A potential world record white bass has been caught in Louisiana. Posted in the Louisiana Sportsman forums, Corey (no last name given), aka "ThirdTimesACharm", caught a 6-lb, 13-oz (or 6.83-lbs) white bass at his favorite fishing spot on Friday. According to his followup post, the fish was brought to LDWF headquarters for verification, where at least 15 biologists agreed it was a white bass, not a hybrid striper. The fish was officially weighed for an LOWA State Record Application. If accepted, it would clobber the current state record of 4.13 pounds, and if filed with the IGFA, would tie the world record of 6-lb, 13-oz. While no mention was made of where the fish was caught (he did say it was public), there's really no secret that the live oxbows of the Mississippi, as well as the Red River, are producing lots of white bass right now, and some good ones too. Break out those baitfish patterns...

Big news in the CCA STAR. The first tagged redfish of the tournament was caught last week in Big Lake just off the Ship Channel by Andrew Meche, while fishing with his cousin and a friend. According to the CCA report, Meche has been fishing the STAR for 10 years, so when the 17-inch red flipped into his boat with the red tag on, "pandemonium broke out". Meche suddenly became proud owner of a new Chevrolet Silverado pickup. There are 49 more tagged reds still swimming, and the next registered angler wins a Harley-Davidson from Harley of Baton Rouge, the next 8 after that win a Mako/Mercury/McClain bay boat package!

Still no news in CCA FlyFish Division. No entries from this weekend... hey, some of us DID try! The minimum size to enter is 14 inches, but my largest was just 13.75. It sure has been frustrating for big specks this summer for me and other flyrodders... and also for kayakers. Except in the West Division, where Kevin Natali's 6.93 trout leads a trio of big fish. By contrast, there are only three entries combined in the other three regions - East, Southeast, Southwest. Of those, Devon Beltz's 3.94 pound speck is far the largest.

Monday, August 30
What's happening this week. Monday, the Fin-Addict Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Spahr's Seafood Resturant in Houma inside the Ramada Inn. Time is 6:30pm. A lot to be discussed, especially with outstanding fall marsh fishing starting up in the next few weeks. Guests are welcome. For more info, go to finaddictflyfishers.blogspot.com. Also Monday, the Ouachita River Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at Judd Moore's home in Monroe. Check their website for more details and contact info. On Tuesday, Pack and Paddle in Lafayette will hold a "Kayaking 101" workshop covering the basic skills in flatwater kayaking. Participants will meet at the store at 5:00pm, then proceed to on-the-water training at Lake Martin. Reservations are required, and cost is $25. Participants will be provided with kayak, paddle, PFD. For more info, or to register, contact instructors John or Becky Williams. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at Friends Coastal Restaurant in Mandeville. Time is 6:30pm. Guests are welcome to come enjoy great food and conversation, and learn more about the sport. For more info, go to www.northshoreflyfishing.org. On Thursday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold their twice-monthly Fly Tying Session at their store in Perkins-Rowe. Time is 5:30pm to 7:00pm. This is intermediate level tying, however beginners are welcome! Bring your own vise and tools. Materials provided. For more details, contact Orvis BR Fishing Manager Jarid Malone at (225)757-7286. Also on Thursday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club will hold it's quarterly meeting at Sweet Peppers Deli in Slidell. Time is 6:30pm. Discussion will include the upcoming PAC Attack and the much-anticipated 5th annual Fall N' Tide tournament in October. For more details, go to www.bckfc.org. On Saturday, the Red Stick Fly Fishers will hold "Casting 101" clinic from 8:30am to 11:30am. Pre-registration is required, and limited to 14 students. As of today, there were only 2 slots left open. It's free to RSFF members, and $12 for non-members. Go to www.rsff.org or visit their Facebook page for more details. Also on Saturday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold fly tying demos at the Bass Pro Shop in Bossier City from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Beginners are welcome! Also on Saturday, the Orvis store in Baton Rouge will hold a "Beginner Fly Tying Class" from 10:00am to 11:30am. There is no fee. Registration required, call Jarid Malone at (225)757-7286. Also on Saturday, Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston (Gulf Freeway store) will conduct a "Fly Rod Building" class. We don't have more details, but if you email Terry Jones or call Terry at (281)481-6838, he can provide them. As far as I know, this is the only "fly rod" building class scheduled for the remainder of this year in the region (there's a general rod building workshop scheduled for September 25 in New Orleans).

Take a youth fishing! There are several events taking place this month specific to youth fishing. Two are happening next Saturday, September 11. At Bogue Chitto State Park in Franklinton, it's the "Florida Parishes Fishing Rodeo and Clinic" from 7:30am - 1:00pm. This event is sponsored by the Florida Parishes 4-H Outdoor Skills Program and Bogue Chitto State Park. Registration is from 7:30-8:00am and ages 17 and under are eligible for the rodeo. There are also displays, demos, and exhibits from 11:00am - 12:30 pm. Award time is 12:30pm. Rods and reels can be provided (limited supply) but you are welcome to bring your own. No reservations are required. For more info, call 888-677-7312 toll free or (985)839-5707 locally. At Fairview-Riverside State Park in Madisonville, it's a "Kid's Beginner Fishing Clinic" from 8:00am to 11:00am. Children ages 8-15 are invited to this hands-on clinic that will include fish identification, knot tying, hook baiting, and casting a reel. Basic safety rules for fishing will be covered. Participants must pre-register and bring their own bait. Fishing poles can be provided. For more info, call 888-677-3247 toll free or (985)792-4652 locally.

Glass half-empty or half-full? The last few weeks our state has been hit by a trio of tropical lows, that have formed just off the coast and yet, not strengthened to anything. They've simply annoyed us with lots of wind and rain. On the other hand, all the bad boys of the tropics seem to be heading off into the north Atlantic and steering clear of the Gulf. This weekend typified the strange dichotomy of the low systems: while Grand Isle was getting pummeled by rain, on Lake Prien to the west, northeast winds provided an early taste of fall. I paddled a mile back to the launch and never broke a sweat! Yesterday, we joined my sister's family for lunch at Pizza Palace in Scott, and sat outdoors on the patio. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was... checked the thermometer and it was 82 degrees! Guess I'm so acclimated now to the 97 degrees we were having that it's almost sweater weather for me now! Well the heat is expected to return... but not for long. More on that later this week.

Wednesday, August 25
Redington has a new logo. In a press release just published on Dan Blanton's forum, it was announced that Redington, a leader in fly fishing gear, has new branding for 2011 "to be more aligned with it's current customers and also attract new customers to the industry". After reading through the release, one gets the sense that Redington plans to expand it's product line beyond just fly gear, and that a new logo is a necessary first step. This statement in particular, "Our brand has been repositioned in a way to not only reach out to fly anglers but new customers as well.".

Redington introduces the Delta for 2011. This new fully machined reel is "ideal for the angling enthusiast who needs great stopping power and more performance at a reasonable price". Indeed, the disc drag system on the Delta consists of cork and Teflon™ with a one-way clutch bearing and immediate drag engagement. My guess is that this reel will compete against similiar high-performance-but-mid-price offerings such as the TFO Large Arbor, Orvis LA Battenkill, St Croix Legend, Bass Pro Gold Cup and others. Series models include a 5/6 (6.2 oz, $199.95), 7/8 ( 7.7 oz, $219.95), 9/10 (8.2 oz, $239.95) and 11/12 (9.0 oz, $259.95).

Orvis introduces the Access Rod for 2011. Last night, I received the latest issue of Orvis Fishing News, a newspaper-style magazine sent bimonthly to their customer base. The cover page article read "Coming this Fall: All-New Access Fly Rods". According to the article by Paul Fersen, this new series of fly rods will replace the TLS series, and is being touted as "a sea change in perception of price for performance". It didn't give much details about what made the Access an improvement over the TLS, other than to state that some of technology and taper design used for the Helios is being applied to the Access series. One thing is for sure: these are light rods... the 9-foot, 8-weight tip-flex weighs 3 1/8 ounces! They also sell for slightly less than the TLS, freshwater models for $350, saltwater models for $375. If all the praises that Fersen gives this rod hold true, then Orvis has yet another winner!

Tuesday, August 24
A large fish kill was reported by St. Bernard Parish officials, occuring at the mouth of the MRGO, estimated to be between 5,000 and 15,000 fish of various species, including crabs, eels, reds, specks, croakers, etc.. At first the gut reaction was that this might be related oil-related (from the BP Deepwater Horizon spill). But after initial investigation by LDWF biologists, it's believed the kill was caused by low dissolved oxygen levels. In fact, fish kills are not uncommon in late August and early September. Hot water holds much less DO than cold water. Combine low DO with high nutrient loads that might come in from heavy rains or high river levels (including diversions) and other sources, and it's bad news for fish! Usually they detect drops in DO, and move to more environmentally-friendly locations. So the fact that any large fish kills occur is itself unusual. It's also unusual to see it happen in saltwater. Typically you get shad kills in September in small lakes or oxbow lakes, and adding their decomposition to the mix results in minor kills of low-DO-tolerant gamefish. Or at the least, a period of 2-3 weeks where pretty much nothing bites.

I was on Zach Matthews website last night reading up on some of the new products for 2011. Some of you may recall Zach was a guest speaker for the Red Stick club's conclave back in March. In addition to being an outstanding combat flyfisherman, I consider him to be fly tackle guru El Supremo! Anywho, he gave a preview of things to expect at the upcoming AFFTA Retailers Show in early September. Some of the new products we've already received press releases on, and covered in this blog and on the forum. But Zach mentioned a few other items, and some interesting background. For example, Rio is debuting a new line series called the Avid. The Avids offer all of the coating technology of their high end fly lines, including Agent X treatment, but with a more generic tapering and offerings. As a result, the MSRP will be $55. Or about $15 less than their more species-specific premium lines. He believes this could be a trend back away from the inflationary state of fly lines (wouldn't that be great!). Another tidbit is that Costa Del Mar is debuting a new pair of shades in partnership with Jose Wejebe, called the "Jose". Why not? They are supposedly more "modern square" which means different than the John Lennon style trend we've seen - and which I find totally useless for fishing! Also Zach mentions that CDM has transitioned their 580 lens from glass to polycarbonate, making for much lighter pair of shades.

Sunday, August 22
What's happening this week. Monday night, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly fly tying session at Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs. Time is 7:00pm and location will be in the upstairs Conference Room. Featured tier will be Marc Pinsel, an award-winning and internationally recognized tier from Hammond, who will demonstrate traditional wet fly patterns. The public is welcome, and beginners are encouraged! Tuesday night, the Slidell Chapter of CCA will hold a fishing seminar at The Dock in Slidell. Time is 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Cost is FREE for CCA members and $10 for non-members. On Thursday night, the New Orleans Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at the Whitney Bank building on 1441 Metairie Road. Guests are welcome. Also on Thursday night, the Sugar Chapter of CCA will hold their annual banquet at Cade Community Center in Cade. Time is 5:30pm to 10:00pm. Tickets are $60 per person ($30 spouse/$25 youth) and include dinner, CCA membership, open bar, raffles, auction, and door prizes. Contact Julie for more info. On Friday night, the Pointe Coupee Chapter of CCA holds their annual banquet at the Scott Civic Center in New Roads. Doors open at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7:00pm, and auction at 8:00pm. Ticket prices same as the Sugar event, and also include dinner, membership, open bar, etc.. On Saturday, it's the Grand Opening of Bogue Chitto State Park in Franklinton. Louisiana Office of State Parks is offering a free day in the park, with the first 500 guests receiving gifts and refreshments! Activities run 9:00am to 4:00pm. Check out the canoe launch, the fishing piers, and much more. Also on Saturday, the Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs will hold their "Fourth Saturday" fly tying clinic, from 9:30am to 12 noon. Beginners are welcome. Instructor will be Vince Deleberto. Vince is an accomplished tier with a wide range of patterns to show... do check it out! Best of all, it's FREE.

Also this weekend two big kayak tournaments are taking place. The first is on Saturday: the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will hold their Series Finale at Cypremont Point State Park, from 5:30am to 3:00pm. This tournament is open to the public. LKFC members who attend are eligible for a Hobie Quest kayak that will be raffled off. Registration is required and ends Friday, August 27. To learn more and/or register, go to www.lafayettekayakfishing.com. The 2nd big tournament is on Sunday, when the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour comes to Sweetwater Marina in Delacroix. This date was originally scheduled for Grand Isle, but was switched when areas around Grand Isle were further closed to fishing (Friday GI areas were reopened). On-site registration is Saturday from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, with the Captains meeting at 7:00pm. For more info, or to register, go to www.ifakayakfishingtour.com.

Our best wishes to Sandy Guerin. We learned that Jeff's better half was entered into the emergency room in Shreveport Friday afternoon after suffering from chest pains. It turned out there was no indication of a heart attack, and it may have just been stress. We wish for her speedy recovery. Meantime, Jeff reports good rainbow trout fishing on the Little Missouri despite the heat wave.

Four new inductees to the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame will be honored by the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in New York on October 9, 2010. The inductees are Louis Rhead, Jack Gartside, John Randolph, and Art Lee. They will join 66 past inductees, which include such names as Theodore Gordon, G.E.M. Skues, Joan and Lee Wulff, Ernie Schweibert, Norman Maclean, Lefty Kreh, Gary LaFontaine, George Harvey, to name a few. Also being honored is Ted Patlen, whom I had the wonderful opportunity to know from several shows I attended in the Northeast (he looks different now that's he got a beard!) Ted is a terrific tyer who has showcased his talents across the globe, and for that, will receive the prestigous Poul Jorgensen Golden Hook award for his excellence in promoting fly tying worldwide. Congratulations, Ted.

John Rucker, bank fisherman extraordinaire! By now, many folks have heard about this young man. He caught an 8-pound speck near Seabrook in May, then a couple weeks ago he caught a 7.2 pound speck from the roadside along Highway 1, that catapulted him into 1st place in the CCA STAR Southeast Division. This past weekend he made an incredible catch along Highway 1 bank again, moreso numbers than size. We all know that bank fishing this time of year is a tough proposition. It makes one wonder how good the fishing is now, and how much better it will be in the fall, especially for flyrodders. Let me explain... the water temperatures are currently in the low 90s. Not only are fish lethargic, but the hot water suspends organics and fine sediment. When it drops to 70 degrees - usually around mid October - it clears off considerably. And as Cormier's 2nd Law states: "Clear water favors the flyfisher". I may be going out on a limb... certainly not new ground... but I'll say that Rucker is a barometer for awesome fly fishing this fall.

Many new items entered on the LFF Calendar. The notices of events for Fall 2010, Spring 2011, and even Summer 2011, are pouring in. Latest include: various CCA events, FFF Florida Council Expo (late October), Toledo Bend Rendezvous (first weekend in November), Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival (Houston club, early February), various Red Stick club events and outings thru summer, River Bassin' event at the new Bogue Chitto State Park (October), Southern Rodmakers Gathering (October), Louisiana Sportsmens Show (2nd week in March), Texoma Tie-In (January) and the FFF Gulf Coast Council Expo (first week of May in San Antonio). Thank God - and these FFF clubs and councils - for all these events because it appears that there are no longer ANY commercial shows in the South. Well, there's one in Raliegh, North Carolina. But does that count?

Thursday, August 19
Tomorrow the LWF Commission meets at the LDWF building in Baton Rouge. The special meeting will be held at 11:00am to discuss concerns surrounding the latest fisheries closures, which took many by surprise. The consensus is that a decision may be made by the Commission, at this meeting, to override LDWF and the FDA agreement, and reopen ALL inside waters to recreational fishing. We shall see!

Global warming rears it's ugly head. We thought this controversy had been laid to rest, much like it's champion, former Vice President Al Gore, had been laid... well, been laid. But now comes a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releasing data that shows 2010 to be the hottest year so far on record (since 1880). From January to July, the average global temperature was 58.1 degrees, or 1.22 degrees over the average for this period. In statistical reference, that's a whopping increase! According to scientists, even if the remaining months are below normal, it could still end up being the hottest year ever. Four months - March thru June - all set records. The impact of global warming could be disastrous for coastal Louisiana and the loss of wetlands. On the other hand, maybe we get snook and bonefish?

Speaking of climate and weather... this week had many of us feeling "tropically depressed" as Tropical Depression 5 made it's return to the Bayou State after spending a few days around Atlanta. It moved back into the Gulf, strengthened a bit, then parked itself over our state. The folks down my street suddenly had a new pond in their backyard. My yard, being on the high end of the slope, didn't flood. But I can hear my grass growing. If there's a bright spot to the rain... it's helped to cool off water temperatures in some lakes, and even sea temperatures in the northeast Gulf by several degrees. The sea temperature drop is important because tropical storms feed off warm water... every degree above 85 degrees is significant. According to the satellite maps, the temperature over most of the NE Gulf is around 85.

Nighttime is the right time to catch bass and speckled trout right now. Even for bull reds and sand trout, although the day bite on flies seems to be better for both those. For trout, find lighted docks, or setup your own light, in an area with a little moving water, and wait an hour or so for the bait, then predators to arrive. Bass seem to be hitting under the full moon, which is approaching next Tuesday. The bream bite has been terrific in the lower Atchafalaya Spillway and around Toledo Bend. There's been great crappie action in the live oxbows (Vidalia, Morganza, Deer Park, Yucatan, Providence) and at Cataouche. But again, the big news for flyrodders is the pelagics. This once-a-year opportunity needs to be tapped! Big spanish, jack crevalle, sharks, bluefish, all nearshore or in the lower bays, the jacks even deep in Pontchartrain. And within close range to shore, kings and cobia. If you head east to Pensacola and Destin, where the deep water is close to the mainland, there's a good chance to catch all these species, plus barracuda, bonito, tarpon, and more, right in the surf (or in the passes!). The Pensacola Beach pier even reported a sailfish of 50 pounds caught off the end!

Tuesday, August 17
LWF Commission should take LDWF "to the woodshed" states an editorial today by Louisiana Sportsman magazine. The editorial is in response to LDWF closing further waters to recreational fishing, as part of an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, it was the instruction of the Commission that waters be closed only if certain conditions were met, and those conditions were not met... it was simply the feds "arbitrary demands". You can read the editorial here. Why were waters closed? Don't know. But this much I do know - the anger that was once directed solely to BP has quickly shifted to the Obama Administration.

The latest CCA STAR leaderboard has been posted. There are still no fly fishing entries (!) Although a 3+ pound speck was caught this weekend on fly, the angler was not registered in STAR. Nobody wants a trip to south Florida? Meanwhile in the Kayak Division, some big news. Like BIG trout! Kevin Natali registered a 6.92-lb fish in the West Region for 1st place. That is bigger than most of the specks in the overall divisions. There was also the first speck registered in the Southeast Region, a 3.94-pounder caught by Devon Beltz. Still only 1 entry in the East, and none in the Southwest. But I expect the Southwest to change no later than next weekend when the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club holds the final tournament in their Cajun Kayak Angler Series at Cypremont Point. Now for the most interesting story of all... John Rucker, who some may know from his posts on other LA sites as one incredible "combat" bank-fisherman, caught a 7.2-lb speck off Highway 1 to take the lead in the CCA STAR Southeast (overall) Region. There's more... according to Don Dubuc, Rucker landed an 8.5-lb speck at Seabrook just prior to the STAR, which would be 1st in the East Region. Had it not been delayed this year, Dubuc says Rucker would currently be in contention to win TWO boats! Like he needs a boat, right?

Monday, August 16
What's happening this week. Tuesday night the Contraband Fly Casters hold their monthly meeting at St Paul Lutheran Church Community Center in Lake Charles. Fly tying is from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, with the meeting starting at 7:00pm. Also on Tuesday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at Vince's South Port Restaurant in Shreveport. Meeting time is 7:00pm. Special guest will be Bruce Sublett of "Gulf and Ozark Flies". Also on Tuesday, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club will hold their monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. Among the topics of discussion will be their upcoming tournaments and recent fishing adventures. Meeting time is 6:00pm. Guests are welcome to these meetings of the CFC, NLFF, and LKFC clubs! On Thursday, Orvis in Baton Rouge will have their bimonthly Thursday Tying Session, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. This is intermediate level tying, however beginners are welcome. Bring your own vise and tools. Materials provided. For more details, contact Orvis BR Fishing Manager Jarid Malone at (225)757-7286 or by email. On Saturday, there's a "Beginner Fly Tying" class at Orvis in Baton Rouge. Time is 10:00am to 11:30am. Contact Orvis BR Fishing Manager Jarid Malone at (225) 757-7286 for more details. Also on Saturday... it's the 1st-ever Ark-La-Tex Tie-In at Gregg County Historical Museum in Longview, Texas, to benefit the local chapter of Project Healing Waters. Fly tiers from across the region will be demonstrating their crafts, along with various vendors. Project Healing Waters is an organization dedicated to the physical and and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying. The ALT Tie-In runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Also on Saturday, there's a "Beginner Fly Tying" class at Orvis in Baton Rouge. Time is 10:00am to 11:30am.

Today the white shrimp season starts for most inside waters (there are still some areas closed due to the oil spill). For many in southeast Louisiana, it couldn't come soon enough... there's been a pent-up demand for fresh wild shrimp since early June. What might delay the harvest is the return of Tropical Depression 5. Late yesterday, the remnants of the storm were pushed by a front back into Gulf waters just southeast of Pensacola. Conditions are favorable for development, but like the first go-round, there simply isn't enough time or water for the system to become anything more than a depression.

Wednesday, August 11
Tropical Depression 5 continues to head towards the southeast Louisiana coast, still not developed further due to a layer of dry air aloft in the eastern Gulf. However, as it approaches the coast, the moisture buildup is increasing, sea temperatures are a bit higher, and wind shear is declining. According to meteorologist Jeff Masters, the only reason we'll see a Tropical Storm Danielle, and not Hurricane Danielle, is lack of time. At it's current movement, TD5 will hit the coast tomorrow morning... just not enough time to organize to hurricane strength. That's the good news. The bad news is to expect lots of rain today through Saturday.

Welcome to Louisiana's newest flyfishing club! The Cane Country Fly Casters of Natchitoches meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month. I'm very excited about the formation of this club, for a couple reasons. First, this area has some of the best freshwater fly fishing in the state (I know, I routinely fish these waters!). They include Cane River Lake, Black Lake, Saline Lake, Grand Bayou, Toledo Bend, Kisatchie Bayou, Red River backwaters, to name a few. With the addition of CCFC, Louisiana now has 9 fly fishing clubs.

The Green Trout Fly Shop link on the right home page column is now corrected. I know some folks have been inquiring about their new online store, and the new link should take you there. GTFS will be exhibiting at the Ark-La-Tex Tie-In next Saturday in Longview.

Tuesday, August 10
What's happening this week. A bit belated, due to computer issues. Last night, the Red Stick Fly Fishers held their monthly meeting at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge, at 7:00pm. Attendees were treated to the Mel Kreiger video, "Casting Faults and Fixes", IMO, one of the best instructional videos on casting ever made (along with his "Essence of Fly Casting"). It will soon be available thru the East Baton Rouge Parish Library (RSFF donates it's videos to EBRPL). On Thursday night... still can't believe I'm saying this... the WORLD CHAMPION New Orleans Saints kick off their 2010-2011 season with an exhibition game against the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Time is 6:30pm. WHO DAT? On Saturday, Cabelas in Gonzales will hold a free fly tying class upstairs in the Conference Room. Time is 9:00am to 12 noon. Instructor Darrell Crawford will teach the basics of fresh and saltwater flies.

An eye on the Gulf. But not for oil. In fact, it appears that the static kill has worked and the relief well for the "bottom kill" is in it's final days. Rather, the concern is for a tropical disturbance (Invest 94) which is forming off the west coast of Florida. All the current computer models show it hitting the southeast coast of Louisiana later this week as a tropical storm or category 1 hurricane. It's name would be Danielle or Earl, depending on whether a storm in the mid-Atlantic reaches tropical storm status before or after. Let's hope goes dud the way Bonnie did.

The new Bogue Chitto State Park will officially open on Saturday, August 28, according to an announcement from the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Office of State Parks. Located near Franklinton in Washington Parish, the park offers overnight accomodations for campsites, and starting September 1st, for cabins, lodge and group camp. Reservations on the overnight facilities can be made beginning Monday, August 16, through the Call Center at 1-877-226-7652 or online at www.ReserveAmerica.com. There will also be a grand opening celebration August 28 from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The $16.9 million project includes 4 upland cabins and a lodge overlooking a 90-foot bluff, 81 RV camping sites, and a group camp for overnight visitors. The 1,786 acre site, with it's diverse natural habitats, also provides a visitor center, conference room, and picnic pavilions for guests to enjoy. Daytime and overnight guests have access to all these amenities along with a canoe launch into the Bogue Chitto River, fishing piers, an amphitheater, a water playground and over 7 miles of nature trails.

Friday, August 6
Crisis on the Coast - Day 108. Today BP finished plugging the Macondo well (Deepwater Horizon) with 5,000 feet of cement (static kill) and resumed drilling a relief well to permanently seal it off. BP will then decide whether to abandon the oil and gas in the reservoir or sell the lease off to another company. According to a government report last week, about 74 percent of the oil leaked has been cleaned up or will soon be eaten by bacteria. The latest oil assessment (map shown) from the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program shows a significant decrease in the light-moderate-heavy (yellow-orange-red) oil-contaminated areas. Most of the beaches in southeast Louisiana remain off limits to wade fishermen, although they can be fished from boats. At the LDWF Commission meeting yesterday, the opening date for white shrimp season was set for Monday, August 16, with hopes from some that most areas currently closed to commercial fishing may be open by then. LDWF has asked BP for $420 million to fund seafood testing for the next 20 years, but BP has declined, offering only 2 years of funding. However, the impact of the oil on spawning classes for this year, and maybe the next few years, is reason why CCA is more confident their fish hatchery plan may get funded by BP. As for the future of our "Oil Spill Central" forum... I'm not ready to say "life is somewhat back to normal". It will be when I can enjoy raw oysters at Parrain's again. At that time the forum be abolished.

Not much news yet on 2011 yaks- or upgrades or accessories - even though many of the manufacturers are exhibiting at this week's Outdoor Retailers Show. I expect that to change when folks attending the show come back and blog (or post to forums) what they've seen. I understand there's been some twittering, but I don't twit or tweet. The one item of interest is that Native Watercraft has come up with a seat adjuster that allows the paddler to sit a bit higher. Whether that helps to better sight fish is questionable, but it is good news to those whose backs and legs appreciate better positioning.

Weekend Forecast. Better late than never... the hot doldrums are taking their toll in freshwater. Nearly all of the good bass reports are coming from early morning or night fishing. Bream are still very active on Caney Lake, Cane River, Toledo Bend and the lower Spillway. Got a great sacalait report from Cataouche... and a good bass report from there as well. Rios are still active in New Orleans and Jefferson parishes, but the bite seems to be early there too. Even rios don't like 95 degree water! Yes, it's that hot in some shallow spots. The good news, if any, is days are getting shorter, nights longer, and radiative cooling will start to happen in a couple weeks. That's when I expect freshwater to pick up. The Mississippi River continues to stay high, and so far, no flyfishing for white bass and skipjack herring (slickers) off the banks between BR and NO. That usually happens before now. On the coast... it's an early or night bite. Good redfish action continues, but it's now better on the edges of lakes (even small ones) than in ponds. The specks are in the lakes, and under lights at night. Good surf fishing reports from Rutherford and Holly Beaches, southeast beaches remain closed. Big jacks are in Pontchartrain! Spanish and bluefish are behind Grand Isle. Bring those wire tippets! With calm mornings, topwater has been phenomenal early, switching to clousers, spoon flies, seaducers, bendbacks, various shrimp/crab patterns by 8:00am. Sand trout and bull croakers are in the largest numbers seen in years; many are 10-12 inches or bigger! Use a heavy clouser or sinking line and let go to the bottom. The fish hit on the first few strips up.

Wednesday, August 4
The Outdoor Retailer Show is happening in Salt Lake City this week. As mentioned previously, there was a split between the Fly Fishing Retailer Show and AFFTA which lead to FFRS combining with ORS, and AFFTA continuing a f/f trade show in September. The vast majority of fly tackle companies have opted for the AFFTA show, but the majority of kayak companies are featured at ORS. This is where the 2011 paddlecraft products will be showcased for the first time. Last year, much like with fly tackle, the high number of new products defied usual recession strategies. The boats that have made the biggest wakes so far have been the Wilderness System Commander, the Ocean Kayak Torqueedo, and the Freedom Hawk 12.

New fly tackle product announcements usually start coming out a month in advance of the FFR Show (now AFFTA show). No change there - there's been several over the last week. And it looks like 2011 is going to continue the trend of significant product changes. We previously reported on Loomis and their new NRX rod series. Winston has just announced several new models for next year. The Winston Passport features a moderate-fast, progressive action and comes in 4-piece in weights 3 thru 8. It will sell for $199 with cordura tube. The Winston VSL will have a faster action than the Passport, also in 4-piece and in the same weights, and will sell for $299. The BIIX Boron series has been a big winner for Winston, but it's being replaced by the BIIIX with more boron in the butt section, for continued sensitivity in short casts, but with the ability to transition to much longer casts. For those who loved the BIIX (and it's tapers), the new GVX will continue that technology but at a lower price point $495.

St Croix is upgrading the Legend Elite fly series with the new 3M Matrix Resin (nano resin) added to their SCV graphite to improve upon durability and strength. They are also offering a new limited fly series, "Bank Robber" developed by Kelly Galloup for pounding banks of rivers and lakes. 9' 4-pc rods rated 6-wt and 7-wt and featuring a new high-modulus SCVI graphite and also the new 3M Matrix Resin. These technologically advanced rods will sell for $400.

Patagonia has announced over 60 items for their fly fishing collection for Spring 2011, including the new Rio Gallegos Wader, offering one-of-a-kind features such as removable neoprene knee pads, a unique, fully submersible welded TPU pocket and strategically placed exterior leg tape for added durability at critical wear points. Every wader style is new or redesigned, with an updated EZ Lock Slider suspension system that allows the wader to be worn as a pant. There's also a new Rock Grip Wading Boot which will be revealed at this week's Outdoor Retailer Show.

Hardy and Greys have joined the fray of early announcements. Having previously revealed their new Sintrix rods, yesterday they announced a new Hardy Bougle MK VII fly reel. Based on the coveted 1903 Hardy Bougle, it features the classic undrilled side-plate styling of the past, yet has been engineered to hold maximum line and backing capacity at a lighter reel weight. Although it can be used on any rod, it was developed optimally for bamboo rods. It won't be cheap... the price point is in the $450 range.

Monday, August 2
Dog days are here! August may not beat out January for worst month of fishing in our state. But it's hard to get excited about hitting the water when it's as hot it was this weekend. The temperature hit 101 at the house Saturday afternoon, with the heat index near 110 (my nephew says they hit 105 near Alexandria yesterday). Expect the thermometer to hit the century mark quite a few times over the next three weeks - it usually does each year. Especially in the northern parishes. Warm water in the shallow marshes and backwaters gets bathtub hot, oxygen levels drop, and the fish lose their apetite and get lethargic. Already there's been a decline in the numbers and size of reds along Highway 1 ponds from two weeks ago. There's still enough activity in the ponds to make a good trip... just not as good as it was then.

As I stated on the Paddlers Report on Outdoors with Don Dubuc, this is the time for puddlers to take added precaution to themselves and the fish. Bring plenty of drinks in a small cooler. Limit your paddling distance. Start at first light and finish by noon. If your life vest is one of those full-chest types, especially in black, it's a SweatFest right now. Think about getting an inflatable life vest. A lot cooler and more mobility for your paddling. As for the fish, forget the sleigh rides... anchor up and bring those fish in as quickly as possible. One more thing. Last Sunday, I took the plastic navy out and cleaned up the boats. The dark green Tarpon and the yellow Venus 11 both sat in the sun for a couple hours. I put a thermometer in the cockpit of each for 10 minutes. The Venus registered 106 degrees, the Tarpon 122 degrees! As comfy as a "dark" boat is in winter, right now, in the middle of the day, it's a broiler!

Glass half-full, not half-empty? I know a lot of flyrodders use this month to tie flies, build rods, or do non-fishing tasks, while they hold out for slightly cooler days. It certainly won't be long... fall is coming... Saints, LSU and other college and high school teams are starting practice this week. The first exhibition game for our defending World Champion New Orleans Saints - can't believe I can say that! - is two weeks away. At the end of this month, radiative cooling of waterways due to shorter days, longer nights, will begin. It'll take a few more weeks for cooler air to move in and make a real difference, although it sometimes happens early. Until then, we face the brunt of hurricane season... more than 90% of the major storms take place in August and early September. Until then, there's opportunity galore for species not usually available to inshore anglers. I'm talking jack crevalle, spanish mackeral, bluefish, tripletail, even mangrove snapper and tarpon! This past weekend, big spanish and bluefish busted up topwaters on the backside of Grand Isle.

It's Shark Week on Discovery Channel. It's also Shark Month down on the coast. The pelagics - including sharks - are most active through early September. If you fish the surf, you want to put your fish in a floating basket and not a stringer. If you paddle any of the lakes or bays right now, I recommend putting your fish in a small ice chest or fish bag... a 25-quart Igloo fits most tankwells. I've dealt with sharks hitting my stringer on several occasions, and it's always been in July and August. Besides, if your fish expire, dragging them around in 90 degree water isn't best for their flavor LOL. Last night on Shark Week, there was some awesome video of a kayaker in South African waters surrounded by large sharks as big as his yak. One of them came up and took a small nibble to test it out! Another video was "trolling for giant great whites" using a black seal imitation. Here's a suggestion... if you go to South Africa, tie extra-long black chicken feathers (half a chicken to be used) on a size 10/0 hook, and bring a 20-weight fly rod.

Sunday, August 1
What's happening this week. On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly general meeting at 6:30pm at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall in Lafayette. Casting practice is prior to the meeting at 6:00pm. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at 6:30pm at Friends' Coastal Restaurant on the river in Madisonville. Come early and enjoy some great food and conversation. Guests and visitors are welcome. On Thursday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold the first of their bimonthly fly tying clinics at their Bluebonnet store. Time is 5:30pm to 7:00pm. This is intermediate tying, however beginners are welcome. Bring your own vise and tools; materials are provided. For more info, contact Orvis BR Fishing Manager Jarid Malone at (225)757-7286 or by email. Friday kicks off the 60th annual Terrebonne Sportsmans League Rodeo, which runs thru Sunday. This rodeo is special as it features a fly fishing division for redfish. Headquarters is East Park Recreation Center in Houma. For more info, or to register, contact Larry Jordan at (985)601-4110. On Saturday, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold a fly tying demo at the Bass Pro Shop in Bossier City. Time is 10:00am until, and location is the White River Fly Shop. Beginners are welcome, and instruction is provided.

Also this Saturday is the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association 65th annual conference in Covington. At the event, in addition to honoring the "Fish of the Year" and "Fly Rod Fish of the Year", LOWA will also honor the winners of it's 2010 Youth Journalism Contest. The contest focuses on building literacy among outdoor youth while promoting involvement in the outdoors. A complete list of the winners will be posted in the forum along with the full press release. Winning entries will also be available at the LOWA website.

Congratulations to Capt. Eric Dumas. In the Outdoors section of the Baton Rouge Advocate, we learned that Eric's 13.55-pound tripletail taken last September on flyrod, and currently in 1st-place on the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association state records for that species, will be recognized by LOWA at their conference as "Fly Rod Fish of the Year". The fish was caught in the Lake Borgne area, which has become a tripletail magnet over the last few years. It edges out Gray Parker's 11.44-pound fish also taken last September. Prior to then, Pete Cooper, Jr held the record (11.30 lbs) since 1997. All of the state record tripletail - except for one - were caught in August and September (hint, hint).