Free fishing days start next weekend

This coming 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 8-9. You can fish fresh or salt over these two days without needing a license.

Adjacent states:
- Alabama, June 8 (both fresh and salt)
- Arkansas, June 7-9 (beginning noon June 7th)
- Mississippi, June 1-2 (both fresh and salt)
- Texas, June 1st (state parks are always license-free with admission)
- Oklahoma, June 1-2

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

Welcome to SweatFest 2019!

The Summer soltice may not be until June 22nd, but seasons in Louisiana are always a few weeks early. Memorial Day weekend is the start of "90-90-90"... 90 days of 90 degree high temperatures and sometimes humidity up to 90 percent. Enjoy the June breezes because come July they go away and the sweating kicks up a notch.

The weatherman doesn't have to work hard this time of year, except when the occasional tropical storm pops up. This year, the National Hurricane Center and NOAA's Climate Prediction Center are calling for a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season. That means to expect between 9 and 15 named storms (winds 39 mph or higher).  Of those, anywhere from 4 to 8 could become hurricanes (winds 74 mph or higher), and 2 to 4 major hurricanes (winds of 110 mph or higher). 

By contrast, in 2018 there were 15 named storms, of which 8 became hurricanes, and 2 became major hurricanes.  None hit the Louisiana coast. Tropical storm Gordon in early September came closest, hitting the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

With SweatFest, comes an emphasis on summer safety. Summer sun and heat brings many dangers to anglers. Heat stroke is the number one threat. Bring an ice chest or cooler tote bag with water and/or sports drinks to stay hydrated. The sun itself is a threat, but does its damage over time. Skin exposed to high UV radiation months can lead to skin cancer. Protect your skin by putting on a high-SPF waterproof sunscreen before you get on the water. Wear long sleeve breathable shirts, a rim cap or a bill cap in conjunction with a gaitor (buff). Always were some type of cover for your feet.

Also be aware that thunderstorms can be a daily occurence in summer. At the first sign of towering  cumulus clouds, start making your way back to the launch (especially if you're in a kayak). Lightning can strike from eight miles away, so waiting for lightning to approach is not a smart option!

Special events this week - 5/19

On Thursday, Pack & Paddle will host a free seminar on "Fly Fishing the World" at their store on 601 East Pinhook in Lafayette. Time is 6:00pm. Alaska and Louisiana fishing guide Ron Ratliff will talk about various salmon, rainbow trout, Dolly Varden in Alaska. John Williams will speak on a trip to a remote area of the Yucatan for bonefish, permit, snook and tarpon. Stephen and Lilly Outten will talk on camping and fishing creeks of North Carolina. Barret Bertucci will speak on a DIY bonefish trip to the Bahamas. For more info, go to www.packpaddle.com.

Starting Friday afternoon, it's the 10th 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 $70 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. Proceeds go to Casting For Recovery and FFI Texas Council. For more info, go to www.bassonthefly.com.

On Saturday, it's the PAC Fly Fishing Journey kayak tournament out of PAC Kayak Rentals in Montegut. Captains meeting 5:00am, shotgun launch is 5:30am, weigh-in from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. Entry fee $25. Heaviest stringer of two slot reds, with Sheepshead and Leopard Red side pots ($5 each). Fly fishing only, boat checks before launch. Human-powered paddle or pedal craft only. Sponsored by Fly Life Company, Chad Foster, Pack & Paddle and PAC Kayak Rentals. For more info, or to register, go to www.packayakrental.com.

Fly tournament options abound Memorial Day weekend

Competitive fly fishing is all the rage among the growing numbers of under-40 fly anglers nationwide.  And among some of us older folks, too. Taking a page from the kayak fishing community, these events combine comradery with learning experiences and shared knowledge, while doing what we all love most - actual fishing!

Well come Saturday, May 25th - the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend - regional fly anglers have options. Not one... not two... but three (!) tournament options to choose from.  Fortunately, only two are single-day events, the third is summer-long.

First off, Saturday kicks off the annual CCA STAR tournament. Once again, there's a Fly Fishing Division with two regional divisions, East and West. Each division will award a $1,500 gift card from Academy Sports + Outdoors to the fly angler who catches the heaviest speckled trout. Sponsored by Costa del Mar, the fly fishing division has been very competitive the last few years. To participate, an angler must be a CCA member -and- enroll in the STAR tournament (separate fee).  The STAR tournament continues through Labor Day. All rules can be found on www.ccastar.com.

Incidently, while other CCA states have a similiar tournament, only Florida has a Fly Fishing Division. Louisiana CCA members can participate in the Florida STAR if they have a Florida saltwater license and a Florida CCA STAR entry tag. Unlike Louisiana STAR, the FLSTAR is CPR (catch-photo-release) with an approved measuring device. Longest of each species wins. The species list is quite extensive: snook, seatrout, non-tagged redfish, tarpon, grouper, dolphin, and kingfish.

May 25th also is the 10th annual "Bass on the Fly" fly fishing tournament out of Lake Fork, Texas. The BOTF tournament is usually held the first Saturday of May each year, but was rescheduled this year due to the Bassmasters Elite tournament held that weekend on Lake Fork.  

BOTF is a CPR tournament with total inches for five (5) bass. Activities kick off on Friday with free casting clinics, product booths and kayak demos, and the Captains meeting and guide report at 6:00pm that evening. There's also a Big Sunfish tourney from 3:00pm to 6:00pm.  Saturday is the main event with lines-in after 6:00am and weigh-in  before 2:00pm. Categories include Boat and Non-Boat (kayak, canoe, float tube, bank, etc). The event is open to the public. Entry fee is $70 per person.

Registration and fish entry is through the iAngler app. Anglers who register prior to May 15th are automatically eligible for a drawing for a Sage Smallmouth rod.  Proceeds benefit Reel Recovery and the FFI Texas Council. For complete info, go to www.bassonthefly.org.

Also on May 25th, it's the inaugural "PAC Fly Fishing Journey" out of PAC Kayak Rentals in Montegut. This is a weigh-in fly fishing paddle/pedal tournament for two biggest slot reds ($25), with optional calcuttas for Big Red, Leopard Red, and Sheepshead ($5 each). Shotgun launch from the marina at 5:30am with weigh-in from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. Food will be provided at the weigh-in for no extra cost. For more info, go to www.packayakrental.com and click on Fly Fishing Journal.

Special events this week - 4/28

On Saturday, it's the 7th annual Cedar Lake Fly Fishing Tournament hosted by the Mississippi Coast Fly Fishers. Location is Camp Contributions Road in Biloxi. Time is 6:00am to 12:00pm. The tournament is open to all anglers. Entry fee is $30 and includes lunch from Your Mamaz House. Registration deadline is this Friday. Sign in morning of tournament at Camp Contributions. For more info, including tournament rules, go to this link.  

There's never a loser at Paddlepalooza!

This Friday evening and Saturday it's Paddlepalooza XVI, the longest-running kayak fishing tournament in the country, and one of the three largest. It'll again 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 also available.

Fishing is confined to the Highway 1 corridor from Galliano to Grand Isle. The Cajun Slam category (heaviest combination of 1 slot red, 1 speck, and 1 flounder) offers the top prizes. There's also individual species categories, Youth Division, Ladies Division, the Leopard Red and Trash Bash Divisions. The latter two offer the chance for any skill level to win. The Leopard Red is a slot red (18" to 27") with the most spots. In the Trash Bash Division, bags will be handed out to willing participants to collect trash in the marsh. Bring back a bag of trash and be eligible to win.

Regardless of who gets prizes, there's never a loser at Paddlepalooza! That's because this event offers great comradery and great food - Friday night pastalaya and Saturday night fish fry - as well as nearly $10,000 in raffle prizes. There's kayak demos and plenty of information sharing on yaks and fishing techniques. What's more, the revenues from the tournament go to charity. 

For a complete list of rules, or to register, go to www.bckfc.org.

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful Easter day! Hope you and yours are enjoying the great weather this weekend, after all the unsettled weather we've been through here in Louisiana the past month.

The ground has dried up enough for the kids to enjoy an Easter egg hunt without hip boots. Us adults are busy in the kitchen and outside on the grill. A true Cajun feast awaits at the Cormier homestead!

With all the fun, the reason for this day is not lost. We recognize the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was sent to redeem the world.

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

Fly Fishin the Mission this weekend

This Saturday is the 3rd annual "Fly Fishin for the Mission" tournament  out of PAC Kayak Rentals in Pointe-aux-Chenes southeast of Houma. Friday is "Vets Fishing Day" along with fly tying, casting clinics, kayak demos, and more. Saturday 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 $100 per team with all donations going to the Mission Six charity, which aids veterans and other uniformed heros. 

For more details, or to register, go to www.mission6.org.

Registration open for Fly Fishin' for the Mission

Fly Fishin' for the Mission
Saturday, April 27
PAC Kayak Rentals
Pointe-aux-Chenes, LA
Saltwater fly fishing tournament
Two-person teams
Categories: Boat, Kayak, Overall
Stringer of 2 heaviest redfish
Sheepshead side pot

Now entering it's 3rd year, the Fly Fishin' for the Mission saltwater tournament has emerged as one of the most popular and fun fly fishing events in Louisiana! And it's for a great cause: to benefit the Mission Six nonprofit that is dedicated to help alleviating the effects of PTSD by providing benevolent support to our veterans and service men and women.

Things kick off Friday, April 26, with Donald Dehm and other members of the Floating Feathers Kayak Fly Fishing School providing free fly tying and casting instruction to veterans.

On Saturday, it's the tournament. After check-in of teams, an inspection of the kayaks and boats, there's the shotgun start and the fun begins! Part of what makes this a great tournament is the team factor. For kayakers, it means having to work different angles to insure you help your partner.

The list of sponsors keeps growing every year. Eddie and Lisa Mullen of PAC Kayak Rentals roll out the red carpet for this event. There's  exhibitors, food and kayak demos.

For the competitors, it's all good. While there are separate categories for Boat and Kayak, there's also an Overall where both groups compete against each other. Last year, boat anglers Shane Coleman and Mark Carline took 1st place Overall; the first year kayak team Kevin Andry and Catch Cormier took first. The awards are setup so that each team can only take one place. Last year, roughly one quarter of the teams were awarded.

For complete rules and to register, go to the Fly Fishin for the Mission webpage at mission6.org.

Green New Deal: Harbor Freight edition

Global warming continues to be a hot topic, pardon the pun. Alexandria Occasio-Cortez, freshman congresswoman from New York, has offered a "Green New Deal" to address climate change. Sadly, it calls for the elimination of cows - an animal very close to my heart and to my apetite. Apparently farting cows are a major cause of greenhouse gases. Considering that 60 million bison roamed America in the 17th century, it must've been hellaciously hot back then!

I do believe we need to be good stewards of Mother Earth. So I'm offering my own "Green New Deal". It starts with a practical solution for keeping our environment clean. As a traveling fly tier, I've been using battery-powered lights for some time. But even batteries in high-lumen LED lights quickly dissipate - the average use time is about 3 to 5 hours. Then they get thrown in the trash, and on to the landfill where they leach their chemicals into the groundwater.

At the Little Mo Fly Fishing Fest, we ran into our old friend, David Chin. The former Monroe resident is a master at all things fly fishing, from tying impeccable flies to building gorgeous bamboo rods to catching fish. David was using a rechargeable Braun worklight to light up his tying area. The magnetic base of the light was held up by one of those magnetic pans used to hold screws, bolts, nuts, etc..  Both of those items came from Harbor Freight, he said.

So I went to my nearby Harbor Freight, and using a 20-percent off coupon, got that same light for just $32. It has two intensities, 390 lumen and 180 lumen. The 180 lumen is more than satisfactory for me and lasts a whopping 8 hours before needing recharge using a USB connection. But if you do need that extra boost in light, the high setting more than does the job! Best of all, using LED bulbs means it stays cool (us "old timers" who tied with incandescent lights appreciate this).

There were two problems. One is that the worklight doesn't fold down.  An inconvenience, as it would be nice to fold down to protect the light, as well as reduce the storage. So what I do is put it in a ziplock bag, and store it an angle in my box. Not ideal, but it works.

The other problem was more significant.

The light base plus magnetic tray pan is about 6 inches, high enough for some table vises. But if you use a pedestal base, that's too short. While I was at HF, I noticed these round magnets with a hole in the middle. I went back to the store, bought one of those. I then took one of my (too many) sealed drink cups, turned it over and drilled a hole in the middle of the bottom. Aligned the magnet hole over the cup hole and connected them with a screw. Now I have more than enough clearance, even for my Regal with a long base (it was originally a table vise).

This has worked out especially well. I took a tying bag and the accessory box (light apparatus included) with me on a recent weekend trip and the battery lasted the entire time. After getting home, put it on a charger and it's ready to go again.

No disposed batteries. A recycled drink cup that was destined for the trash. I might've even saved a cow or two.

Special events this week - 3/31

Saturday is the first-ever New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo at the new Deutsches Haus on 1700 Moss Street (Bayou St. John) in New Orleans. Time is 8:00am to 4:00pm. Admission is free. Sponsored by the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club, the event will feature seminars, casting instruction and demonstrations, fly tying demos by some of the region's top tiers, exhibitors, raffles, gamblers draws. Plus special features like an "Outdoor Writers Roundtable", an Iron Fly Tying competition, and more. Some of the fundraising activities will benefit Casting For Recovery. The Fly Fishers International Gulf Coast Council (FFI-GCC) will also hold a  fundraiser to benefit the new fly fishing club at St. Micheal High School. For complete details of this event, including schedule and list of exhibitors, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.  For details on the FFI GCC fundraiser, go to www.gulfcoastcouncilffi.org.

Also on Saturday, the Orvis store in Baton Rouge will host the International Fly Fishing Film Festival at their store on 7601 Bluebonnet in Perkins-Rowe. Doors open at 5:00pm, with refreshments and snacks. Film begins at 6:00pm. Tickets are $15. The IF4 consists of short and feature length films from around the globe, showcasting the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing. For tickets or more info, call the Orvis store at 225-757-7286.

Also on Saturday, it's the 5th annual Lake Athens Fly Fishing Festival at Lake Athens Marina in Athens, Texas. This event features exhibitors, casting and tying demos, and a Big Bass Fly Fishing Contest. Admission is free, entry in the contest is $40 (pre-registration required).  All proceeds will benefit Project Healing Waters - North Texas Patriots Chapter. For more info, go to www.johnnyonthefly.com.

Special events this week - 3/24

Starting Thursday, and continuing thru Saturday, it's the 22nd annual Sowbug Roundup at Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Hours each day are 9am to 4pm. Admission is $5 and covers all 3 days, under 12 is free with parent. Sponsored by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers club, Sowbug features over 100 fly tyers from across North America and even Europe. There's also seminars, casting instructors, vendors, drawings, and auctions. A portion of the revenue goes to the NAFF Scholarship Fund. For more info, go to www.northarkansasflyfishers.org.

On Saturday, it's the Kisatchie Fly Fishers' annual "Fly Fishing 101" workshop at LDWF Booker-Fowler Hatchery in Woodworth. Time is 8:30am to 12:30pm. There is no cost, but pre-registration is required as seats are limited. Hands-on sessions cover the basics of fly fishing and fly casting. For more info, go to www.kisatchiefly.org.

Also on Saturday, it's the 72nd annual New Orleans City Park Big Bass Fishing Rodeo and Fishtival. Registration is 6:00am to 8:30am at the Casino Building (Parkview Cafe). Fishing begins at 6:30am. Weigh-in at 11:00am. Entry fee is $10 adults, $5 kids 12 and under. Categories include Fly Fishing (Bass, Rio).  Also a separate kayak fishing tournament, "Boats on the Bayou" will be held. BOTB is limited to 100 kayaks, pre-registration required. For more info, go to www.neworleanscitypark.com/fishrodeo.html.

Special events this week - 3/17

On Saturday, and continuing Sunday, its the 3rd annual "Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival" at the Plano Center in Plano, Texas. Time each day is 9am to 5pm. Tickets are $20 per day, or $35 for the weekend. The festival will feature several nationally-renown speakers and instructors, including Jason Randall, Brian O' Keefe, Ed Jaworoski, Blane Chocklett, and others. There's also fly tying demonstrations plus special tying seminars led by Chocklett Matt Bennett, the "Realistic Master" Fred Hannie, and others. Some workshops are extra cost. There's also an IF4 film festival showing on Saturday evening. But what separates this great show from others is the "brew" part - several of the Lone Star state's best micro-breweries will be on hand for participants to enjoy. For more info, go to www.txflyfishingfestival.org.

Orvis Baton Rouge to host IF4 on April 6th

We reported that the New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo is April 6th. Later that evening, there's another big fly fishing event up the river in Baton Rouge, when Orvis hosts the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4).

Unlike the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) - which has made several past showings in Louisiana - the IF4 is a stranger to these parts.  Like the F3T, the IF4 is a series of short films celebrating the sport of fly fishing, by chronicling epic trips, sharing the kinship of anglers and friends, and taking us to places we could only dream of.   If there's a difference between IF4 and F3T, it's that IF4 is more, well, international.

Orvis has exclusive rights to the IF4 in Louisiana, so this showing is it. There will be food and beverages at the event, much like there has been when Orvis hosted the F3T in the past.  All proceeds from this event will go to the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.

Doors open at 5:00pm and the showing starts at 6:00pm. Tickets are $15 and seating is limited. To reserve tickets, drop in at their store on 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd or call 225-757-7286.

Jon Cave to headline 1st-ever New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo

New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo
Saturday, April 6, 2019
8:00am to 4:00pm
Deutsches Haus
1700 Moss Street, New Orleans, LA

In just four weeks, the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club will host their inaugural expo on the banks of historic Bayou St. John. The event will feature seminars, casting instruction, fly tying demonstrations, raffles, and much more.

Headlining the event will be Jon Cave of Oviedo, Florida. Jon is a nationally-renown author, photographer, lecturer and a USCG licensed guide. He's been a professional fly casting and fly tying instructor for over 25 years and runs the longest established fly fishing school in the South. He's a member of several advisory staffs, including Sage, Rio, Tibor, and Umpqua.

The NOFF club has released a tentative schedule of activities for this event. The Expo will begin with welcoming remarks from Expo Chairman A.J. Rosenbohm, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and Fly Fishers International Chairman Tom Logan before kicking off the fun stuff.

Masseys Outfitters will also be on hand doing free kayak demos from 9:00am to 12 noon. There is also an "Iron Fly Tyer" competition - which is always fun for both tiers and spectators - with renown tiers Fred Hannie, Ted Cabali, and Joe Bandera as judges.

Two unique presentations are also on the agenda. One is an "Outdoor Writers Roundtable" featuring some of Louisiana top outdoor writers - C.T. Williams, J.P. Morel, Peter Scafaru, Chris Holmes, Eric Muhoberac, and Catch Cormier.  The other is a talk by Jon Cave on his famous Wobbler, the fly that kicked off the spoon fly revolution!

A complete schedule is available in PDF format by clicking here.

BSA announces "Fishing For Scouts" updates

The Southern Region, Area 1 Boy Scouts Council has announced that their upcoming kayak fishing tournament has received a significant sponsorship, and cash prizes will now be awarded.  However, the tournament organizers are still looking for more kayak anglers (up to 75 allowed) to sign up.  These lakes are not public and for that reason, there are some VERY big bass, crappie and bluegill waiting to be caught!

Fishing for Scouts Kayak Fishing Invitational
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Avondale Scout Reservation
14434 LA Hwy 10, Clinton, LA

A fundraiser to benefit the Avondale Boy Scouts Camp. Kayak fishing will be on all 3 lakes, no bank fishing allowed. Catch and Release. Target species: bass, crappie, bluegill. Total of 75 kayaks accepted, with a maximum of 25 per lake. Sponsorship is per person fishing.

Schedule:
5:00am breakfast
5:30am lake drawings
6:30am fishing commences
12:00pm lunch
3:00pm fishing concludes
4:30pm awards and dinner

Each sponsorship includes:
- Friday overnight camping (bring your own gear)
- Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner
- beverages, snacks, prizes
- entry into tournament

Sponsorship levels:
- Bullfrog $75, 1 fishing spot in the event
- Bobber $100, 1 fishing spot + company logo on one lake
- Camp $500, helps sponsor a scouts experience for next summer, special banner will display Camp Sponsors individuals or companies
- Bluegil $1,200 - 1 fishing spot, special recognition as lunch sponsor, company logo on one lake
- Crappie $2,000 - 2 fishing spots, name/logo on 3 lakes, special recognition
- Bass $5,000 - 3 fishing spots, name on all printed materials, signs, and banner. Website recognition, other recognitions.

For more complete information, including rules and contact info, CLICK on this link.

Red Stick Day this Saturday

This Saturday is the 27th annual "Red Stick Day" fly fishing festival, which this year returns to the LDWF Waddill Outdoors Education Center on 4141 North Flannery Road in Baton Rouge. Time is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Admission is free.

Hosted by the Red Stick Fly Fishers of Baton Rouge, Red Stick Day is the largest and longest-running event of its kind in Louisiana.  Originated by the late Lynn Tolleson, a founding member of the club, the event has featured some of the biggest names in fly fishing such as Gary Borger, Jason Borger, Ed Jaworoski, Chrystal Murray, Craig Mathews, Nick Curcione and others. In recent years, it's featured some of the rising stars of our sport, such as Zach Matthews and Ben Roussel.

Red Stick Day also routinely features some of the most renown tiers in the country, several of whom have been featured in books and magazines. Those include Fred Hannie, Kirk Dietrich, Ted Cabali, Ron Braud, Ed Lash, Bob Lemay, Bill Laminack, and others.

The casting sessions have featured headliners as well as Fly Fishers International Masters and Governors level instructors.

This year's lineup of speakers include: trophy speckled trout master Vic Tedesco, Tennessee tailwater trout guide Jim Davis, and Orvis travel expert Ian Huang. Conducting the casting clinic is Jay Clark, an FFI Master Instructor, member of the U.S. Casting Team, and world casting competitor.

While the programs, fly tying demos, and casting sessions appeal to both beginners and experts, many attendees enjoy the great food, comradery, and fishing on premises. There's also one of the largest raffles of any event in the Southeast, which raises money for the club's various educational and conservation projects.

For more info, including a schedule of activities, go to the Red Stick Fly Fishers website at www.rsff.org and click on "Red Stick Day".

Acadiana Fly Rodders news

The Acadiana Fly Rodders held their February meeting this past Thursday at their new meeting location, Pack & Paddle in Lafayette. Keith Richard thanked PnP owners John & Becky Williams for the generous use of their facility. He also thanked Bob Tabbert, Beverly Vidrine and Rick Latiolais for their work in guiding the club the past year.

Newly elected officers for 2019 are Keith Richard (President), Rick Latiolais (Sec. Treasurer), Jay Clark and Flip Siracusa (Program Co-Chairs). Several activities are being planned for the year, as well as topics for meeting programs. The club will also continue their support of Reel Recovery.

Keith also mentioned that his website www.TheCampFlyFishingSchool.com now has over 65 instructional videos reviewing fly fishing and fly casting. It's a free resource to anyone to use.

The Acadiana Fly Rodders meet every third Thursday of the month at Pack & Paddle in Lafayette. Meeting time is 6:00pm.

Special events this week - 2/10

On Saturday, it's the 17th annual Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival at the Municipal Building in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, celebrating southern Arkansas' year-round trout water and fly fishing in general. Cost is $5 per person or $10 per family. Programs, tying demonstrations, exhibits, retailer tables, biologists "State of the River" presentation and more. Saturday evening is the annual "Fly Draft". Sunday morning at 10:30 is the "Can You Taken It" casting clinic on the river. Cost of the casting clinic is $5, registration at the event. For more info, go to www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com.

Saturday is the 7th annual "Sheepy" fly fishing tournament out of Hopedale Marina. Registration deadline has passed.

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

Special events this week - 2/3

On Saturday, it's the 27th annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival in Houston.  Location is Bethany Christian Church Community Center at 3223 Westheimer.  Time is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Admission is charged.  Hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers, this event features the largest group of fly tiers of any event on the Gulf Coast, with anywhere from 70 to 100 tiers. It also features one of the great names in fly tying, and this year's special guest is deer hair specialist Pat Cohen. In addition to tying demos, there are several seminars during the day, as well as casting instruction. For more details, go to www.texasflyfishers.org.