Here on the Gulf Coast each year we celebrate several seasons: shrimp season, oyster season, crawfish season, Mardi Gras season, football season… to name a few. Spring is a time for some of those, but it’s also time for fly fishing events. Across the South, there’s a wide range of regional events from large commercial expos like the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show and Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival to mid-sized events like our own “Gulf Coast Classic” to smaller club festivals like “Red Stick Day”. There are also a number of fly fishing tournaments across the region put on by FFI clubs.
Here is a list of regional events taking place now through May, open to the public:
Jan. 20 (Sat) – 5th biennial CENLA FLY FISHING FESTIVAL, Kees Park Center, Highway 28 East, Pineville, LA. 8:30am – 3:30pm. Free admission. Presentations, fly tying demos, casting clinics, exhibitors and more. Special guests: Duane Hada, Tadd Fore. Jambalaya lunch available. Benefits Food Bank of Central Louisiana. Hosted by Kisatchie Fly Fishers club. Website: www.kisatchiefly.org.
Jan. 27 (Sat) – 31st annual Dr. ED RIZZOLO FLY TYING FESTIVAL, Terrace United Methodist Church, 1414 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX. 8:30am – 4:30pm. The largest fly tying event on the Gulf Coast features over 80 tiers as well as seminars and vendors. Featured guest tier: Les Lehman. Hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers club. Website: texasflyfishers.org.
Feb. 2-4 (Fri-Sun) – ATLANTA FLY FISHING SHOW, GA South Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA. 9am – 6pm. Largest fly fishing show in the South featuring nationally-renown speakers, tiers. Workshops, seminars, destination seminars, exhibitors, and more. FFI will host the Learning Center, with casting and fly tying instruction free to show attendees. Website: www.flyfishingshow.com.
Feb. 24-25 (Sat-Sun) – 7th annual TEXAS FLY FISHING & BREW FESTIVAL, Mesquite Convention Center, Mesquite, TX. Nationally known fly fishing authors, professional guides, expert casters, fly tiers from across the country, dozens of exhibitors. Microbrew sampling. The Texas Council of FFI will have an education area. Website: txflyfishingfestival.org.
Mar. 9 (Sat) – 29th annual RED STICK DAY, Waddill Outdoor Education Center, 4142 N Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge, LA. 8:30am – 3:30pm. Free admission. Seminars, tying demos, kayak demos, food, refreshments. Several FFI MCI casting instructors will be on hand for presentations and coaching. Hosted by Red Stick Fly Fishers. Website: www.rsff.org.
Mar. 21-23 – 26th annual SOWBUG ROUNDUP, Baxter County Fairgrounds, Mountain Home, AR. 9am – 4pm, each day. Admission $10 for all 3 days, adults with kids under 12 free. Largest fly tying event in the country, over 120 tiers. Seminars, fly tying clinics, vendors. Special guests Davy Wotton, Tim Flagler. Hosted by North Arkansas Fly Fishers. Website: www.sowbugroundup.org.
Apr. 6 – 1st ever BLUEGILL BASH, Red River Refuge, Bossier City, LA. A celebration of sunfish. Seminars and other activities on fly fishing for bream. Hosted by the Arklatexoma Fly Tiers. For details, go to their Facebook page “Arklatexoma Fly Tiers”.
Apr. 27 – 12th CEDAR LAKE BLUEGILL TOURNAMENT, Camp Contributions, Road 536, Biloxi, MS. Sunrise to 12 noon. Hosted by Mississippi Coast Fly Fishers. This is a bluegill-only tournament, other sunfish are not eligible. Fish must be weighed in alive. For details, go to www.mississippicoastflyfishers.com.
May 3-4 (Fri-Sat) – 2nd annual FFI GULF COAST CLASSIC, Learning Campus, Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, AL. Seminars, fly tying demos, casting clinics, raffles, Mixed Bag Challenge fishing contest. Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) on Saturday 4pm. Hosted by the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International. Website: www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com or www.ffigcc.org.
May 11 (Sat) – THE DIRTY CARP fly fishing tournament, fly fishing tournament for carp in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes. Bank fishing only. Hosted by members of the New Orleans Fly Fishers. More details and registration to come soon. Follow on instagram @thedirtycarp for details as they become available.
