouser, half Deceiver) when he hooked and landed a 53-pound redfish.  After weighing it on an approved measuring device, the fish was released. The record application documents and photographs have been sent off to IGFA, where they are currently under review.

Not many details were given about how Choi was fishing, but I can share what Stuart shared with me about Eastern Shore. A lot of bull reds congregate into deep flats during late Spring and early Summer. The fish can be seen at times, and a sinking line with a baitfish pattern - and a lot of patience - is the key to success on these big brutes.  While it's not the type of fly fishing Louisiana redfish anglers are used to, it's effective and the fight is just as fun.

Fishing participation continues to rise

Events such as youth contests are inducting new anglers 

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Association yesterday announced that participation in fishing in the United States increased for the second year in a row. After a slight dip in 2015 (0.2 percent decline), numbers for 2016 and 2017 were back on the strong trend that started a decade ago. For 2017, participation rose 4% to 49.1 million anglers. This gives the last decade a 4.3% average increase.

Of great significance were the numbers of youth anglers. There were 11.6 million between ages of 6 and 17 who wet a line last year. That's a 5.4% increase from 2016.  Also up - the numbers of female and Hispanic anglers - up 3.1% and 11.0%, respectively.  And Americans that took up fishing for the first time was up a whopping 21 percent!

RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson stated, "As we continue to move closer to our 60 in 60 goal, news like this is incredibly encouraging. It's obvious that the work RBFF and the industry is doing is working. More and more consumers are realizing the joys of fishing.".

In most states, the community fishing programs, youth educational programs, and events such as National Hunting and Fishing Day have contributed largely to the continued growth. The largest increase in anglers has been under age 35 - which coincides with the time frame which most of these programs have been in place.

As for fly fishing participation... historically it tracks at about 10 percent of the total participation. However, last year it exceeded 11 percent for the first time. So it's probably safe to assume that it too rose 4 percent (but possibly higher).  We'll know for sure when the American Fly Tackle Trade Association (AFFTA) gives their annual "State of the Industry" presentation at ICAST/IFTD in July.

It's that time of year

Memorial Day weekend is typically the start of climatological summer here in Louisiana. And the start of tropical activity.  While it's still early for development of named storms, it's still possible for tropical depressions to form.  In fact, we might just have one for the start of Memorial Day weekend.

A broad, monsoonal-type disturbance in the Caribbean is expected to move into the Gulf later this week. Two models - GFS and Euro - call for northward movement and increased flow of moisture.  But the Euro model calls for some development and a more northwestern path.  At the least, it could mean a significant rain event for south Louisiana.

Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest fishing periods of the year.  Expect everyone to keep a close eye on this disturbance.

Grand Isle Weekend is now Leeville Fly Fishing Weekend

It was a tradition for nearly two decades. Members of clubs from Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as a few members from clubs elsewhere, would gather in late June or early July for a weekend of surf and marsh fishing, featuring a shrimp boil on Friday night and fish and shrimp fry on Saturday night. Sponsored by the Red Stick Fly Fishers, the Grand Isle Fly Fishing Weekend (GIFFW) was centered out of Blue Dolphin Inn on the beachfront at Grand Isle.

Last year, the GIFFW was cancelled due to a scheduling snafu. That resulted in RSFF discussing the future of the event and other options. At a meeting this Spring, Saltwater Chairman Randy Leonpacher discussed the concerns and issues with continuing at Grand Isle, and proposed a move to Leeville. The club voted nearly unanimously in favor of the change.

So the Grand Isle Fly Fishing Weekend is now the "Leeville Fly Fishing Weekend" set for June 22-24, 2018 with headquarters at Boudreaux's Waterfront Motel in Leeville. As in the past, participants are free to stay whereever they like. UNLIKE the past, everyone is responsible for making their own reservations. Once again, the event will be culminated with the Saturday evening fish and shrimp fry to take place at Boudreauxs, with the fish being contributions of freshly-caught cleaned fish filets from participants.

Members of organized fly fishing clubs are invited to participate.  In order to insure enough food - including salad, drinks and dessert - Randy is asking that those coming give him a headcount. For more info on the event, go to the LFF Forum or Red Stick Fly Fishers forum on www.warmfly.org. 

Louisiana CCA STAR tournament kicks off Saturday

The Coastal Conservation Association STAR is the state's largest annual saltwater tournament, now in it's 24th year. It kicks off the Saturday before Memorial Day and continues through Labor Day. Last year, nearly 13,000 anglers participated, but that number could be considerably less this year. More on that later.

Entry fee is $35 and you must be a current member of CCA (also $35, only $15 for member spouses, $10 for youth members). As always, the top division is Tagged Redfish, with the biggest prizes for the first 10 caught. CCA has tagged 100 reds for the 2018 STAR, distributed throughout the coast both inland and nearshore. There are also numerous other divisions - ranging from Speckled Trout (four regional divisions), Sheepshead, Flounder, and other species.

Back once again are the Fly Division and a Kayak Division - both heaviest speckled trout. Within the Fly Division, there are two (2) regional divisions, East and West. The winner of each division gets a $1,500 gift card to Academy Sports, sponsored by Costa. The Kayak Division has four (4) regional divisions, East, Southeast, Southwest, West. The winner of each division gets a Hobie Compass mirage-drive kayak, sponsored by Hobie.

Excitement for this year's STAR is considerably less than years past, due to CCA's opposition to House Bill 391 this past Spring. The bill, which would've allowed public access on flowing tidal waters (with exceptions) was defeated on the House floor after passing in committee. Many inshore anglers - particularly kayak and fly anglers - were outraged and vowed to boycott CCA, the STAR tournament and the Ride the Bull kayak tournament (hosted by CCA). We'll see how this plays out.

Mangrove Bay reveals the new Ibis Skiff

Mangrove Bay Boats is the latest to introduce a skiff designed to attract younger, budget-minded flats anglers who are also looking for a quality purchase.  Their new Ibis is hand laid using Kevlar and Carbon Fiber, and utilizes Vinylester resins (as opposed to polyester resin).  The boat is designed to last for generations and comes with a 100% transferable lifetime warranty!

Here are specs for this new boat:
- 16 feet LOA
- 57" beam
- recommended HP: 25
- composite corings (no wood)
- all stainless steel hardware
- LED navigation lights
- flush mount bow cleats
- 500 GPH bilge automatic

Best part of all is the price. The base boat sells for $8,500. 

For more info, and a gallery of photos on the Ibis, go to www.mangrovebayboats.com.

Special events this week - 4/29

Starting Friday afternoon, it's the 7th annual "Bass On The Fly" fly fishing tournament at Lake Fork Marina in Alba, Texas. It's a CPR tournament with total length of five longest (5) largemouth bass with divisions for Boat and Kayak.  Entry fee is $60 and can be done online at www.ianglertournament.com or onsite Friday. Friday afternoon there's casting games, kayak demos, and from 2:00pm to 6:00pm is the annual Sunfish Tournament (optional $10 entry) followed by the Captains meeting and fishing report. Saturday is bass tournament day with weigh-in at 2:00pm followed by awards and door prizes. For more info, go to www.bassonthefly.com.  

Fly Fishin For the Mission this weekend

This weekend, the state's newest and most popular saltwater fly fishing tournament takes place out of Pointe-aux-Chenes southeast of Houma. The 2nd annual "Fly Fishin For The Mission" has expanded this year to include a "fishtival" on Saturday, with the actual tournament on Sunday.

The event will once again be held out of PAC Kayak Rentals in Pointe-aux-Chenes. Saturday is "Vets Fishing Day" along with fly tying, casting clinics, kayak demos, and food and music. Sunday is tournament day with Captains meeting at 5:30am, followed by shotgun launch. Weigh-in is 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

Format is two (2) heaviest redfish per team. Divisions include Boat, Kayak and Overall. Team format, entry fee is $80 per team with all donations going to the Mission Six charity, which aids veterans and other uniformed heros.

The boat folks will be anxious to atone for last year's showing, where they were clocked by the kayakers. All three places in the Overall Division went to kayak teams.

For complete details, and to learn more about Mission Six, go to www.mission6.org.

The demise of the FFI council conclave

Earlier this week, the Gulf Coast Council (GCC) of Fly Fishers International (FFI) announced that their 2018 Fly Fishing Fair has been cancelled. The event was scheduled for September 14 and 15, once again at the Ocean Springs Civic Center. It would've been the GCC's 10th "conclave" since formation. Whether you call them "fair", "festival", "expo" or "conclave",  these events feature seminars, casting clinics, fly tying demonstrations, workshops, exhibitors, and other activities. Most important, they are fundraisers for the council's conservation and educational projects.

FFI members in the geographic region of the GCC - Louisiana, Mississippi, south Alabama and extreme northwest Florida - received an email citing reasons. "Support for putting on the show has waned in the last several years. The same small group of people tasking themselves with all of the show responsibilities. Therefore the GCC Executive Board decided to not have a show this year.".  The email went on to say that the facility has been booked for September 13-14, 2019 in hopes that there will be an "increased level of volunteerism".

Just twenty years ago, the Federation of Fly Fishers (now FFI) council conclaves were the biggest fly fishing events each year across the country, with attendance at each in the hundreds. Vendors, exhibitors and fly tiers would flood the floor space. Fast forward to present and only four councils have held, or will hold, a conclave this year. One of those is the Southern (Council) Fly Fishing Fair set once again for the first weekend of October in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

So what has led to the demise of the council conclave? Armchair analysts cite the decline of fly fishing and the "graying" of it's participants. FAKE NEWS! According to AFFTA surveys, our sport has been GROWING at a clip of nearly five percent the last six years. Furthermore, much of that growth has been in ages under 35, among both men and women.

In our observations, there are many reasons for demise of the conclave. However, we'll list our Top Six.

1) The internet. Back 20 years ago, conclaves were the ultimate learning experience. The internet was in it's infancy. Getting started or advancing one's knowledge in our sport could be done via books and VHS/DVD, but nothing came close to human interaction.  The internet and Youtube has changed much of that, especially with the large number of young flyfishers.

2) Lack of volunteers. Simply put, "time conflicts". There's just a lot more things going on these days that occupy the time of folks. Especially young people with kids.

3) Growth of kayak fishing. In the late 90s, kayak fishing began it's rise in popularity.  Most of the pioneers of the sport were flycasters.  Today a large number of flyfishers also kayak fish. The rise in kayak clubs and tournaments has given rise to yet more "time conflicts".  Many young flycasters who might otherwise be involved in an FFI council are occupied with kayak fishing activities.

4) Growth of other events. Twenty years ago, there was one commercial event and only a trio of club conclaves across the South. Now there are a couple dozen club events and four commercial shows. If learning is your main consideration in attending a fly fishing event, why travel several hours and spend a couple hundred dollars (or more) when there's a similiar event an hour or two away?

5) Lack of exhibitors. The ICAST and IFTD trade shows are not open to the public, but if they were, the attendance might approach a million! People want to see and buy products, and at one time, conclaves offered that opportunity. While retailers have hit hard times due to competition from big box retailers and internet stores, product companies are at an all time high. Yet most do not exhibit at council conclaves. I've been told a myriad of reasons, but none make sense but one - that getting pro-staffers and reps to do these shows is like getting a bear into a box!

6) Fewer superstars. The 1960s was the Golden Age of American Fly Fishing thanks to numerous books, magazines and the American Sportsman TV show. Folks like Lee Wulff, Joan Wulff, George Harvey, Joe Brooks, Stu Apte, Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Dave Whitlock, Mel Kreiger, Gary Borger and many others became icons. There were not only great writers and pioneers, but they all had personality. A conclave with any one of them drew attendees like gnats in Delacroix! Today many of those icons have passed or have greatly limited their event schedule. And while there are many young experts, only a handful have their charisma.

As mentioned, there are other reasons. But these six are enough to make any conclave organizer pull their hair!

A sad day for Louisiana coastal anglers

Yesterday afternoon the Louisiana House of Representatives debated and voted on House Bill 391 by Kevin Pearson of Slidell.  HB391 would have allowed public access to tidal waters. It was expected to be a close vote, with some momentum after having passed 5-3 in committee. And with a large number of supporters in attendance for the vote, there was glimmer of hope the bill might actually pass.

But after  much debate - and a couple amendments - the bill was voted down 59 to 37.  With many of the "no" votes coming from north and central Louisiana, whose representatives were heavily lobbied over the weekend by large out-of-state land companies and oil companies.  In fact, according to some accounts, as many as 50 lobbyists were brought in to work against HB391.

Many of the hundreds of anglers on Facebooks who supported the bill quickly posted their disgust with the politicians who clearly were trying to derail the bill, speaking the talking points given them by the lobbyists. Anglers were also quick to point out that this was just one battle - the war will go on!

As with every issue of this magnitude, there were winners and losers. The big oil companies won the vote, but anglers won their dignity. They will be more determined than ever to organize and fight on. The losers were CCA, who went back on their stance. Based on dozens of comments, I doubt there will be enough kayakers participating to hold this summer's Ride The Bull. Another big loser were the representatives who voted against HB391 in areas where anglers make up a significant portion of the electorate.  As the support for public access continues to mount, this will become a campaign issue in next year's state elections.

For more complete details of the House vote on HB391, and a list of legislators who voted FOR and AGAINST the bill, go to this article by Louisiana Sportsman magazine.

Special events this week - 4/15

On Saturday, Pack and Paddle will host the 2018 Fly Fishing Film Tour - along with a "Fly Fishing Hangout" at their store on 601 East Pinhook in Lafayette. The hangout begins at 3:30pm with fly tying, rod demos, beer and snacks. At 5:30pm the show starts. Tickets are $15 in advance and at the door, but seats are limited so pre-purchase is advised. For more info, or to purchase tickets, go to www.packpaddle.com. 

HB391 set for House vote Tuesday

This past week, the Louisiana House Civil Law and Procedures Committee approved House Bill 391 by Rep. Kevin Pearson of Slidell by a 5-3 vote. Setting the stage for a big vote by the full House this Tuesday. The bill would provide public access to running waters, with certain exemptions.

In the committee hearing, the bill was amended to exempt water bottoms where navigation has been prevented or impeded by an obstacle permitted by the Corps of Engineers, and to running waters during migratory waterfowl season when such waters have been posted.  A third provision bans watercraft with combustible engines that may cause damage to bottoms or banks or submerged vegetation.  The bill also limits liability of the owner of waterbottoms open to public access.

Despite these several compromises, the bill still faces very strong opposition from large landowners and oil and gas companies. Their lobby group has been contacting legislators and organizations. Late in the week, three organizations expressed opposition to HB391: the Louisiana Forestry Association, the Louisiana Farm Bureau, and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI).

Meanwhile, on yesterday's More Outdoors with Don Dubuc and Martha Spencer, guests Rep. Kevin Pearson and Capt. Daryl Carpenter (board member of Louisiana Sportsman Coalition) spoke about the merits of the bill and dismissed some of the false claims made by the opposition. There was a feeling by the opposition that the bill would never make it out of committee. According to Pearson, it was a demonstration that people do have a voice and can make a difference.

Pearson and Carpenter encouraged listeners to continue to call their legislators and make their support for HB391 known. And if possible, to attend the House vote on Tuesday at the state capitol. To find out who your legislators are, and how to get in touch with them, go to www.joinlasc.com/speak-up.

House Committee to hear HB391 Tuesday

This Tuesday, the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedures will hear House Bill 391 by Rep. Kevin Pearson.  This bill prohibits anyone from restricting or prohibiting public navigation of running waters which are navigable by a motorboat.  The bill is strongly supported by Louisiana Sportsmen’s Coalition, and the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS). 

BASS is the world’s largest fishing organization, and frequently held their Classic in southeast Louisiana until several competitors were warned or cited for trespassing during the last event.  In recent years, the number of trespassing warnings and citations has skyrocketed as landowners - in many cases, "water owners" because most of the land is gone -  have seen value in leasing their water bottoms.

There is some common belief that the bill may be amended to make accomodations for duck hunters during season.  Based on Facebook responses, the vast majority of those who support HB391 would support such amendments.

There is one sportfishing group that opposes HB391. That's the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Louisiana, the state's largest sportfishing group.  Or was.  CCA-L at first expressed neutrality.  But this last week, they came out in opposition citing that they preferred that a "study group" be formed to come up with workable solution to this complex issue. 

The response to CCA-L announcement has risen the ire of anglers statewide.  All over Facebook, members are stating they will not renew or participate in this summer's CCA STAR and Ride The Bull tournaments.  Many are outraged that CCA changed their position and look at their proposal as "obstructive" and "stall tactics".  

What many are unaware of is that two of the biggest landowners in opposition to HB391 sit on the CCA-L state board.  It also should be noted that this is CCA-L, not CCA (national organization) which has a history of supporting tidal access.

For those who support HB391, there's still time to contact committee members and let them know your support.  These are committee chairman Raymond Garofalo, vice chairman Randal Gaines, Robby Carter, Raymond Crews, Gregory Cromer, Julie Emerson, Sam Jenkins, Taner Magee and Gregory Miller. For contact numbers, go to www.joinlasc.com/speak-up.

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful Easter day!  After all the unsettled weather we've had this past week - especially the deluge here in central Louisiana - the ground has dried enough that the kids can enjoy an Easter egg hunt without hip boots.  Looking at their Easter baskets, it's safe to say there's going to be LOTS of chocolate consumed the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, the adults in our extended family are celebrating the true reason for this day - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was sent to redeem the world. No better way to celebrate that than with a cold beer! (now you know what I gave up for Lent, ha!).  

We wish everyone a great day.  And a reminder that, with many schools having Spring break this week, to take a young person fishing.

Special events this week 4/1

Starting Friday, and continuing Saturday, it's the 4th annual Lake Athens Fly Fishing Festival & Big Bass Contest at Lake Athens Marina in Athens, Texas. The festival is free, entry to the Big Bass Contest is $40. Pre-registration is required. Hosted by our friend Johnny Martinez, a fly fishing guide on the lake, the event features various vendors, casting and fly tying demonstrations, great food and more. The bass contest is CPR format, both biggest bass and longest stringer. Fly rod only, approved fish ruler, and smartphone with camera are some of the rules. All net proceeds will benefit Project Healing Waters. For more info, go to www.johnnyonthefly.com.

Latest Mags

The April issue of Louisiana Sportsman is now available at sporting goods and convenience stores. In his Fly Lines column, Catch Cormier gives a brief overview of "Trout Fishing 101" including necessary tackle, accessories, tactics, and where to go. There's also the calendar of upcoming events, and the April Fishing Forecast (Tippets). In his expanded Paddles and Puddles section, kayak fishing guru Chris Holmes tells where and how to target canal bass. He also gives new gear reviews for the  PowerPole Micro, NRS Boundary Shoe, and the Bioenno 12-volt Lithium battery for powering a variety of kayak electronics. Also, the April "best bet" locations for freshwater and saltwater kayak fishing. Other columns/articles of interest include: Jerald Horst tells us about Gaspergou in his Creature Feature column; Jerald also writes about targeting bass from a kayak featuring Butch Ridgedell of the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club; Phase 3 of the Toledo Bend bass spawn by David A. Brown, and top April trout hotspots by Andy Crawford.

The April-May issue of Fly Fisherman magazine is out. Although the issue went to publication prior to the passing of Lefty Kreh, there's a couple of features dedicated to the legend of our sport. Editor Ross Purnell tells the  story of the Lefty's Deceiver and his recollection of the man behind the fly. Flip Pallot pays "A Tribute To Lefty" in an article detailing his memories of his mentor, giving us a glimpse into Lefty's life. Other articles include: Ed Jaworoski on why when it comes to fly lines, anglers should throw out the old AFTMA weight standards and why they don't mean much anymore. Ross Purnell tells of a South American fish that was caught on flies long at least 300 years before Isaak Walton wrote his famous book on fly fishing. Landon Mayer writes about high-altitude cutthroat trout fishing. Also: fly fishing news, new gear, tying the Senyo Predator Scandi and more.

Tuesday Tidbits - 3/20

The 2nd annual Fly Fishing' For the Mission tournament webpage and registration is up. The state's premier saltwater fly fishing event will take place the weekend of Saturday-Sunday, April 28-29 at PAC Kayak Rentals in Pointe-aux-Chenes. Saturday is the "fishtival" featuring casting instruction, fly tying, kids casting instruction, kayak and skiff demos, and kids art activities. Sunday is tournament day, with 2-person teams competing for heaviest 2-fish stringer. Divisions include Kayak, Boat, and Overall, assuring at least 9 teams receiving prizes. Also there's a Sheepie Side Pot. Raffles, food and more. With nearly two dozen sponsors, the event is getting interest across the northern Gulf Coast. Proceeds go to benefit the Mission Six non-profit. For more info, go to www.mission6.org.

The Fly Fishing Show ® has announced their 2019 dates and venues. Ben Furimsky, president and CEO of the largest commercial fly fishing expos in the country, is hoping the early announcement will help exhibitors, presenters and attendees set aside those dates. The only venue within 8 hours of Louisiana is the Atlanta Show, held at Infinity Energy Center in Duluth. Dates for that venue are Friday-Saturday, February 1-2, 2019.

Fly Fishers International has officially announced that their 2018 FFI Fair & Fishfest will be held at The Boise Center in Boise, Idaho on August 7-11.  The consumer trade show (expo) will be held August 9-11 featuring manufacturers such as Orvis, Rio, Patagonia, Sage, Scientific Anglers, Simms, and others. The event will also feature 100-plus workshops covering all aspects of fly fishing. Demonstrations, seminars, and hands-on sessions are scheduled by Gary Borger, Dave and Emily Whitlock, Molly Semenik, Heather Hodson, Craig Mathews, and Brian O'Keefe. For more Fishfest info, go to the FFI website at www.flyfishersinternational.org.

Little Missouri River update. In a previous update, we stated that the Little Mo tailwater below Greeson Lake - a popular year-round trout fishery with Louisiana fly anglers - has been releasing water through the dam's bunger valves due to very high lake levels. The large volume of water released makes fishing all but impossible. But it does help lower the lake at a fairly fast pace. Yesterday, Jeff Guerin posted on his forum that the lake is currently at 553 feet and falling about 2 feet every 3 days. While this would put the lake back at pool by next week, Jeff cautions that the Corps may lower it even more in anticipation of April and May rains. Regardless, once things are back to normal there should be great dry fly fishing with hatches of March Brown mayflies and early caddis hatches. To keep up with the latest on the Little Mo, go to www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com.

Special events this week 3/18

Starting on Thursday, and continuing thru Saturday, it's the 21st annual Sowbug Roundup at Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Hours are 9:00am to 4:00pm each day. Admission is $5 and covers all 3 days, under 12 free. Sponsored by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, Sowbug is the foremost gathering of fly tyers from across the country. There's also seminars, vendors, casting instruction, vendors, and more. For more info, go to www.northarkansasflyfisher.org.

On Saturday, it's the 71st annual New Orleans City Park Big Bass Rodeo & Fishtival. The nation's oldest freshwater tournament includes divisions for conventional bass, fly rod bass, team rio, kayak (Boats on the Bayou) and more. Exhibitors and tying demonstrations by the New Orleans Fly Fishers. Fishing begins at 6:30am with weigh-in at 11:00am. Entry fee is $10 adults, $5 ages 12 and under. Online registration available, on-site registration at the Casino (Coffee Call) from 6:00am to 8:30am. For more info, go to www.neworleanscitypark.com. 

Five fishing legislative bills to follow

Years ago, during a heated battle for a state representative post, one candidate aired a commercial that was the talk of the town. A woman awakes from her sleep, startled, grabs a flashlight and stealthly approaches a closed door. The narrator said something to the effect, "They're back. The scariest thing imaginable.". The woman opens the door and screams. On the other side of the door is a group of well-dressed people moving from desk to desk inside the state capital rotunda. The narrator concludes, "The Louisiana Legislature!".

The announcer had it somewhat right. Anytime the Louisiana legislature is in session, anything can happen and sometimes really bad things can happen. Thanks to groups like CCA and others, we anglers at least have some sense of security, knowing these groups are watching out for us. But it doesn't mean we shouldn't get involved. Just the opposite - we need to know what bills are being filed, how they will impact us, and contact our legislators and let them know we support or oppose certain bills.

With the 2018 session kicking off on Monday, most of the bills have been pre-filed. While there are nearly two dozen pieces of legislation involving fish and fishing - House bills (HB), Senate bills (SB), House resolutions (HCR), and Senate resolutions (SCR) - we've picked the five worth watching, and give our opinion on each. Sponsor names are in parenthesis.

SB176 (Gerald Long). Reduces crappie daily limit on Sibley Lake from 50 to 25. We SUPPORT this bill, but would ask that the geographical area be extended to all waters west of Highway 167 and north of I-10. The vast majority of these waters are in the so-called Piney Hills of Louisiana where low alkalinity makes them rather infertile. Further, Louisiana is the only state with a crappie limit greater than 25.  Other states have shown that the severe spikes in juvenile crappie recruitment have been moderated with lower limits. Since Toledo Bend is already 25 amending this bill would not affect the bi-state agreement.

SB453 (Dan Morrish). This bill provides an exemption to the recent state law that permits only tonging of oysters in Calcasieu Lake. We OPPOSE this bill. When Calcasieu had millions of oysters, they filtered out water, keeping the lake clear and clean and a perfect habitat for the world's best speckled trout fishery. The demise of trout fishing in the lake has been proven linked to the mechanical harvesting that has resulted in over 90 percent reduction in the oyster population. Which is why the bill allowing only tonging (the historical method) was passed. As the lake's oyster population rebuilds, now is not the time for any exemptions.

HB688 (Rodney Lyons). This bill moves litter education and enforcement from shared DEQ and LDWF entirely to LDWF. We SUPPORT this bill. I can tell you our readers, from personal experience, that the current system doesn't work. Way too much confusion and bureaucracy! Putting it in the hands of LDWF gives us anglers a more powerful voice in keeping our waterways clean.

I saved the biggest two for last...

HB391 (Kevin Pearson). This bill provides public access to the running waters of the state. We STRONGLY SUPPORT this bill... with provision!  The bill would provide for public navigation of running waters - over both public and privately owned water bottoms connected to a state-owned water bottom that is subject to the ebb and flow of the tide. The situation in our coastal marshes gets worse by the month. Many areas that we used to fish are now posted, even though they're mostly open marsh. In addition, the recent announcement that Bob's Bayou Black Marina near Houma will have to close because the canal leading from it will be gated and blocked has angered and rallied the fishing community behind HB391. Louisiana is the only state with such restrictive tidal access laws. On the other hand... I do see the concern of many duck hunters. I think there is room for an amendment to this bill that would satisfy both anglers and hunters.

HB687 (Jerome Zeringue).  Restructures hunting and fishing licenses. We SUPPORT this bill. Three reasons we support it. First, LDWF funding from oil and gas on their properties has taken a plunge. The Department has been running in the red. It needs a more stable funding. Second, most of our license fees have not been increased in over a decade. LDWF receives NO general revenue funding, so it needs to keep up with costing through fees. And third, matching funds. As one retired LDWF employee told me, it's not the fees themselves that generate much money, it's the matching federal dollars. Louisiana is losing out on a mountain of federal dollars from excise taxes because of our current license structure.  Apparently the cane pole licenses and the senior hunting and fishing licenses don't meet a matching threshold. Under HB687, those two licenses would be modified. Hook and Line (cane pole type) from $2.50 to $5.00. The Senior license for 60 and older which is now $5.00 for both fishing and hunting would be changed to 50% reduction from standard licenses. The basic fishing license would be increased from $9.50 to $13.50. It's our hope that most of this increased revenue from basic fees will go to helping address the many issues with our freshwater fisheries.

Friday? No it's Flyday!

World Fishing Network (WFN) is turning Friday evenings into "Flyday" evenings with a block programming of fly fishing shows.  All times are Central Time.

Sport Fishing On The Fly (6:30 pm)
The New Fly Fisher (7 pm)
Westcoast Sporting Journal (7:30 pm)
The Legacy Experience (8 pm)
Fly Fusion (8:30 pm)
Fly Rod Chronicles (9 pm)
American Fly Guide (9:30 pm)

Click on each show link above to see the episode details for the week.

A legend passes away

Lefty at the 2000 Shallow Water Expo

Received an email today with the following forwarded from the family of Lefty Kreh.

Dear friends,

I am sorry to relay sad information to all of you.

Bernard Victor Kreh “Lefty” passed away today in the presence of his family. He passed without pain. He told us multiple times during the worsening of his illness how lucky he was to have so many friends. During these last few weeks he was so sick and without energy that he was unable to respond to any emails and the many phone messages left for him. I can say this was a-great comfort to him.

There will be a celebration of his life in the upcoming weeks. We will update you when plans are made.

Lefty would want us to celebrate life and not mourn him.

Tight Lines, best wishes,

The Kreh Family

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to: Greater Baltimore Medical Center / Gilchrist hospice in honor of Lefty Kreh to Mail to: GBMC Philanthropy, 6701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21204; or online at https://www.gbmc.org/donate (Under “Designation” choose “Other.” Then in the next field, type: “Lefty Kreh Memorial”); or call: 443-849-3303. 

Expected news, but still a very sad day indeed.  We were extremely fortunate to have had Lefty for this many years.  Obviously, there is much more to be shared about the man who contributed more to our sport than any individual in modern times.   Stay tuned.

Implications of opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway

Last Monday, the rapid rise of the Mississippi River forced the Corps of Engineers to open 8 bays on the Bonnet Carre Spillway northwest of New Orleans. On Friday, the Corps of Engineers opened up 13 additional bays bringing the total number to 21. With the river expected to hit flood stage (17 feet) on Tuesday, there's some anxiety among lower river residents. The good news is that the river is expected to crest at 17 and begin dropping by next week.

Anytime the spillway is opened, concern arises about impacts on the lake's speckled trout fishery. Yesterday morning on Outdoors With Don Dubuc radio show, Slidell-based guide Mike Gallo pointed out that the plume of freshwater will ride the lake's steering currents along the south end of the lake eastward. This traps the saltier, clearer water on the northeast side of the lake. Eventually the entire lake will become fresh.

Until then, that northeast quadrant will offer some very good trout fishing. Redfish are not impacted as much by freshwater as trout. And the influx of grass shrimp, shad and skipjack could benefit the lake's reds. The influx of nutrients could also benefit the lake's growning striper population. Of course, there's always the danger of massive algae blooms that result in low dissolved oxygen as they die off. But after numerous openings and numerous studies, LDWF has concluded that years after an opening prove to be very beneficial for the lake's fisheries.

More Kayak Demo Days coming!

A few folks who missed all the free kayak demo days held around the state the first weekend of this month have expressed concern. "Will there be more?". The answer is... YES!  In fact, the season was just getting started!

I don't see any listed for the remainder of this month, but a bunch lined up for April and May.  Jot these days and locations down for the one most convenient to you. On April 7, Masseys Outfitters of Baton Rouge will hold one at BREC Wampold Park. Time is 11:00am to 3:00pm. On April 14, Masseys of New Orleans will hold a KDD on Bayou St John near Cabrini Bridge from 10:00am to 2:00pm. On April 21, Ship and Shore will hold one at Prien Lake Park in Lake Charles. Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. The Backpacker in Baton Rouge and in Lafayette will have demo days during April as well, dates haven't been confirmed yet. But check their Facebook page or call 800-414-4685.

Echo introduces Bad Ass Glass Quickshot

When it comes to affordable innovation, Echo has been an industry leader. The Vancouver, Washington based company was founded and is co-owned by casting guru Tim Rajeff, who personally runs every aspect of the business including new product design. The result has been outstanding products that are often rated highly in various "shootouts". In our own hands-on testing, the Echo Ion XL, Echo Base, and other models have been rated a "best buy".

When Echo came out with their Bad Ass Glass fiberglass saltwater rods last year, it put an exclamation point on the fiberglass revival. A 12-weight glass rod? Sure, many of the pioneers of saltwater fly fishing used fiberglass rods to tackle tarpon. But only because graphite wasn't available (or proven). Graphite has been superior, but no longer. The new S-glass (and beyond) rival the power of graphite but with greater "fun factor". The BAG rods have been a huge success for Echo.

With that success, Echo has added a new series of 8-foot models called "Bad Ass Glass Quickshot". Frequent Louisiana Fly Fishing readers know I'm a strong advocate for 8-foot rods, especially for making accurate casts in tight cover to bass. But the Quickshot rods are more than just a shorter rod. They're faster, lighter and more powerful than previous glass offerings. Models range from 6-weight to 10-weight, and are fast action. Price is $279 which is very good for new glass! 

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.