Is kayak registration inevitable? I read where the Maryland Department of Natural Resources proposed a bill that would've substantially increased boat registration fees for that state, to make up for shortfalls from federal funding. Currently fees in Maryland are a flat $24 for two years. The original proposal called for $50 to $700 for two years, depending on size of the boat. Over 3,000 letters and emails were sent in to their legislature, almost all in opposition of the size of the increases. In turn, MDNR modified their proposal, substantially reducing the fee hikes. But it was during this debate that many boaters raised the question - why are thousands of kayak and canoe owners getting a free ride? Especially when several projects included accomodations for paddlecraft. As of now, there are fewer than 10 states which require non-motorized registration. Will there ever be kayak registration here in Louisiana? Absolutely. It may not happen anytime soon... maybe in the year 2025... but it is inevitable. Unfortunately, as puddling grows and the demand for kayak-specific launch areas increases, so will be the response that we should pay some part for them.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Orvis Fly Fishing 201 courses are being offered by the Baton Rouge store, in addition to the 101 courses. I spoke to store manager Alex Beane on Saturday, and they've had excellent turnout - 19 students - for the two 101 courses held so far. There are more 101 sessions available through June. The first 201 session is this Saturday, and it's pretty booked. But other 201 sessions are available for June 2nd and June 30th. The 201 course is held on-the-water, where students get real-life experience in catching fish on the fly. From my experience as an instructor, these type courses are the ones most beneficial to beginners. Some knowledge of the terminology and basic casting is important (which is why FF101 is often a prerequisite) so the instructor can focus on tactics, techniques and fly selection. The 201 sessions conducted by the Baton Rouge Orvis are FREE, and upon completion, students receive perks and store discounts. If you know someone within driving distance of Baton Rouge, who would like to take up fly fishing, please share this information.

Also this Saturay - a Kids Fishing Derby at Fairview-Riverside State Park in Madisonville. I somehow forgot it on my What's happening this week list - which is why you should always check the LFF Calendar page as well. For parents and/or grandparents looking with young ones, fishing is a lifelong endeavor that will lead to many fun and rewarding experiences, and great friendships. These fishing derbys co-sponsored by the Office of State Parks and Wildlife and Fisheries give kids a chance to learn about both fish and fishing, and possibly win a prize. This particular Kids Fishing Derby is open to ages 15 and under, and runs from 8am to 12 noon. A casting competition is also included during the event and mini-anglers under five years old may participate in magnetic fishing and create fish prints to take home. Participants need to bring their own fishing poles and bait. Registration is required. The only cost is $2 general park admission - the rodeo itself is free.

Monday, May 14, 2012
What's happening this week. A busy week for club meetings. On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. With nice weather and added daylight time, casting practice and instruction will be extended. The inside program will be on marsh fishing in anticipation of this weekend's Catch-and-Eat trip, and next month's Grand Isle Weekend. Guests are welcome. On Tuesday, the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St. Paul Lutheran Church Community Center in Lake Charles. Fly tying starts at 6:00pm, with meeting at 7:00pm. On the agenda will be a recap of the Contraband Fishing Contest, as well as other fishing reports. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at Shane's Seafood and Barbecue on Mansfield Road in Shreveport. Time is 6:00pm. Special guest speaker will be Larry Offner, of Warmfly.com and Green Trout Fly Shop. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will hold it's monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. Time is 6:00pm. Special guest speaker will be Wes Higgins, president of Bill Lewis Lures, who will talk about the company, lures, and host a "trunk show". Should be great... guests are welcome! On Thursday, the CCA Shreveport Chapter will hold it's annual banquet at Riverview Hall in Shreveport. Doors open at 5:30 pm, with dinner at 7:00 pm, and live Auction at 8:00pm. Cost of $60 per person ($30 spouse/$25 youth) includes one-year CCA membership, admission, dinner and open bar. On Saturday, it's the Red Stick Fly Fishers annual "Spring Catch and Eat" marsh trip along Highway 1. Members of other clubs can join in. For more info, go to their website at www.rsff.org or check out their May newsletter posted in our forum. Also on Saturday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will conduct fly tying demos at Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City. Time is 9:00am to 2:00pm. Beginners are welcome! Also on Saturday, it's the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club's annual "Redfish Rumble" tournament along Highway 23. This is one of the club's smaller series tournaments. It is open to the public, and only $20 to enter (a waiver is required). For rules and registration, go to www.bckfc.org.

It's now available via Amazon. We're talking about Angelo Peluso's much-anticipated book, Saltwater Flies of the Southeast and Gulf Coasts. Why so anticipated? Up to now, there's only been a couple books dedicated to flies indigenous to the Gulf Coast, both over 15 years ago. Many flies recent at the time were not in those books, neither all the new patterns developed since. Peluso was also able to take advantage of technology not available in the early 90s: email, websites, forums, digital imagery, Facebook, to help him reach out to guides, captains, fly shop owners, local club members, avid anglers...in short, the experts in Southeast and Gulf Coast waters. As a result, "Saltwater Flies" contains 160 pages and nearly 300 patterns, many of which have never been seen in any publication. While it's not a step-by-step book - that would've made it way too big - it does contain recipes and commentary on each fly. Think of it as a catalog of flies. If you need step-by-step, use the fly name to search the web. Amazon currently has the book priced at $25.51 with free super saver shipping, a savings of nearly ten books from the cover price.

Bob Marshall... the good, the bad and the ugly. This past Friday, Times Picayune outdoors editor Bob Marshall was inducted into the Loyola College School of Mass Communications Alumni Hall of Fame, for his many contributions over a 40-year career, including two Pulitzer Prizes for the newspaper in 1997 and 2005. As well as the 2007 John H. Oakes Prize for Distinguished Environmental Reporting. That's the good Bob... and we congratulate him on this honor. On Sunday, "Bad Bob" came out with a column on "Plentiful Speckled Trout Lead to High Daily Limits". He made the argument against a few guides that are proposing we reduce the speckled trout daily limit. He sources LDWF biologist Joey Shepard, who contends that reducing the daily limit from 25 to 15 will only result in an 8-percent reduction in harvest, and that the 15-limit currently in place in southwest Louisiana waters has had no noticeable increase in the numbers of big trout. What was -not- reported: there are more anglers catching more trout in the Calcasieu system with the 15-fish limit (more redistribution - that too was predicted in the LDWF model). Who is proposing this 15-fish limit statewide? The only other area I've ever heard has been for Lake Pontchartrain. Then came the "ugly" part: Bob suggested that any guides supporting a reduction in daily limit for specks pack up their belongings and go somewhere else, like Mississippi or Florida. Ouch! That's certainly going to make him some friends in the charter business. LOL. We agree there's no scientific reason to reduce daily limits at this time statewide. We also believe there are some guides (not many) who want lower limits so they can have shorter work days and more easily claim "limits" in their reports. But there are some genuine conservation concerns about the long-term state of the Lake Pontchartrain trout fishery, and those folks should not be chastized. Furthermore, despite our vast coastline and variety of estuaries, Louisiana is one of the very few states that did not have multiple domains for coastal fishery management (oddly, we have it for shrimp). There's no way to lump Calcasieu, Pontchartrain in with the rest of our coast, but that's what we do and that's how we analyze our fisheries. And besides, the biologists' only give us the maximum requirements; we the public can decide what we want within those restrictions. Suggestion to those who want a lower daily limit: make your argument... and don't start packing yet!

Thursday, May 10, 2012
"Free Fishing Weekend" will be June 9-10 in Louisiana as proclaimed by the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their meeting last Thursday. These dates give novices and non-anglers a chance to discover our great fresh and saltwater fishing, without requiring the purchase of a license. The program is part of efforts by LDWF to attract more participants into the ranks of licensed fishermen. In conjunction with Free Fishing Weekend, LDWF will be co-sponsoring the following events on Saturday, June 9: Bass Pro Shops Kids Fishing Rodeo at Waddill Refuge (Baton Rouge), Family Fishing Contest at Lake D'Arbonne State Park (Farmerville), and the Louisiana Saltwater Series Youth Fishing Event (Elmers Island). For more details, check our Calendar page for these events, or go to the LDWF website.

Registration for The Camp Fly Fishing School Advanced Workshop has begun. The workshop date is Saturday, May 26. If you're just an okay caster, have trouble getting distance or shooting line, or have yet to master the double haul or other special casting techniques, then this workshop comes highly recommended from folks I know who have taken the course. Keith and Debbie Richard run one of the best fly fishing schools in the country, down in Breaux Bridge (the Crawfish Capital of the World and my birthplace). The instructors are Master Certified by the FFF, and for $135 it includes full-day of instruction (8:00am to 5:00pm), lunch, a stocked pond, and an air-conditioned classroom. Only two of these workshops are conducted each year; the next one is in September. For more details, contact Keith at (337)344-0908.

Fishing Forecast. If there was a better week for fishing than this past week, it'll be hard to find. A few examples. Master Jake and his grandfather (my dad) absolutely killed the bull bream at Henderson, including fly rod (Jake). Randy Leonpacher and Dugan Sabins nailed the bream at Bayou Corne. Larry Offner did great at Lake Dubisson. I didn't have time to fish this weekend, but I got a report on my stop in Natchitoches and heard the bass were tearing up on Lake Sibley and Toledo Bend. I also read Glynn Harris' report and it seems Gill Fest 2012 is in full celebration at Lake D'Arbonne, Black Bayou, St. John, and Yucatan. As for the coast, just check out Advocate Outdoors editor Joe Macaluso's report today: limits of specks up to 3 pounds around Grand Isle and Fourchon. I also heard a great reports from Shell Beach, Dularge and Chauvin for specks, and Leeville and Port Sulphur for reds. Now here's the bad news. This wonderful weather we're having will deteoriate by Friday night, as a low pressure system (and another front) move across the state. The forecast calls for 2-3 inches of rain across east Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Saturday and Sunday. Participants at the Pack and Paddle Kayak Demo, "Bass on the Fly", and "Contraband Contest", might want to bring a rain jacket. Right now, I'm recovering from a nasty virus so chances are I'll be at home tying flies if this forecast holds. Let's hope the weatherman is wrong (it certainly won't be the first time!).

Sunday, May 6, 2012
What's happening this week. On Tuesday, the Cane Country Fly Casters will hold their monthly meeting at the Northwestern State Middle Lab School in Natchitoches. Time is 6:30pm. Guests are welcome. On Thursday, the CCA River Parishes Chapter will hold it's annual banquet at the Jerusalem Shrine Center in Destrehan. Doors open 5:30pm, with dinner 7:00pm and live auction 8:00pm. Tickets are $60 per person ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and include admission, CCA membership, dinner and open bar. For more info, call Julie Grunewald at (225)952-9200. Starting Friday afternoon, and on Saturday, it's the 3rd annual "Bass On The Fly" fishing tournament at Lake Fork Marina, Texas. Friday activities include casting clinics, product booths, kayak demos, and Captains meeting with Guide Report. Saturday fishing goes from 6:00am to 2:00pm. Entry fee is $55 per person. For more details, go to www.bassonthefly.org. On Saturday, the Contraband Fly Casters will hold their first-ever "Contraband Fly Fishing Contest" - a freshwater rodeo - at Sam Houston State Park in Lake Charles. Registration is 6:00am to 8:00am, with fishing from 8:00am to 2:30pm. This event is free, and lunch is provided. For more details, check the LFF Forum, or contact Warren Landry by email. Also on Saturday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold a free "Fly Fishing 101" clinic at their store in Perkins-Rowe. Time is 8:00am to 10:00am. The course covers basics of fly fishing and fly casting, and each student also receives discount coupons, FREE membership in FFF and TU. Seats are limited, but other dates are available - check out the LFF Calendar. To register, contact Alex at 225-757-7286. Also on Saturday, Pack and Paddle will hold a free canoe and kayak demo at Lake Martin near Breaux Bridge. Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. Models will include Native, Hurricane, Hobie, Wilderness, Jackson, Diablo, Old Town and Mad River. For more info, go to www.packpaddle.com. On Sunday, it's Mothers Day. Please remember to honor the woman who washed your clothes, made your bed, fed your face, put you through school and loved you!

Salmon Fishing in Shreveport. No, there are no salmon this far south. But the movie, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" comes to Robinson Film Center in Shreveport starting this Friday. Movie times can be found on their website at www.robinsonfilmcenter.org. As my friends know, I'm a movie junkie. IMO, it's the best film of 2012 so far. Critics either love it or hate it - not unlike reviews of "A River Runs Through It". Up to now, it's only been shown in southeast Louisiana. This is an opportunity for folks in northwest part of the state to check out this delightful film, but also to help support the Robinson Center and it's mission to bring arts and independent films to the Shreveport area.

The spring inshore shrimp season starts tomorrow in Zone 2 which is the Barataria-Terrebonne estuary. Prior to Katrina, the start of shrimp season was bad news for flyrodders. As Cormier's 2nd Law of Flyfishing states, "Clear water favors the flyrodder". Well, dirty water doesn't. The high volume of trawling stirred up so much bottom that even the remotest marsh ponds would turn dingy. The rule was that, for two weeks, it was no use flyfishing the marsh. Even before Katrina, the number of trawlers was on decline. Since the hurricane, it's been a small fraction of what it once was. The boats that do trawl are now concentrated in the areas where the shrimp are larger and more concentrated.

CCA has unveiled plans for a new reef in Calcasieu Lake. CCA and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are set to begin construction on “The Brad Vincent Reef” this summer. The reef will be named after the late sportsman who frequented the waters of Big Lake and whose family has long played a key role in the preservation marine habitat in Louisiana. The reef will be constructed from 10,000 tons of concrete recycled from I-210. The concrete will be crushed to pieces 12 inches or smaller before it is placed in the water. The reef will be between 5 and 7 acres once completed. The $450,000 reef is funded by the CCA’s Building Conservation Fund through a major endowment from Shell Oil, with matching funds coming from the state of Louisiana’s Artificial Reef Trust Fund. This will be the second artificial reef for Big Lake. The first, Turner’s Island Reef, was constructed in 2007 in the north part of the lake near Turner’s Bay.

Last Thursday, a defiant Wildlife and Fisheries Commission took action to implement a “Louisiana-only” red snapper recreational season, set to begin in 2013. It would be a weekend-only season starting the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday each year and end September 30 of the same year, with a recreational bag limit of three fish per day at a 16 inch minimum. In related action, next month the Commission will also consider extending state waters from three miles offshore to three marine leagues or approximately 10.357 miles. This action is being considered based on recent legislative action taken last year, which recognizes that the gulfward boundary historically consists of three marine leagues and designates that boundary to be enforced by state law regarding the protection and restoration of coastal lands, waters and natural resources, and regulation of activities affecting them. What the combination of these actions will do, is give Louisiana control of managing it's own red snapper population. Let's see how the federal government responds.

The new Olympus TG-820 waterproof camera is now available on Amazon, for the price of $299. The reason this camera has gotten such pre-release buzz, as well as favorable reviews from early owners, has everything to do with image quality. Normally the terms "good IQ" and "tough/waterproof" are seldom found in the same sentence when it comes to digital cams. But Olympus - a trailblazer in the waterproof arena - gave the TG820 a CMOS sensor (more light sensitive) and reduced the pixel count to 12 megapixels (less noise). The result is the first waterproof camera to get very favorable reviews (TrustedReviews.com gave it an 8 out of 10 rating). The TG-820 also offers image stabilization, 5x optical zoom, and HD video.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012
May is here... so is saltwater fever. There's still some great bream fishing to be had this month, especially at the live oxbows of the Mississippi and Red Rivers, like Lake Yucatan, and larger lakes like D'Arbonne, Toledo Bend, and Verret. And bass fishing gets a second life this month; it's the best month before the summer doldrums set in, and a great month for poppers! And while saltwater fishing is good year-round in the Bayou State, there's no denying that when May comes around, we LIVE for saltwater! Perhaps it's the return of speckled trout to the surf, or the first influx of spanish mackeral and other pelagics. Maybe it's the run of cobia and dolphin that key GREAT summer offshore fishing. Whatever triggers the desire to hit the coast, there's a tie to shrimp. Shrimp dictate the habits and movements of inshore and most nearshore species. Tomorrow the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meets to determine the start of the inshore brown shrimp season. It's expected that the date will be set for Monday, May 7. The criteria for inshore opening dates require at least 50 percent of the inshore brown shrimp population sampled are of size 100 count per pound (or larger). Thanks to a very mild winter, we're past that mark. Most of the shrimp I saw a week ago in the marsh - and I saw a LOT - appeared to be size 40-50. One of the blessings we have is that regardless of how our fishing goes, we can always bring home other bounties of the sea, like shrimp and crabs, from our summer trips.

Backpacker Kayak Demo Days... update. This weekend, The Backpacker will hold their largest kayak demos of the season, with boat reps and pro staff members on hand. The original date was for Saturday only - that has changed. On Saturday, the Lafayette store will hold demos at Sugar Mill Pond in Youngsville. Time is 2:30pm to 6:30pm. On Sunday, the Baton Rouge store will hold demos at LSU Lake off Stanford. Time is 12 noon to 4:00pm. If weather issues arise, make sure to call the appropriate store first to check that the demos are still on. I highly encourage anyone looking to buy a kayak to attend at least one (or more) demos, as Cormier's 2nd Law of Puddling states, "Always Try Before You Buy".

The May issue of The Angler magazine is out. I really enjoy reading this free magazine - which can be picked up at tackle stores and even some coffee shops and restaurants. What makes it so good is that it's practical fishing information, from state to national, and written by well-respected writers. For example, the lead story this month is about the life story of Jose Wejebe, who was killed in a light plane crash. Mark Sosin writes about the history of fishing; John Williams of Pack and Paddle writes about the reasons why kayak fishing beats fishing from a boat (yes, yes!); Conway Bowman explains why backing is so important on a fly reel; and Phil Thompson explains why the bait used to catch Cuba's abundant 15+ pound bass requires "a little attention". There's also product highlights on the new Tamarack 120 kayak and the new Torqueedo 103 kayak motor (now up to 10 hours of runtime)!

Monday, April 29, 2012
What's happening this week. On Monday, the Fin-Addict Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Spahr's Seafood Restaurant in the Ramada Inn on Tunnel Blvd in Houma. Time is 6:30pm. Expect to hear some good fishing reports! Guests are welcome. On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall in Lafayette. Time is 6:30pm, with casting prior starting at 6:00pm. Guests are welcome. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Friends Coastal Restaurant on the river in Madisonville. Time is 6:30pm. Guest speaker will be Glen "Catch" Cormier, who will talk on summer kayak and bank fishing opportunities. On Thursday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly workshop at the Shady Grove Recreation Center in Bossier City. Time is 6:00pm. Tom Bullock will demonstrate soft hackle patterns and fishing. Guests are welcome. Also on Thursday, Pack and Paddle will hold a "Kayaking 101" on-the-water clinic by ACA instructor Amy Liuzza. The $40 fee includes kayak, paddle, and PFD rental, and instruction. Class size is limited, so don't hesitate! For details or to register, go to www.packpaddle.com. Also on Thursday, the Lake Charles Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm and auction at 8:00pm. Cost is $60 per person ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and includes admission, membership, dinner and open bar. For more details, contact Julie Grunewald at julie@ccalouisiana.com. On Friday, the Livingston Chapter of CCA holds their annual banquet at the North Park Fitness Center in Denham Springs. Other details are same as the Lake Charles banquet. On Saturday, it's the 2nd annual Cane Country Fly Fest on the riverfront in Natchitoches. Time is 9:00am to 3:00pm. This free event features fly tying, casting, programs, kayak demos, raffles, and more. Not to mention onsite fishing in the Cane River, and lots of excellent nearby fly fishing waters, and great restaurants too. Check out the details at the Cane Country Fly Caster website, canecountry.blogspot.com. Also on Saturday, the Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold a free "Fly Fishing 101" clinic at their store in Perkins-Rowe. Time is 8:00am to 10:00am. The course covers basics of fly fishing and fly casting, and each student also receives discount coupons, FREE membership in FFF and TU. Seats are limited, but other dates are available - check out the LFF Calendar. To register, contact Alex at 225-757-7286. Also on Saturday, Backpacker of Baton Rouge will hold a free "Kayak Demo Day" at the park on LSU Lake in Baton Rouge. Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. A great chance to test paddle Hobie, Wilderness Systems, Kajun Kayak, and other fishing boats.

Senator David Vitter has been recognized by the Center for Coastal Conservation as "Conservationist of the Year". The award goes annually to a public official for work in support of good stewardship of America's marine resources. Vitter's contributions included passage of the RESTORE Act thru Congress, addressing ideas on annual catch limits established by NOAA, and efforts to save the "Idle Iron" projects. On the same note, Governor of Rick Perry of Texas recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, urging him to review their Idle Iron policy. Basically, Idle Iron calls for utilizing old oil and gas rigs as artificial reefs. These rigs have been extremely successful in creating habitat and improving fish populations (red snapper, for example) in the western Gulf. The Obama Administration would like all rigs dismantled and removed, but has been open to discussion on the subject.

Friday, April 27, 2012
The first-ever Contraband Fly Fishing Contest is set for Saturday, May 12, at Sam Houston State Park. This freshwater tournament, hosted by the Contraband Fly Casters, is open to all members of recognized fly fishing clubs. There is no entry fee, and lunch will be provided. Fishing time is 8:00am to 2:30pm, with registration at the park the morning of the event. Prizes will be for longest bass and longest panfish. Fish can be taken from boat, kayak, canoe or bank fishing. For more details, go to the post in our Events Forum.

The May issue of Louisiana Sportsman is out, and my Fly Lines column discusses the different phases of tides and their relation to redfish and flyrodders. Your favorite LAS columnist is also featured in David Brown's article on "Buggin' Bluegill"... some practical, common sense tips to improve your chances of catching bream on the fly. Chris Holmes' column, "Paddles N' Puddles" talks about the challenges entering a kayak tournament provides, and how it will make you a better fisherman. Jerald and Glenda Horst feature garfish in their "Seafood Bible" column, and Jerald tells us why everybody loves cobia in his "Creature Feature" column. Other articles/columns of interest include Terry Jones on fishing Lake D'Arbonne's Stump-Field slab crappie, Jerald Horst on Lake Cataouche's bluegills (one of the best bream lakes in the state, IMO), and Humberto Fontova on why Ostrica is the new Venice.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Orvis Days are this weekend. In my Week Ahead posting on Sunday, I somehow missed this. I hope you don't! According to manager Alex Beane, the Orvis Company Store in Baton Rouge will celebrate starting tomorrow with a bunch of in-store promotions. The two most relevant for anglers are 20% off any Helios or Access outfit. The second is an incentive to try any of their rods. Anyone who "test drives" any of their rods gets a $10 coupon good towards purchase of $10 or more in store. The incentive lasts until May 13.

Also Pete Cooper will be on hand at Orvis on Saturday and will do a presentation starting at noon. Pete, author of "Fly Fishing the Louisiana Coast" and columnist and contributor to numerous outdoors and fly fishing magazines over his long tenure, will be speaking about opportunities for freshwater creek and river fishing here in Louisiana. Pete, also a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Hall of Fame, has vast experience in creek and river fishing, but can answer questions on a wide variety of subjects (as he often does in our forum). So come prepared to learn! That's Saturday at Orvis in Baton Rouge.

The 2012 Bass Pro Fly Catalog is out. Unlike most fly shops, or even superstore rivals like Cabelas, that put out their catalogs at the start of the new year, Bass Pro Shops prefers to hold back on their fly fishing catalogs until spring. Maybe good things come to those who wait... the catalog is full of unique items to BPS that warrant consideration. We all know that their Gold Cup reel is a favorite among budget-minded big game enthusiasts. Now they've added the Kingfisher, a machined aluminum super large arbor reel with sealed drag for under $140. They've also added an American-made rod, the Vanguard, which sells for about $350 and appears to be their new "premium" high-end model. There's numerous bag, wader, and fly line offerings, as well as technical clothing. And lots of fly tying tools and materials (I believe their source is Wapsi). It also appears their Regal knockoff is back... it's not Regal quality, but still a very good option for beginners and folks on a budget.

BassMaster has listed the top 100 bass fishing waters in the country. Number one is Falcon Lake in Texas. It's produced bass over 8 pounds in nearly every tournament held there. Not sure I'd want to fish there being it's on the USA-Mexican border and a known spot for cartel drug traffic. Texas led the list with 8 waters, Florida second with 7 lakes. Louisiana had only three: Toledo Bend (which it shared with Texas), Red River, and Louisiana Delta. Anytime I see these lists, my reaction is to come up with my own. When it comes to fly fishing for bass in Louisiana, my top 10 would include (in no particular order): Grand Bayou Lake, Highway 51 canals, Lake Cataouche, Delacroix, Laccasine, Cane River Lake, Indian Creek, Lake Valentine, Toledo Bend, and Chicot. I've not fished Caney Lake in a long time, but it was a definite top 10 flywater once. So was Bayou Lacombe and False River, but both lost much of the vegetation that made them excellent bass flywaters. If we include spotted bass, then Kisatchie Bayou and Comite River need to be on the list. Perhaps there are others I'm forgetting or unaware of. I will say this: BassMaster's list for Mississippi included only Pickwick and Enid Lakes. For flyfishing, Okhissa and Calling Panther are as good flywaters for bass as anywhere! Maybe it's best they were not on their list.

Monday, April 23, 2012
Wanna Go Fishing For Millions? That's the name of Cabela's fishing contest that gives anglers a shot at winning $2 million in cash and more than $225,000 in additional prizes, simply by catching tagged fish in selected lakes across 19 states. One of those states is LOUISIANA. The premise is simple: the competition begins May 5, 2012 and ends July 8, 2012. During that time, if you catch a specially tagged freshwater species (varies by state), and are registered for the tournament (go to the Cabelas website - it's free), then take a photograph of the fish with the tag in it. Remove the tag and release the fish. Log your catch on the contest website. Depending on your tag, you could win a prize ranging from a Cabelas gift card to tackle to Costa sunglasses to a fully rigged Ranger boat. One of the 1,061 tagged fish is worth $1 million. If that fish is caught by an angler using the Cabelas Fish Recon smartphone app, that doubles to $2 million. On May 5th, the starting date, Cabelas will list the lakes on their website which contain tagged fish. Anyone who registers prior to May 1 will get a four-day advanced notice of the list of lakes. This is the 2nd year for WGFFM. Co-sponsored by Geico, Ranger, Costa, Abu Garcia, and Rapala, the event awarded 143 winners in 2011.

Free Fishing Days announced. For Louisiana anglers looking to explore waters elsewhere without having to buy a non-resident license, the Free Fishing Day is a good opportunity. Often it's not so much the fee itself, but the hassle of getting a non-resident license. Check out this states list on www.takemefishing.org for specific dates. Days are coming soon for our neighboring states: Florida (saltwater), Texas, and Oklahoma all are June 2. Arkansas June 8 afternoon and all day June 10. Florida freshwater is June 9. Mississippi lists July 4.

Sunday, April 22, 2012
What's happening this week. On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at Cabelas in Gonzales. Time is 7:00pm. Jeff Denig, aka, Valvguy1, will be using the Gary Krebs Popper Jigs to tie the STP Frog. Details are in the Tying Forum. Guests are welcome. On Tuesday, the Wetland Watchers - a group of students in the St. Charles Parish area dedicated to the environment and outdoors - will hold their 2012 Celebration. Students from across the region will be in attendance, as well as guests, and exhibitors. For more info, go to www.wetlandwatchers.org. On Wednesday, the East Jefferson Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at the Landmark Hotel in Metairie. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm, and auction at 8:00pm. Tickets are $60 adult ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and include dinner, membership, and open bar. For more info, call Glen Gourges at (504)858-9440. Also on Wednesday, Pack and Paddle in Lafayette will hold a "Frontier Kayak Day". Meet at P&P at 5:00pm. Blake Young, owner and president of NuCanoe will be on hand to discuss and even demo paddle (at Lake Martin) their newest boat, the Frontier. The event is free. For more details, go to www.packpaddle.com. On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers holds their monthly meeting at the Whitney Bank branch at 1441 Metarie Road. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. Also on Thursday, the Bayou CCA Chapter will hold their annual banquet at the Houma Civic Center. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm, and auction at 8:00pm. Tickets are $60 adult ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and include dinner, membership, and open bar. On Friday, and continuing Saturday, it's the FFF Southeastern Council's annual Fly Festival at Unicoi State Park in Helena, Georgia. Onsite registration is still available. For more details, go to www.fffsec.org. Also on Friday afternoon, and all day Saturday, the 3rd annual Caddo Conclave kicks off at Caddo State Park in Karnack, Texas. This event co-sponsored by the North Louisiana Fly Fishers, East Texas Fly Fishers and Lone Star Fly Fishers, features tying, casting, seminars, vendors, food, refreshments, and on-site fishing. For more details, check out the NLFF forum on warmfly.com. Also on Saturday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly fly tying clinic. Time is 9:00am to 11:30am. It's free, and beginners and others are welcome. Also on Saturday, it's Fishing 101 at South Toledo Bend State Park. Meet at the Walking Bridge at 1:00pm. The program will demo the basics of fishing. Cane poles and baits are available, but suggested to bring your own tackle. For more info, call 888-398-4770.

The 2012 Youth Outdoor Journalism Contest is now underway, and the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) is accepting entries. Co-sponsored by the LOWA, the Louisiana Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and FIsheries, the contest includes both essay and photographic categories that emphasize fishing, boating, camping, hunting and other outdoor experiences. It's open to all students 18 and under, and prizes range from $25 to $150, and winning entries will also have their works published. Deadline is May 11. For more details, check the post in LFF Forums.

LDWF Continues Pearl River Restoration. Last week, Wildlife and Fisheries stocked over 16,000 largemouth bass fingerlings in the continuing effort to help the Pearl River recover from the Temple-Inland discharge incident that killed half-a-million fish. The bass were native (northern) species. A three-year sampling to monitor the fisheries of the river complex will begin later this year.

Friday, April 20, 2012
Is oil to blame? Recent news reports indicate that saltwater fish with sores and infections are showing up on parts of our coast. Here's the facts: the AP story said that a survey taken last August found that 3 percent of nearly 4,000 fish sampled had shown symptoms of oil contamination. Extracts of the bile of the contaminated fish showed an average of 125 parts per million of naphthalene, a compound in crude oil. In addition, 10 percent of the tilefish in the DeSoto Canyon showed signs of contamination. What does this mean? IMO, not much. Anyone who thought there would be no lingering effects from the oil spill is either a fool, or an idiot, but most likely both! But in the grand scheme, things are a lot better than what some predicted. Based on their scenarios, we're already 12 years ahead in recovery.

New Hobie 12 - in the comfort zone. This past Sunday afternoon, I stopped by The Backpacker Kayak Demo at Wampold Park here in Baton Rouge to check out the new boats and share expertise with would-be kayakers. No sooner had I pulled into the parking lot, I'm greeted by fellow Bayou Coast members Sherman and Norman Walker. They couldn't contain their excitement... Hobie had just announced a new kayak - the Pro Angler 12. A foot-and-a-half shorter than the Pro Angler, I was thinking, "This is awesome... a shorter, lighter, less expensive PA... I may actually buy one!". And that's hard for me to say because I'm such a hard-core traditionalist (paddle power) when it comes to kayaks. I've been researching this past week, and I may have to do a Larry David and "curb my enthusiasm". Shorter - yes. Lighter - somewhat, weighs just under 100 pounds. Less expensive - no. Turns out the price will be the same as the PA14. So why not less expensive? In part, because Hobie has enhanced the boat with several new features... features we thought the PA14 should've had considering it's $2,500 price tag. The biggest enhancement is their new "Vantage Seating". This is the ultimate in seating (with apologies to Native Watercraft). Two control bars - one on each armrest - adjust for lower seat and lumbar support. The seat itself looks like it got pulled from a sporty Italian car. For some great photos of this new boat - and seat - check it out on Sunjammers.com website. When the Native Ultimate first came out, I stated that kayak would change the game in more ways than one. The biggest of which would be "seating". Hate to say I told ya'll so... no, not really. I LOVE saying it. LOL. Consider some of the best-selling kayaks the last couple years - Jackson Coosa and Cuda, Diablo (with Larry Chair), Wilderness Systems Commander, Native Ultimate, and Freedom Hawk 12 (with Larry Chair). The PA12 is going to hopefully push others (hint, hint, Ocean Kayak) and force the comfort zone even higher.

The Spring 2012 issue of FlyFisher magazine is now out. As I've stated on several occasions, the official publication of the Federation of Fly Fishers has to rank as one of the top 3 magazines of our sport. This Spring issue is proof why. There's the usual happenings within the world of the FFF and flyfishing (including memoriums to several folks including our friend Buzzy Burns) and several pages dedicated to the International Fly Fishing Fair being held in July in Spokane, Washington. Beyond that, most of the articles and columns are dedicated to warmwater fishing... when's the last time you saw that in a magazine? While one of those other mags is telling me all about chasing bearded brotula in the Phillipines, FlyFisher magazine is keeping it "real". And with respect to warmwater - and even coldwater - the emphasis is on crawfish patterns. There's also an article by our own Tom Jindra on a trip with Matt Wilhelm to a small water for big trout (with a close encounter of the worst kind). And also our own Tom Tripi - the mag's Casting Editor - on casting the "warmwater side". Tom T. points out why warmwater casting can be as, or more, challenging than trout casting. If you happen to be a beginner or novice, I recommend taking one of the FREE Orvis 101 classes coming up soon, not just for the class, but because it comes with a FREE digital FFF membership. That's an emailed copy of FlyFisher magazine... great for reading on your computer, Nook, iPad, or Smartphone.

Thursday, April 19, 2012
Next weekend is the Caddo Conclave. Two years ago, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers, East Texas Fly Fishers of Longview, and Lone Star Fly Fishers of Tyler jointly held the first-ever Caddo Conclave at Caddo State Park in Karnack, Texas. The event was a a big success in a setting that everyone loved, with great on-site fishing as well. This year's event expands a little: on Friday night at 6:00pm there'll be a pot luck dinner at the Conference Center, followed by a "movie night". The rumor is "The River Why" will be shown. On Saturday morning, the NLFF club will host a breakfast at 8:00am, followed by presentations at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. Vendors and tiers will be on hand, and casting is always the big thing under the tall pines outside. There are cabins and camping spaces, but they fill up quick, so reserve now if that's your bag. Otherwise, some inexpensive lodging at Shady Glade on Caddo Lake or motels just a few miles down the road at either Marshall or Jefferson. For more info, check out the LFF Events Forum.

GCKFA Spring Fling is also next Saturday. The Gulf Coast is home to several of the top kayak fishing tournaments in the country, including Paddlepalooza, Ride the Bull and Falln'Tide - all held in Louisiana. Another top tournament is the Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing Association (GCKFA) "Spring Tournament", aka Spring Fling, held out of Gulf Breeze, and which last year had 130 participants. The GCKFA represents kayak fishing interests along the Gulf Coast of Alabama and northwest Florida. The close proximity of the deepwaters of the Desoto Canyon, provides nearshore - even sometimes inshore - activity for pelagics. So, in addition to the traditional inshore species (redfish, speckled trout, flounder), the Spring Fling also has categories for spanish and king mackeral. And a separate offshore slam, called "Hooters Biggest Pair", for largest spanish and king combination. Sponsored by... Hooters, of course! The deadline for early registration has ended, but anyone wanting to fish this tournament can still register in person at the Captain's Meeting to be held Friday, April 27, at 6:30pm at Hooters on Pensacola Beach. Cost is $50. The fishing starts 6:00am Saturday, weigh-in 3:00 to 5:00pm at Shoreline South Park in Gulf Breeze. For more info, go to www.gulfcoastkayakfishing.com.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The first-ever False Casters Redfish Tournament which was set for this Saturday, has been postponed due to rough weather predictions. Another strong cool front will pass thru the state Friday night, giving a 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms across southern parishes on Saturday. More important, there's a small craft advisory Saturday and Sunday for winds 25 to 30 knots. Captain Tristan Daire wanted to make sure there was a good attendance and everyone enjoyed a good day on the water, and needless to say, those are great conditions - for doing house chores! Tristan is looking for suggestions for a make-up date. Check the Forum for details.

Long Flies is shipping. Gary Borger's latest book is out, and orders are being taken. Long Flies is book three in his Fly Fishing series, and features a wide array of "long" patterns that range from traditional bucktail, streamers, furled flies, tube flies, saltwater divers, poppers, epoxy flies, Sili skin flies, charlies, and yes, even spoon flies like the Coma Spoon! The book also discusses the history of such flies, why they are effective, and ways to fish them. Complementing the text are illustrations by Jason Borger and lots of great photos. The book sells for $25, postage paid, and is available on Ebay at Gary's Ebay store. I'm anxiously awaiting a copy!

Tibor does it again. According to MidCurrent.com, Tibor Reels has been awarded the International Game Fish Association's (IGFA) World Record Achievement Award for 2011 in the Fly Division. As many as 28 new world records were taken on Tibor gear last year. This marks the 8th time that Tibor has won this award. The company has now held almost 800 world records, by far the most out of any fly fishing reel manufacturer. Incidently, the all-tackle division award went to Rapala.

Rockefeller Refuge offers great fall and winter action on redfish. Don't take my word, just ask Pete Cooper or Randy Leonpacher. This week, LDWF has closed off the road to the East End Locks and also closed off Joseph Harbor for improvements. The good news is that the construction should be completed by August, and Joseph Harbor open in time for the peak of the white shrimp run, followed by the peak redfish run. Price Lake Road on the western boundary will remain open (a longer run to the good shrimping and redfish spots). Also the private launch near Pecan Island remains open, but folks will have to enter the refuge (if they wish to fish there) from the Gulf.

Monday, April 16, 2012 [updated 9:30am]
What's happening this week. On Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Shane's Seafood and BBQ on Mansfield Road in Shreveport. Time is 6:00pm. Mr. Tom Bullock will be featured speaker. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St Paul Lutheran Community Center in Lake Charles. Fly tying begins at 6:00pm, with meeting at 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club holds their monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. Time is 6:00pm. Guest speaker will be Rad Trascher who will talk about CCA and the upcoming STAR tournament. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, the Tangi Chapter of CCA will hold a free fishing seminar at Boat City USA in Hammond. Time is 6:00pm. Guest speakers include Captains C.T. Williams, Greg Schlmbrecht, and Mike Gallo. Also Tony Berrigan of the Louisiana Cooperative Marine Fish Tagging Program. Food and beverages will be provided. For more info, contact Roger Doody at (985)969-3034. On Thursday, Pack and Paddle will host an on-the-water Kayaking 101 seminar at 5:00pm. Cost of $40 includes use of kayak, paddle, PFD, and instruction. Pre-registration required; go to www.packpaddle.com to register or for more info. Also on Thursday, the Northshore Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at the Castine Center in Slidell. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm, auction at 8:00pm. Cost is $60 per person ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and includes dinner, membership, open bar. On Saturday, it's the first-ever "False Casters Anonymous Redfish Tournament" in Delacroix. More on that later. Also on Saturday, it's The Camp Fly Fishing School - Beginners Workshop at The Camp Facility in Breaux Bridge. The price of $135 includes a full day of instruction (8:00am to 5:00pm), lunch, refreshments and handouts. Hosts Keith and Debbie Richard have a great school: all of the instructors are FFF Master Certified Casting Instructors and excellent ones too! What makes this school different from most beginner clinics is the emphasis on casting. Cormier's 4th Law of Fly Fishing states: "Fishing success is proportional to casting success". For more details, go to www.thecampflyfishingschool.com. Also on Saturday, LDWF and Cabelas will host a "Women in the Wild - Fishing Basics" Workshop at the Cabelas store in Gonzales. Time is 9:00am to 5:00pm. This workshop is intended for women who are interested in fishing, but have limited or no experience. There is no cost for the workshop which is limited to the first 30 participants to register. To register, contact Christine Pocorello at Christine.Pocorello@Cabelas.com or contact Karen Crabtree at (318)766-8144. Sunday is Earth Day. As part of the festivities in New Orleans, Masseys Outfitters will hold a "Kayak Demo Day" on Bayou St. John from 10am to 3pm. Boats include Hobie, Hurricane, Native, Heritage, Dagger and others. There is no cost. Also on Sunday, it's the first tournament in the IFA Kayak Fishing Series - Louisiana Division. Location will be Delta Marina in Empire. The $75 entry fee can be paid online, or at the Captains' meeting 6:00pm Saturday night. Payout is for 20 places, This is also the first of 3 tournaments in the Gulf Series to qualify for the national IFA Kayak Fishing Championship this fall. For more info or to register, go to www.ifakayakfishingtour.com.

This Saturday's False Casters Redfish Tournament at Sweetwater Marina in Delacroix offers an opportunity for saltwater fly rodders to practice CPR - Catch, Photo, Release - for redfish. It's a free, fun tournament for bragging rights, with scoring based on the total length of 3 reds between 16" and 27" with tail pinched on a measuring board or stick. The photos must also show the sticker that will be given out at the Captains meeting just prior to official start on Saturday. What I like about this tournament - other than it's free and for bragging rights and it's CPR - is that it's an excuse for flyrodders to put their efforts to the Delacroix area. For some unknown reason, Delacroix isn't as popular a flyfishing destination among state flycasters as say, Highway 23 areas, Highway 1 areas, the areas below Houma, or Calcasieu. Yet it certainly holds a LOT more fish than the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, which some fly anglers fish religiously. It also holds the promise of bass - big ones, too - thanks to the freshwater diversion. This was the site of many top place stringers at the 2011 BassMaster Classic. Bass or reds, doesn't matter which as long as they hit my poppers!

A proposal to reduce the crappie daily limit on Lake D'Arbonne was considered at the April Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting. The current limit is 50, the proposal is for 25. Public comment on the proposed changes will be accepted up to July 5th. The proposal comes by request from many anglers that the lake's crappie are being overfished. D'Arbonne is the most popular crappie lake in the state (although Lake Larto is rated better). On the Crappie.com website, a related poll on setting a size limit had over half the respondents voting for a 10" minimum size. Would a 10-inch, 25 fish limit improve the crappie fishing on Lake D'Arbonne? Ask the state of Texas, that's their limits for crappie.

Now that the new elevated highway to Fourchon is open, traffic at the old Highway 1 intersection has been a problem. Two stop signs were placed on the old highway, but it hasn't worked out. On April 1st, two Houma teens were killed in a crash with an 18-wheeler. It resulted in the Lafourche Parish Council voting unanimously last Tuesday to ask the state for a traffic light at the intersection. If approved, it could be several weeks before the light is installed. Please be careful on your way to fishing Grand Isle or Fourchon.

When the wind from hell finally settles lookout for some great action on live oxbows. The Mississippi River has fallen drastically in the last week and this past weekend some great catches of crappie, white bass and bull bream were taken on Old River Morganza, Old River Vidalia, Deer Park Lake, and Yucatan. Of course, a lull in the wind also opens up opportunities on the coast: reds and specks have been doing better-than-average this spring, but sand trout has been "chicken stupid". When has it ever been this good this early?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Wednesday night at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, Artist-in-Residence Alberto Rey will conduct a "Fly Tying Workshop" from 6:00pm to 8:00pm featuring three members of the North Louisiana Fly Fishers. Each will demonstrate their favorite fly and take questions from the audience. The members are Jeff Guerin, Buddy Bethea, and Don Lawler. This event is free and open to the public. Alberto Rey is an art professor and Orvis endorsed fly fishing guide from Fredonia, New York. He is currently in Monroe conducting workshops and preparing for his exhibition early next year.

Gray Wolf Fly Shop in Shreveport is now conducting fly tying instruction every Thursday evening starting at 6:00pm. GWFS is located at 5825 Southern Avenue. They sell TFO rods and reels, fly tying tools and materials, accessories, as well as Kajun Custom Kayaks and Diablo Kayaks.

Monday, April 9, 2012
Cabelas Fly Fishing University is a new initiative by the retail giant to provide instruction to beginning fly anglers. Potential students can choose from in-store classes at 13 locations (Gonzales not included) -OR- online instruction via modules. Both the in-store instruction and modules will be prepared in conjunction with the Federation of Fly Fishers. Those who enroll in either program will receive free electronic FFF membership (Flyfisher magazine sent by email rather than mailed). The online module will be available sometime this summer. Jeff Wagner of Cabelas, who is a Master Certified FFF Instructor and sits on the FFF Board, stated that "We hope this promotes fly fishing as a whole and ensures the stability of the sport for many generations to come.".

The loss of Jose Wejebe continues to resonate in the fly fishing world. Wejebe was killed over the weekend when his Comp Air8 airplane crashed while taking off from an airstrip near Everglades City, Florida. It's hard to believe he was 54 years old; he seemed much younger than that. His youthful appearance and exuberance made a huge impact when his "Spanish Fly" show first took the air 17 years on ESPN-2. It captured a young audience that had largely been ignored in fly fishing circles. If you want to know how much of an impact his show had on it's audience, simply look at the fly catalogs today and you'll see the "Wejebe" look has become the rage in technical clothing and apparel. Wejebe also did something else few fishing hosts ever did, and that was explain the tackle, leaders, flies, and strategies. "Spanish Fly" was as educational as it was entertaining. The show was still going strong after all these years, currently on Outdoor Channel. He will be sorely missed.

No action taken on red snapper at last Thursday's Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission April meeting. There had been a proposal to opt out of the federal regulations and join Texas as a non-compliant state. That would've given the LWFC the ability to regulate in-state waters based on our own assessment of red snapper stock. However, most of our red snapper comes from federal waters. So when it was cautioned that opting out might result in a shorter or no-season in federal waters, the Commission decided to table. For now, the daily limit will remain 2 per day, with a 30-40 day season starting June 1.

Sunday, April 8, 2012
What's happening this week. On Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. Guest speaker will be Jerome Zeringue. Zeringue, a longtime member of the club and an FFF certified casting instructor, is Executive Director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), and most recently, Chair of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. "Zee" will talk about coastal restoration and protection initiatives, and how they will impact fishermen. On Tuesday, the Cane Country Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting. For April, the location will be at Cliff Conine's home on the Cane River where the club will have fishing and a cookout. Time is 6:30pm. Members are asked to RSVP; see their website at canecountry.blogspot.com for more details. Also on Tuesday, the Livingston Chapter of CCA will hold a fishing seminar at Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs. Time is 6:00pm. Guest speakers include Tony Berrigan of the Louisiana Cooperative Marine Tagging Program, Capts. Doug Blanchard, Owen Landridge and our own forum member, Capt. Tristan Daire. Tristan will even cover some fly fishing topics! The event is free and food and drink are provided. Also on Tuesday, the CCA chapters of the New Orleans area will hold a Spring Fishing Seminar at Bent Marine on Airline in Metairie. Time is 5:30pm. Guest speakers include Captains Sam Barbera, C.T. Williams, Dudley Vandenborre, Peace Marvel, Greg Schlumbrecht, Mike Gallo and also Kevin "Chef KD" Diez. Jambalaya, beverages and door prizes. A $5 donation is asked of all adult men to help cover expenses. On Wednesday, the Acadiana CCA Chapter will hold their annual banquet at the Boustany Center in Lafayette. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00, auction at 8:00. Tickets are $60 per person ($30 Spouse/$25 Youth), and include CCA membership, dinner and open bar. On Thursday, the Vermillion CCA Chapter holds it's banquet at the VN Hall in Abbeville. Same times and prices as the Acadiana event. Friday marks the first day of the Southern Council FFF Fly Fishing School in Mountain Home, Arkansas. This all-inclusive (instruction, lodging, meals, guiding) runs to Sunday and costs $350. At last check, a few openings remained. For more details, go to www.southerncouncilfff.org. Also on Friday, and thru Sunday, it's the Red Stick Fly Fishers annual Spring freshwater outing to Lake Concordia. On Saturday, the Ascension Parish Library will hold a free fly tying class at the branch on South Irma Boulevard in Gonzales. Time is 9:00am to 12 noon. Basics of tying fresh and saltwater flies will be covered. For more info, call Darrell Crawford at (225)644-7989. Also on Sunday, the Backpacker in Baton Rouge will hold a Kayak Demo Day at University Lake off Stanford Avenue. Time is 10:00am to 2:00pm. A chance to check out the many new fishing boats for 2012, including the WS Ride 115. Also next Sunday is Federal Tax Day. Please don't forget to file your IRS papers or extension!

"Salmon Fishing" catching on. The quirky com-drama film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" continues to grow it's audiences, pulling in nearly $1 million this weekend, for 8th place in the box office. It was in 7th place last week, but fell one place despite higher numbers - possibly because of this week's release of two very heavily promoted movies, "American Pie Reunion" and "Titanic 3D". Still quite amazing considering it's showing in only 30 percent of the number of theatres nationwide. In fact, here in Louisiana it's listed only at the cinemas in New Orleans and Harahan.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012
My vote goes to Grand Isle.Starting today, the World Fishing Network is accepting nominations at www.wfnfishingtown.com for the "Ultimate Fishing Town 2012". There are seperate contests in the Canada and United States, with each winning town earning national recognition, plus a $25,000 community donation to be used towards sport fishing causes, and the publicity from WFN featuring their town on the network and in feature stories. There are many great fishing towns in Louisiana, and each deserves some recognition. But nothing identifies fishing and community more than Grand Isle, so it gets my vote. What about yours? Nominate it at wfnfishingtown.com.

Our friend Roger Stouff has a new book that just hit shelves this week. It' entitled "The Great Sadness: Indigenous Angling and the Loss of Home". It's already on Amazon.com in paperback with a cover price of $19.95. In the "Great Sadness", Roger explores past the glory and solace of the ancient swamps of the Chitimacha, into a changing world, where the expanse of home waters is fading and growing thin. After 8,000 years of intimacy, the native waters of his people are going the way of memory. "Great Sadness" isn't his Roger's only new work. If you click on Roger's Amazon author page, you'll see he now has seven - count 'em, seven - books to his credit, including two science fiction novels: "Firekill" and "The Thunderchild Fables". Here's the description for Firekill: "a breakneck, hairtrigger and often witty science-fiction adventure with the twists and turns of a mystery. Two lifelong friends unearth something on a ridge in the swamps of Louisiana that should never have been found, setting off an explosive chain of events that unleash a horror not of this world. And if they can’t disentagle their mistake, the human race may be annihilated from the Earth." Sounds like a story ready-made for a SyFy Channel movie (as they film most of their movies here in Louisiana).

Monday, April 2, 2012
What's happening this week. It's the week before Easter, and kids will be decorating eggs, thinking about candy, and preparing for spring break. That's all fun, but let's not forget to remind them of the "reason for the season", i.e., John 3:16. With respect to fishing activities, a light week ahead. On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church on Roselawn Blvd in Lafayette. Time is 6:30pm, with casting prior at 6:00pm. Guests are welcome. Also on Tuesday, it's the 36th annual Bass Life Associates Banquet. More on that later. Also on Tuesday, the Lake Charles Chapter of CCA will hold a fishing seminar at Prien Lake Park. Time is 6:00pm. Guest speakers are Capt. Jeff Poe, Sarge Upchurch of Laguna Custom Rods, Tony Berrigan of the Cooperative Marine Fish Tagging Program. Food and drinks will be provided. For info, contact Raymond Little at (337)288-5685. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Friends Coastal Restaurant on the river in Madisonville. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. On Thursday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly workshop at the Wayne Street Recreation Center in Bossier City. Time is 6:00pm. Beginners are welcome. Also on Thursday, the Felicianas Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at the American Legion Hall in Clinton. Doors open at 5:30pm with dinner at 7:00pm. Cost is $60 per person ($30 spouse, $25 youth) and includes dinner, CCA membership and open bar. For more info, contact Julie Grunewald at (225) 952-9200.

As mentioned, the Bass Life Associates Banquet is this Tuesday at the Shreveport Convention Center. Doors open at 5:00pm, with dinner at 6:00pm, and auction at 7:30. The event also features live entertainment, raffles, and bottomless drinks. Cost is $50 and it's for a great cause - to fund freshwater fishery programs and activities in the Ark-La-Tex area. BLA has stocked more than 6 million Florida Bass fingerlings in Caddo, Bistineau, Cypress, Claiborne, Hosston, Wallace and other area lakes. Not to mention the Red River, site of two BassMaster Classics (and future ones as well). They've also been responsible for the Trophy Replica Programs on Caddo, Cross, Bistineau and Red River. Please give them your support. For more details, go to www.basslifeassociates.org.

Bob Popovics has posted photos of flies using his new "Fleye Foils" on Dan Blanton's Board and also on Stripers Online. This product really spices up his baitfish patterns. Not that they needed to be improved - these are already great flies for surf fishing and fishing under lights at night. Check it out.

The hatch is on! Between record rainfall and record warm temperatures, it's been a good spring for our "state bird", the mosquito, and a miserable one for the humans and their pets. As anglers, we are most vulnerable to these little blood-suckers, and consequently, to the threat of mosquito-borne viruses such as West Nile. The solution is often a DEET-based repellant. But Deet and fly lines are a bad combination, and always it's the fly line that gets the worse of it. For that reason, flyrodders are turning towards alternatives such as Picaridin which are safe on gear. If you do use Deet, make sure to wash your hands after application, so as to avoid getting it on your line.

Thursday, March 29
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen... in Louisiana! The MOVIE 2 has been very popular with audiences nationwide, and when the public speaks, the cinemas listen. Starting tomorrow, the MOVIE 2 plays in select theatres in our state. AMC Elmwood Palace 20 in Harahan will have showings at 11:35, 2:35, 5:00, 7:30, 10:05, and 12:25. I plan to make at least one of those. Look for the guy dressed up like Ewan McGregor's character in the film. LOL.

The April issue of Louisiana Sportsman Magazine is out. The Fly Lines column this month is on "Oxbow Bream"; what flies and tactics to use on these unique lakes are unveiled during the story of a trip with my daughter Cokie last April. Chris Holmes talks about "Boat Launch Bass" in his Paddles 'N Puddles column; Jerald Horst exposes some of the myths about speckled trout; Keith LaCaze discusses PFDs in his Game Warden column; Chris Ginn writes about the effect of Davis Pond on the upper Barataria estuary. Also, Jerald Horst writes about Louisiana's version of "Catfish Wrastlers" on Lake D'arbonne. But it's Editor Todd Masson's column, "Currents", that is getting the most discussion in the few days since the April issue has been out. That's because, in his column, Todd announces that after 20 years with Louisiana Sportsman (18 years as editor), he is stepping down to pursue other opportunities. Starting with the May issue, Andy Crawford will take over as Editor. He will have mighty big shoes to fill... Todd has been more than just a magazine editor, he's been an ambassador for Louisiana outdoors.

Registration is underway for The Camp Fly Fishing School Beginner's Class on April 21st. This clinic covers the basics of our sport, but with an emphasis on casting. The instructors are all Federation of Fly Fishers Master-Level Certified, and the $135 fee includes breakfast, lunch, and a full day of instruction with handouts. So why do I strongly recommend "The Camp" clinic? Most beginners clinics do a good job of giving students an understanding of the sport and the rudiments of casting. And I recommend novices attend those as well, if simply to reinforce their foundation. But The Camp's full day workshop - taught by some of the best casters in the country - places much more time and emphasis on the cast. Casting is the key to fly fishing success, and I've seen marked improvement in the casting of folks I know who struggled. My observation isn't unique... The Camp has a reputation among the casting community as one of the best there is. Imagine that? Right here in Breaux Bridge. If you're getting started, it's a great investment... check it out at www.thecampflyfishingschool.com.

Tuesday, March 27
War on hydrilla continues. The latest battleground for LDWF biologists is Spring Bayou near Marksville. This complex of small lakes and backwaters used to be one of the top spots for sacalait and big chiquapin in the CenLA region. But hydrilla has been so bad as to impact spawning and growth of both species. In 2008 and 2011, LDWF stocked 21,000 infertile grass carp in an effort to control the fast-growing aquatic weed. The average size of the carp is now over 2 feet long, and 10 pounds in weight, evidence that the carp are doing their job. Other tactics that will be applied include drawdown to harden and oxidize shallow bedding areas, and control weeds, and dredging to create oxygen oasis during late summer. At some point, the carp will be harvested to reduce their numbers and allow some vegetation to survive.

Pond news. As some readers know, one of my fishing-related hobbies is pond management. My dad did pond consultation as part of his job with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service), and so it's in the genes. One of the questions I often get is "Where can I learn about how to build and stock a pond?". There are several resources, again starting with the USNRCS and LSU Cooperative Extension Service. For our readers in Mississippi, the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) and the MSU Extension Service will host 12 pond management workshops across Mississippi in 2012. The workshops are designed to provide pond owners and future pond owners with information regarding the management of their small lakes. Topics will include pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, fertilizing. A question-and-answer period will follow to address additional topics. Registration is required, and can be done at www.mdwfp.com or by phone at (601) 432-2199.

More pond news. For pond owners, I can't recommend "Pond Boss Magazine" enough. This magazine provides a world of useful information for managing warmwater ponds. Moreso than the NALMS membership magazine, which typically is more coldwater-fisheries oriented. Four years ago, Pond Boss Magazine held it's first conference and expo and it was a great success, and annually has been since. The 5th annual Pond Boss Conference and Expo has been announced, it will be held at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri, October 11-13. Registration and details can be found at www.pondboss.com.

Sunday, March 25
What's happening this week. On Monday, the Fin-Addict Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Spahr's Seafood Restaurant at the Ramada Inn in Houma. Time is 6:30pm. Guests are welcome. Also on Monday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold their monthly fly tying session at Orvis in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. Emmitt Simmons will demonstrate two patterns for bream in preparation for the club's upcoming Lake Concordia trip. On Wednesday, Pack and Paddle will hold an Outdoor Photography Class. Reservations are required, to register go to www.packpaddle.com. On Thursday, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Whitney Bank Branch on Metairie Road. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. Also on Thursday, the CCA Delta Chapter holds their annual banquet at the Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00, and auction at 8:00. Tickets are $75 per person ($50 spouse, $25 youth). For more info, go to www.ccalouisiana.com. Also on Thursday, the CCA Northshore Chapter will hold a Fishing Seminar at the Tchefuncte Country Club. Time is 6:00pm. Food and drinks provided. Capt. Mike Gallo, and cooking demos by Chefs Derek Fritzel and Martin Klier. Also STAR update. For more info, go to www.ccalouisiana.com. On Friday evening and Saturday, it's Paddlepalooza 9. More on that. On Saturday, it's the 64th annual New Orleans City Park Rodeo and Fishtival. More on that.

There's never a loser at Paddlepalooza. And that's because, you get so much for so little at this kayak fishing tournament. For the $50 entry fee ($40 for Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club members), you get so much more than just a competition. There's the Friday evening captain's dinner (jambalaya), the Saturday evening fish fry, the captain's bag, and a chance to win numerous prizes... even if you don't catch a single fish! The 9th annual Paddlepalooza kicks off this Friday evening, with the main event on Saturday. There's still time to register, and as of this point over 180 have signed up, making it the largest kayak tournament ever held in Louisiana. For some folks, that's too many people. But if you're a newbie, or someone looking to upgrade or improve the rigging on your fishing kayak, you want find any venue (outside of the Jax tourney in Florida) that has as many boats. And consequently, as many rigging setups. For more info, go to www.bckfc.org.

The Granddaddy of Louisiana freshwater tournaments is also this Saturday and that's the City Park Rodeo and Fishtival. It's also a family-friendly event, with adult and youth categories. The entry fee is $10 for adults, and $5 for ages 12 and under. There's a bass fly rod category, a bass casting category, youth category, and Rio Grande Perch team event. In addition, there's casting and educational exhibits, fly tying demos, and more. Registration begins at 5:30am, and "weigh-in" is at 11:00am. For more details, go to www.neworleanscitypark.com.

Yesterday was Presidential Primary Day in Louisiana and Rick Santorum won the GOP race with 49 percent of the vote. Reason for his overwhelming victory? It may have been his conservative priniciples, or his platform to increase manufacturing jobs and reduce gas prices. But I suspect it was that Santorum filleted a redfish during a campaign stop last week in Kenner. Now if he can cook a jambalaya, he's more than qualified to be our next president.

Thursday, March 22
Native Fish in the Classroom is an aquaculture stewardship project coordinated by LDWF's Education Program to teach students about fisheries, with an emphasis on species native to Louisiana. On March 5th and 7th, 115 students from around the state gathered at the Booker Fowler Fish Hatchery in Woodworth to participate in a paddlefish spawning process. The students watched the fertilization process, along with a dissection of a paddlefish by LDWF Inland Fisheries technical advisor Bobby Reed, to investigate such things as aging fish. Paul Whitehead, LDWF hatchery biologist supervisor, also provided tours of the hatchery. "Native Fish in the Classroom" currently involves 17 schools in 11 parishes. For more info, go to www.lamer.lsu.edu. (photo courtesy of The Fishing Wire).

Football coach Jay Paterno son of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, recently attended a fly fishing clinic and had some interesting comments. He had never been fly fishing, but had long been meaning to give it a try. The clinic included casting instruction from Joe Humphreys, himself a legend in our sport, as well as a tour of a stream and entomology basics by other local experts. In his article, Paterno comments on the environmental state of the rivers that run through his part of Pennsylvania, and the need for good stewardship. As for fly fishing, he says, "As I walked away from my first career day flyfishing, I get the whole deal now. It isn't just about catching fish. It is about a day on the stream, a day listening to the waters run past and looking up to see a rock wall in the canyons of Spring Creek."

The new Sony TX200V camera hits retailers next week. Billed as the ultimate waterproof camera in both style and substance, it's $499 price tag will scare away most buyers. But it does have many redeeming qualities for a WP cam: 5x optical zoom, 18 megapixels, and waterproof down to 15 feet, in a very slim and sleek design. In fact, almost TOO stylish... it borders on iPad sleekness. One problem with most waterproof cameras is that their IQ (image quality) lags behind similar non-waterproof cameras. For those in boats or kayaks, who have an Otter box or other case, it's sometimes better to take along a non-WP cam and just make sure it doesn't get soaked. For those more adventurous, such as taking photos or videos of underwater action, or who can't log a case around (wading for example), WP cams have their place. What makes the TX200V special is Sony's attempt to make it high-IQ. Normally jamming 18 megapixels onto a small 1/2.3" sensor means very noisy images at anything above ISO 200. But Sony addresses this in two ways: first with a more light-sensitive CMOS sensor, second by employing "Extra High Sensitivy" mode, which consolidates four pixels as one. The resulting image resolution is only 4 megapixels, but also has 1/6th the noise. No reviews have been posted yet, but I wonder if this cam is too stylish for it's own good.

Tuesday, March 20
We are saddened to hear that Mark Romero passed away Sunday night after a long bout with lung cancer. Mark and his wife Misa Ishimura lived in Lakeview, Arkansas, and both were prominent tiers. Retired from the music industry, where he worked with some of the greatest names in Jazz, Mark tied at events across the country and was a fixture at regional events such as the Gulf Coast and Southern FFF conclaves, Texas Fly Tying Fest, Little Mo Fest, Acadiana Fly Rodders Conclave, Toledo Bend Rendezvous, and others. He will be missed.

March is still the lion. And just when it appeared last week that it might leave like a lamb, here comes a might big roar! A slow-moving cool front, along with strong moisture barrier from the Gulf, is today bringing torrential rains to east Texas, and winds 25-30 mph in east Louisiana and southeast Mississippi. The severe storms and heavy rains - along with tornado watch - will move into western parishes today, and into all of Louisiana tonight thru Thursday. Some areas of Arkansas, Oklahoma, east Texas, and northwest Louisiana could see 10 inches of rain or more! Even the Florida Parishes area are forecast for 4 inches of rain before the system pushes thru on Friday.

Record rainfall this year-to-date has certainly ended the drought, but brought other problems. Experts now predict a record number of mosquitos this summer. There are several ways to combat the "state bird". DEET products are proven to work, but flyrodders have found it can damage fly lines. Some are now using DEET-free repellants, including ThermaCELL products. Campers have used ThermaCELL lanterns and found them highly effective.

Fly Fishing in the Iraq. Last night on Conan O'Brien, actor Ewan McGregor, star of the movie "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", told Conan that the title had many folks thinking it was a documentary. But thanks to word of mouth, everyone is finding out it's a combination of political satire and romantic comedy. However, there is a documentary on fly fishing in the Middle East coming out. Midcurrent.com reports that this Saturday, the Atlanta Film Festival will host the world premiere of the documentary "Not Yet Begun to Fight". The documentary is about veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who find solace in fly fishing. Coincidently, Lieutenant Commander Joel Stewart, the founder of "The Baghdad School of Fly Fishing" spoke to the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers in February, and will be guest speaker at upcoming Red Stick Fly Fishers meeting. Stewart has come out with a book, "A Fly Rod in My Sea Bag", which is available at Green Trout Fly Shop in Denham Springs.

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