Since 2007, the Gulf Coast Council has annually recognized individuals and clubs for their accomplishments in education, conservation, service and other areas that promote the goals and ideals of Fly Fishers International.
Nominations for 2026 honors are now being accepted. Deadline is June 30th. FFI members can submit nominations by going to “Resources -> Awards & Recognition”. That page lists the awards, procedures for nominations, as well as qualifications for each award.
Nominations must be through the online form, along with a brief supporting document which can be uploaded through the form. The supporting document can be Word, PDF, Google Docs, etc., and should list specific accomplishments. There is a sample document on the Awards page for use as example when writing up the support doc.
Please be specific when writing up qualifications. For example, an unacceptable nomination for the Fly Tying Achievement award would be:
“I think Joe is the best fly tier there is. He ties some great looking streamers. He’s also tied at places.”
A very acceptable nomination would be:
“Joe has demonstrated tying at Red Stick Day, Sowbug Roundup, and the Houston Tying Festival. He has taught workshops on Tying Streamers to the Magnolia and Contraband clubs. His flies were featured in Fly Tyer magazine Summer 2024 issue and on YouTube and the Flies for Fools website. His creations include the Whimpy Spider and the Catfur Clouser. He has also served as board member for the Catskill Flies Collective.”.
Except for Friend of the Council, nominees must be FFI members affiliated with the Gulf Coast Council. Awards are for contributions of the past 12 to 18 months, with the exception being the Fly Tying Achievement Award. In cases where more than one well qualified nominee exists, we may end up giving co-honorees. Please list all accomplishments for the nominee, as in some cases, they may qualify for an alternate award.
Again, deadline is June 30th. Honors are announced sometime late July to August time frame. Honorees will receive a commemorative mug with their name and award (as shown in photo). For more info, including a complete list of GCC Awards, their qualifications, past winners, and link to the nomination form, go to the Awards page – CLICK HERE.
Did you know that women are the fastest growing demographic in fly fishing? Fly Fishers International recognized the value in mentoring women by establishing a women-focused program over 10 years ago. It is now known as FFI Women Connect.
The Gulf Coast Fly Fishers of coastal Mississippi will hold a “Double Header” seminar on Tuesday, June 2nd, at 6:00pm at the Biloxi Yacht Club at 
Each year, wildlife agencies in each state designate “Free Fishing Days” for the public to fish recreationally in public waters without a fishing license. These events are part of National Fishing and Boating Week.
Our Gulf Coast Classic earlier this month may have seemingly capped off an active season of fly fishing festivals, shows, clinics, and other related events. But in the immortal words of Billy Mays, “Wait, there’s more!”.
June 13 (Sat) – Tripletail Classic
June 25 (Thu) – Fly Fishing Film Tour benefitting Casting for Recovery – Southeast Chapter.
At the FFI Gulf Coast Classic, our Keynote Speaker Dr. Aaron Adams of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust brought to the attention of the audience a bill currently in process in the 2026 Louisiana legislative session. House Bill 688 by Representative Joseph Orgeron would designate the Atlantic Tarpon as a gamefish.
Once again, our Gulf Coast Classic was a great success! While we achieved new attendance records, in terms of the mission of our organization – education, community, and conservation – it may have been the best we’ve ever had. So far, all of the exhibitors and featured tiers for this year’s event have expressed a desire to return next year.
The Spring 2026 edition of The Gulf Streamer, the of-fish-al newsletter of the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International, is now available to the public online.
