SweatFest 2019: no celebration this weekend!

Friday temperatues and heat indexes near record highs

We're now in the second half of our annual SweatFest - the festival no one likes to celebrate. As is typical, the hottest days come in late July through mid-August. Currently, the situation is compounded by a large ridge of high pressure over a four state area.

A heat advisory has been issued this weekend for north, central and southwest parts of Louisiana. Maximum daytime temperatures in the upper 90s up to 105 degrees - combined with high relative humidities - will result in maximum heat indices of 105-110 degrees.

Persons involved in outdoor activities - especially fishing - should take extra precautions. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear light and loose fitting clothing and drink plenty of water. Be prepared to move to a cool and shaded location.

Fishing in the advisory areas has been mostly poor, fair at best, over the last couple of weeks. Mid-July through August is the time of year when I do the least amount of fishing. Even January has much better days.

Too hot to fish? Tying flies gives an indoor alternative during the second half of SweatFest.Nearly 80 percent of the flies I use during the year are tied during this "down time". With each batch of a particular fly, some are put into the fly box, while the better ones are placed into "donation bin". Later flies from that donation bin will be put into separate boxes for donations to club events in 2019.

2018 State of the Sport - Fishing & Fly Fishing

At ICAST, we were given an oral presentation on the current state of recreational fishing in the United States. This data was compiled by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation in conjunction with the Outdoor Foundation, and was released last Monday.

Since 2010, fishing has been on a slow but steady growth. Currently there are 49.1 million participants, with the largest growth in the age group 25 to 44. Men make up 65% of all anglers, and whites make up 78% of the sport. Only 33% of all anglers have a college degree.

With regards to fly fishing, growth has also been on constant rise since 2010, and at a slightly higher rate than fishing in general. In 2017, there were 6.8 million fly anglers.  This represents an all-time high in participation!  The largest growth was in the age group 25 to 44, which makes up 35% of the sport. Nearly 45% of all fly anglers have a college degree. Almost 72% of flyfishers are white, but the number of Hispanics continues to grow, now over 11 percent. Almost 1 million people were new to fly fishing in 2017, another all-time high.

There's no question that outreach programs such as "Fly Fishing 101" or similiar clinics put on by clubs, retailers, and agencies are having an impact. Also, exposure to our sport via the internet and television programming (NBC Sports Channel, World Fishing Network, Pursuit, etc.) are also generating interest. 

Recapping ICAST / IFTD 2018

The world's largest fishing trade show took place last week in Orlando. This was the seventh, and final merged event between the International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) show and the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST). For 2019, ICAST returns once again to Orlando on July 7-10. While IFTD moves to Denver on October 16-18.

One of the advantages of the merged show was the opportunity for attendees to see the wide array of products that are common to all types of fishing - shirts, kayaks, coolers, luggage, software, to name a few. These made up over half of ICAST exhibitors. Most of those companies were NOT at Fly Tackle Dealer prior to the merge. So the question will be: how many accessory companies will come to a separate Fly Tackle Dealer Show?

Another potential issue with the 2019 show is the date. Buyers are concerned about the timing for orders, which usually begin in September in time for the Christmas season. Guides and pro-staffers have expressed concern about the fact that October is their best fishing month.

Despite those issues, IFTD 2019 is already generating much excitement. Many attendees had "Florida Fatigue", while several companies that held out of ICAST due to high costs plan to return to IFTD.

I'm continuing to add new product summaries to our sister website, flytacklereport.blogspot.com. Unlike the larger fly sites with several staff members, we're a one-person operation. So it will take longer to post all the products. But here's the other difference - we test every new rod and examine every new reel.

As is our long tradition, my Fly Lines column in the September issue of Louisiana Sportsman will spotlight several of the new tackle. And again list our "Catch's Choice Awards" highly recommended rods and reels for 2019.

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.