Welcome to 2020

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Catch Cormier

Get your bass bugs ready for our Sweetwater Classic

First off, wishing all our fellow fly anglers and their loved ones the best wishes for a safe, healthy, and prosperous year ahead.  May your loops be tight and your flies get victimized often.  And may there be many great fishing stories to tell, even if some are borderline truth.

As you can see from the Calendar page, there are many great activities coming up this Spring for those of us in the Gulf Coast Council, and in our neighboring councils.

The highlight for the Gulf Coast Council will be our first-ever “Gulf Coast Sweetwater Classic” on Friday-Saturday, March 13th and 14th at Percy Quin State Park near McComb, MS.  This event will be part tournament, part festival.   Many activities including casting instruction and skills challenge, fly tying demonstrations, a seminar or two, raffles, and of course, lots of fishing!  Lake Tangipahoa is a trophy bass fishery, but also offers great crappie and redear action too.  Proceeds from the tournament and raffles/auction to benefit the GCC conservation and education projects.  Admission to the park and festival is free, there’s an entry fee for the tournament.   Look for the Classic webpage here in the next week.

A trio of regional clubs will be hosting festivals featuring seminars, fly tying demos, casting instruction, and much more.   The Kisatchie Fly Fishers will host their biennial “Cenla Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Festival” on Saturday, January 18th.  The Red Stick Fly Fishers will host their annual “Red Stick Day” fly fishing festival on Saturday, March 7th.   The Texas Fly Fishers of the FFI Texas Council will host their annual “Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival” on Saturday, February 8th.

In addition, the Kisatchie club and the Fly Fishers of Northwest Florida (Pensacola) clubs will be having introductory fly fishing clinics this Spring.  These intensive clinics put a premium on casting – the gateway to fly fishing success.  They’ll have FFI Certified Casting Instructors leading their programs.

 

Posted in General | Comments Off on Welcome to 2020

FWC to rule on final seatrout management plan

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Catch Cormier

The December meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will be held December 11th and 12th in Panama City. On the agenda are several marine fisheries management items, including the final proposal for changes in spotted seatrout management.

Florida’s spotted seatrout fishery is currently managed in four geographic zones: Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast. A stock assessment completed by FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute suggests that spotted seatrout are not meeting the Commission’s management target in some of these zones and that the population status is declining in all zones.

At the October 2019 Commission meeting, the Commission approved a series of draft rules intended to improve both the fishery and angler satisfaction. At the December Commission meeting, FWC staff will present a final rule proposal that incorporates input heard at and since the draft rule hearing.

The proposed changes of interest to anglers in the Gulf Coast Council (extreme northwest Florida) include:
– splitting the Northwest Zone into a Western Panhandle Zone and Big Bend Zone
– adjusting the slot limit in the WPZ to 15″-19″, with one over the slot limit allowed per day
– reducing the daily creel limit in the WPZ from 5 to 3 fish
– impose winter closures in the WPZ for the month of February

More information on the final proposal can be found by clicking on this link.

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Fly Fishers of NW Florida announce 2020 course

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Catch Cormier

FFNWF 2020 Fly Fishing Class
Mondays, March 16-May 4, 2020
6:00pm to 8:00pm
Mira Flores Park, Pensacola, FL
Cost: $60
Pre-registration required, limited to 15 students
Sponsored by Fly Fishers of Northwest Florida

The Fly Fishers of Northwest Florida are again offering their annual Fly Fishing course in 2020.  The popular class begins March 16th and will be held each Monday through May 5th. During this sixteen hour course students will learn the basics of fly fishing, including:

  • equipment selection
  • fly tying
  • fly casting
  • knots
  • practical applications for both fresh and salt water

The cost of $60 includes instruction, all course materials, and use of club equipment for fly tying and fly casting. Also included is a complimentary membership in FFNWF for 2020.

For more info on course content, or to register for the course, call Russ Shields at 983-9515 or email rkshields@bellsouth.net. The class size is limited to 15 people so early registration is strongly encouraged.

Posted in Education | Comments Off on Fly Fishers of NW Florida announce 2020 course

Co-Ed Casting & Community Event coming to New Orleans

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Catch Cormier

New Orleans Co-Ed Casting & Community Event
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
3:00pm to 6:00pm
Next to Bayou Paddle Sports, corner of Florida Avenue and Moss Street

** Event is FREE and open to EVERYONE!! Drop in and say hello anytime. **

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Meet and Greet
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Breakup into Groups and Go Over the Casting Skills Challenge Tasks
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Casting Skills Challenge, Help with Casting or Socialize

Join Heather Hodson and Jen Ripple of Dun Magazine for a low-key, fun and non-intimidating evening of casting and community, in conjunction with the New Orleans Fly Fishers club and the FFI Casting Skills Challenge program.   Or just come socialize and hang out.

SweetWater Brewing Company is providing the adult beverages that will be kept cold by YETI.  This is a plastic free event so we ask that you bring a reusable water bottle and we’ll provide the ice cold water.

We’re happy to show off the fun FFI Bronze Casting Challenge at these events. For those interested, we’ll run through and practice the obstacles.  For FFI members, we have qualified observers to complete the challenge certification.  For non FFI members, we’ll have applications for those wishing to join.   There is -no- obligation to join FFI unless you wish to receive the certificate and pin.

Hosted by Rip and Hopper’s Adventure, Fly Fishers International, Sweetwater Brewing Company, United Women on the Fly, Dun Magazine, and Heather Hodson (Northwest Fly Girl)

Details on the Challenge can be found at the FFI website Casting Skills Challenge Page.

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Seatrout regulations to be discussed at October FWC meeting

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Catch Cormier

2019 may be remembered as the “Year for Spotted Seatrout Regulations”. Alabama and Mississippi have implemented stricter regulations, and Florida and Louisiana are considering changes after both states latest assessment results fell below their conservation targets.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will hear from FWC staff and biologists at their October 1st meeting in Cape Canaveral on public feedback of draft proposals the agency made public in Spring. There may also be changes in those proposals presented at the meeting.

Florida’s spotted seatrout (speckled trout) are managed regionally across four zones.

Of interest to the FFI Gulf Coast Council are proposed changes for the “Northwest Zone” of Florida coastal waters. The Northwest zone currently ranges from the Alabama border east and south to just north of Tampa Bay. One of the proposed changes calls for splitting this zone into “Western Panhandle” and “Big Bend”.

The new Western Panhandle zone would go east to the Gulf-Franklin County line. Two GCC clubs are in this zone – the Fly Fishers of Northwest Florida and the Panhandle Fly Fishers.

Current regulations for this zone are 5 fish per day, with a slot limit of 15-20 inches, one over 20 inches allowed. Annual landings in the Northwest Zone over the last three years have averaged around 1.4 million pounds.

The proposed regulations for the Western Panhandle Zone would be 3 fish per day. The slot limit would be changed to 15-19 inches, with no harvest above the slot. In addition, the regulations would re-establish a February closure that was implemented to protect cold harboring fish.

Florida is different from most Gulf states like Louisiana and Mississippi in that they manage for “Optimum Sustainable Yield”. Their target for Spawning Potential Ratio – the ratio of mature fish in current population compared to an unfished population – is 35 percent. By comparison, Louisiana and Mississippi manage for “Maximum Sustainable Yield” with a management target around 20 percent. The biological threshold – also known as the conservation standard – is between 14 and 16 percent.

One reason why the management target is so high is because extraordinary environmental incidents are not factored into the “unfished population” determination. Therefore making such things as red tide kills no different than if there had been a huge spike in fishing.

Posted in Conservation | Comments Off on Seatrout regulations to be discussed at October FWC meeting

Make plans for Toledo Bend Rendezvous Nov 1-3

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Catch Cormier

North Toledo Bend Rendezvous
Friday-Sunday, November 1-3, 2019
North Toledo Bend State Park, Zwolle, LA

In October 1989, members of the Pineywoods Fly Fishers and North Louisiana Fly Fishers met at North Toledo Bend State Park to camp and fish. After two successful years, and growing interest from other clubs, it was agreed to rent the group facility. The facilities at North Toledo Bend State Park proved to be ideal for a Fall weekend fly tying retreat. Since then, the tradition has continued and grown.

So what is “Rendezvous”? It’s an informal gathering of fly tyers – and other fly fishing enthusiasts – along with their families, from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and elsewhere. There’s no planned activities, but plenty of fly tying, food, fly casting and fishing, with only a minimal fee to cover lodging and meals.

The activities take place at the park’s group facility, which features a commercial kitchen and dining hall, and lodging available for up to 150 people in 5 heated log bunkhouses (30 beds each). There’s also a heated central shower and restroom building with nice night lighting on all the sidewalks.

Rendezvous continues to be a gathering for some of the top fly tiers in the country, most of whom have been featured at regional and national expos.  Whether you come to tie, or come to watch and learn, or just partake the great scenery, fishing and on-the-water location, you’ll be glad you came!

Thanks to donations from six regional clubs, as well as the FFI Gulf Coast Council, attendees can continue to enjoy affordable lodging rates. Rates are $20 per night (family or individual) for those staying in the bunkhouses, and $10 for those coming just for the day.

For complete info, go to the Rendezvous website at flycasting.bravesites.com.

Posted in Events | Comments Off on Make plans for Toledo Bend Rendezvous Nov 1-3

11th annual Rio Rodeo coming up October 5th

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Catch Cormier

11th annual Rio Grande Fly Fishing Rodeo
Saturday, October 5, 2019
8:00am to 12:00pm (weigh-in)
Sign in: 7:00am to 8:00am

Sponsored by the New Orleans Fly Fishers
$10 entry fee, includes lunch and refreshments
All proceeds go to Casting for Recovery

Onsite registration and weigh-in will be at the intersection of Henry Thomas Drive and Celebration Drive (under the oak trees across from the Blue Rose art sculpture). Look for the NOFF sign and tent.

Mail-in registration deadline – September 21st
Onsite registration deadline – October 5th, 8:00am

This tournament is fly fishing only for the Rio Grande Cichlid. All entry fish must be caught on artificial flies. Two categories will be awarded:

  • Longest rio wins top prize and bragging rights for the year.
  • Most rios caught by a fly fisher takes first prize in the second category.

Now into it’s second decade, the Rio Rodeo is now bigger and better than ever! This tournament is fly fishing only for the elusive Rio Grande Cichlid.

The Rio Grande Perch is native to south Texas and northeast Mexico, making it America’s only native cichlid. Sometime in the early 1990s, rios began appearing in waterways in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, most likely the result of dumpings by pet store and aquarium owners. Since rios are more cold-tolerant than other cichlids, most are able to survive the mild winters of southeast Louisiana. They are now common across ponds and canals across Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines parishes.

Rios make excellent fly fishing quarry on light tackle. While not the greatest fighters, they can get up to 2 pounds and “fight like a wet cat”. The larger specimens are called “brainiacs” because of their obtruding front lobe. They are also very wary, making presentation and choice of fly critical.

For complete rules, and registration forms and details, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

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Stocking offers hope for Mississippi seatrout recovery

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Catch Cormier

Earlier this week, roughly 134,000 speckled trout were released into Mississippi waters by the University of Southern Mississippi’s Marine Aquaculture Center. The stocking was an effort to restore a fishery threatened by the extremely high freshwater influx from the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

The record-breaking volume and duration of the Spillway opening greatly reduced salinity in the Mississippi Sound, in many places to single digits. Spotted seatrout require spawning salinities of 14-35 parts per thousand (35ppt being ocean salinity). If too low, the eggs are not bouyant and spawning cycles are lost.

Biologists with the USM-MAC are hoping that speckled trout displaced by the freshwater will return and spawn this month.  But just in case, the stocking will buffer any losses in the year class.

The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center is located at the Cedar Point research site in Ocean Springs. It houses the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Lab and marine aquaculture program. The 100,000 square-foot center includes state-of-the-art facilities for culturing juvenile marine fish species for stocking. The species list includes spotted seatrout, red snapper, striped bass and cobia.

The FFI Gulf Coast Council has been a conservation partner with the Gulf Coast Research Lab in it’s efforts to restore striped bass.

Posted in Conservation | Comments Off on Stocking offers hope for Mississippi seatrout recovery