Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Here's wishing a most blessed Christmas for all our members and friends!  And hopefully, something under the tree that can help us catch more fish... or at least make the trip more enjoyable!  And let's not forget the reason for the season: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.".

As always, the club has several great things in store for 2016.  Our 24th annual Red Stick Day Fly Festival is March 12th at Waddill Refuge here in Baton Rouge.  Fishing-wise, there's our annual Spring and Fall freshwater weekends to Lake Concordia, our annual Spring and Fall marsh outings along Highway 1 (aka, "Catch-n-Eat"), and the annual Grand Isle Fly Fishing Weekend.  Dates for all these events are already set on our Calendar.

Also, many of our friends are holding events this coming year, including Texas Fly Fishers (Feb. 6), Little Missouri Fly Fest (Feb. 13), Acadiana Fly Rodders Conclave (Feb. 20), and Cane Country Fly Casters (Mar. 5).  Also the North Louisiana Fly Fishers Masters Series on July 23 with Bob Clouser and the IFFF Gulf Coast Fly Fishing Fair on September 16-17.  Check out our Calendar page for dates and details on these and all other activities.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

December fly tying at Orvis

For December, our monthly fly tying session is moved to the 3rd Monday - December 21.  It will be held at the Orvis store in Perkins-Rowe off Bluebonnet.  Time is 7:00pm.

Come join us for tying and holiday festivities!  Bring your tying tools, if none, the club has a few sets for use during this session. Materials are provided. As always, beginners are welcome!

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

RSFF Holiday Party - Monday, December 14

Our annual Christmas, Hannukah, New Years potluck dinner will take place Monday, December 14, at the Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive.  Arrive starting at 6:00pm for setup, we eat at 7:00pm or shortly after.

The club's famous "Bayou Chefs" will be preparing food to make you slap your mama!  But we'll also have salads, desserts, soft drinks, and other goodies.

If you're a member of RSFF and have not received the email for RSVP attendance, or the list for bringing a dish to the party, use the Contacts page and email or phone your request.  We'd love to have you!

Monday, October 26, 2015

Toledo Bend Rendezvous this weekend Oct 30 - Nov 1

What is Rendezvous?  Twenty-five years ago, a group of fly fishermen from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and elsewhere decided to get together for a weekend to fish and tie flies.  They found the facilities at North Toledo Bend State Park to be ideal.  Since then, the tradition has continued and grown.  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 ($40 weekend, $20 day or night).  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 and a large main log building with A/C, picnic tables and a large barbeque trailer.

Held the first weekend of November each year, the Toledo Bend Rendezvous (aka Southern Fly Fishers Rendezvous) is co-sponsored by the IFFF Texas and Gulf Coast Councils.  It remains one of the top tying events in the country, with many of the attendees featured at regional and national expos.

For complete details, go to the Toledo Bend Rendezvous home page

October 26 fly tying - weedless patterns

Our next monthly fly tying session will be Monday, October 26, at Cabelas in Gonzales. Time is 7:00pm.

Jeff Denig will be tying a couple of weedless style patterns using the HPU (Hook Point Up) Style.  Bring your tools if you have some, otherwise the club has a few sets for use during the session.  Materials are provided.

See ya there!

Monday, September 28, 2015

Fly tying Monday night at Orvis

Our next fly tying session will be this Monday, September 28, at the Orvis store in Perkins-Rowe in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm.

Fly tying co-chair Jeff Denig is happy to report that we'll be tying the EP Floating Minnow - correctly - this time! This is one of the flies that Dr. Vic Tedesco, our last meeting speaker, said he uses during the Fall/Winter.

Also we will be tying a takeoff on the EP Finger Mullet / Fat Boy Mullet. Jeff will provide a couple of examples of how to "finish" the flies cone shaped flexible head. Due to the drying time, need for ventilation and varied cost of the methods - you'll have to experiment and determine your favorite "finish" at home.

Jeff also recommends Clear Mono Fly Tying Thread if you have any - since it "disappears" when tying sparse EP Fiber type files. Also, - a Comb - is pretty helpful when tying EP Fiber Flies. As always - a quick drying superglue is good for EP as well.

See you Monday!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

National Hunting and Fishing Day this Saturday

2015 National Hunting and Fishing Day Outdoors Festival
Saturday, September 26, 2015
9:00am to 3:00pm  (Kids fishing rodeo starts at 7:30am)
LDWF Waddill Outdoors Education Center
4141 N. Flannery Road, Baton Rouge, LA

FREE admission!  Food and refreshments provided, as well as wild game tasting.

Sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, NHF Day Festivals provide fun and education for the entire family through hands-on activities, exhibits, and demonstrations. Activities include: archery, canoeing, duck and goose calling, fishing, and sports shooting. Demonstrations will be presented on bowhunting, falconry and more.

 Also fly casting and fly tying demos presented by Red Stick Fly Fishers.

Exhibits will be staffed by members of the Amite River Traditional Archery Club, Ducks Unlimited, Operation Game Thief, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Quality Deer Management Association and many more.

For more info, click on the poster image above.

Monday, September 14, 2015

GCC Fly Fishing Fair this weekend!

2015 IFFF Gulf Coast Council Fly Fair
September 18-19, 2015

Ocean Springs Civic Center, 3720 Bienville Blvd, Ocean Springs, MS
Friday - 10am to 4pm
Saturday - 9am to 5pm
Hosted by the International Federation of Fly Fishers - Gulf Coast Council (IFFF-GCC)

All Fly Fair classes and instruction are FREE!  To help default costs and to raise monies for the Council’s conservation projects, there will be raffles and auctions during the event.

The activities will include a variety of fly fishing instruction, including beginner classes, casting lessons, and various presentations. There will also be silent auctions and raffles for rods, reels, equipment and artwork.  A percentage of those proceeds will go to support conservation programs supported by the GCC.

Friday – Specialty Classes
Friday Evening – Casual Dinner at the Beach, Ocean Springs Yatch Club, award presentations, drinks, and auctions.
Saturday – Breakfast at the Lab (Gulf Coast Research Lab), Programs, Tying, Casting, Auctions and Raffles

For complete details, or to register, go to the GCC website at www.gulfcoastfff.org or the GCC blog site at www.gulfcoastifff.blogspot.com

Friday, September 11, 2015

September 14 meeting

The next meeting of the Red Stick Fly Fishers will be Monday, September 14, at the Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.  Casting practice begins at 6:30pm, followed by meeting at 7:00pm.  The public is welcome!

For our September meeting, we are proud to have Chester McDonald who will talk on "Preparation for Fly Fishing in Alaska".  Chester has traveled to a wide variety places and will talk about the details of making the trip of a lifetime!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Contraband Fly Fishing Expo this weekend!

11th Contraband Fly Fishing Expo
Saturday, August 22, 2015
8:30am - 4:00pm
PPG - Porter Hall, 2250 Prater Road, Westlake, LA
FREE ADMISSION.
Sponsored by the Contraband Fly Casters / Tom Nixon Chapter

Fly Tying, Casting Demos, Lure Exhibits, Auctions / Raffles, Food and Refreshments, Equipment Displays and more! Also, the drawing for their Kayak Raffle.  Tickets will be sold during the event up until the drawing.

For a complete schedule of activities, go to http://www.warmfly.com/smf/index.php?topic=7863.0

Monday, August 17, 2015

NOFF Rio Rodeo - Sept 12

7th Annual Rio Grande Rodeo
Sponsored by the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club

Saturday, September 12, 2015
New Orleans City Park
8:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
Open to members of all recognized Louisiana fly fishing clubs (If you don’t belong to a club you can join one that morning)
Registration starts at 7:30am at Rodeo Headquarters
Look for the NOFF sign & tent on Diagonal Drive
(Across from the Softball Complex between Harrison Ave and I-610)
Donuts and coffee will be provided in the morning. Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can plan accordingly.
Lunch and drinks will be provided to those who register early.
Complete rules and fishing boundaries will be provided the day of the rodeo
For any questions or to register please call or e-mail:
A.J. Rosenbohm
NOFF Events Coordinator
504-952-1340
Nolaflyguy@att.net

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

August 10th Meeting - Dr. Vic Tedesco

This month we get to hear from Dr. Vic Tedesco. Included below is a short bio: I'm a native of New Orleans and graduated from L.S.U. med school in 1966 and am a board certified General Surgeon. After two years of active duty in the USAF, I practiced in Houma, La from 1973 until retirement in 2010.Coroner of Terrebonne Parrish from 1984 to present. Married to Madelyn and have five children. I am a life long fisherman and developed an interest in saltwater fly fishing in the mid to late 1980's. Have caught many species on the fly including Blue and White Marlin, sailfish, dolphin, yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna and tarpon. Have had two past world records (black drum and ladyfish). I have multiple entries in the La. fly fishing state records, including first place dophin. I won fist place in the fly east division of the Louisiana Star tournament three years ago and was second the last two yrs. I was recognized by the La. cooperative fish tagging program for tagging the most speckled trout and total fish tagged last year. I was recently notified the I had over 17,000 tags since I began tagging (I had no idea). My main interest at present is inshore fly fishing for speckled trout and fish most often from my Grand Isle camp. My largest spec on the fly in La. was 6.49#s. Largest overall was 27 inches ( released and not weighed ) was caught in Jensen Beach, FL. -Vic Tedesco Everyone is encouraged to attend. It should be an interesting talk! The meeting will take place at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building, 2000 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, at 7pm. Feel free to come early and practice your casting out back!

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

2015 Fly and Kayak Fishing Products

I attended ICAST / IFTD - the world's largest sportfishing and fly fishing trade show - a couple weeks ago in Orlando.  I've been compiling on my blog some of the new or more interesting products I saw related to fly fishing and kayak fishing.  The url is www.nonewtailstotell.blogspot.com.  The posts are compiled by category (kayaks, rods, reels, clothing, etc.).  Keep checking back as new categories are added... should be completed by early August.  Hope this provides some interest - maybe even excitement - to RSFF members as you ponder items for your Santa list this Christmas.

No New Tails to Tell

Monday, July 27, 2015

July 27th Fly Tying - Cabelas

Our next monthly fly tying session will be Monday, July 27, at the Cabelas store in Gonzales, in the upstairs Conference Room. Time is 7:00pm.  The public and beginners are welcome. Bring your own tools if you have them, else the club has a few tool sets it can provide during the session.  Materials are provided.

For this month, Tying Chairman Jeff Denig will demonstrate a couple of warmwater patterns.  See you there!

Friday, June 5, 2015

Monthly Meeting, Monday June 8th

This Monday, our guest speaker will be Matthew Herron a BREC Conservation Specialist. Matthew will introduce us to BREC's Conservation Department, and will talk to us about BREC freshwater resources and their challenges and opportunities. For all of you interested in conservation, this should be a great opportunity to find out about what is going on in our area. We will have the chance to hear about potential projects for collaboration, and will have a chance for discussion as well. It should be an informative meeting. I hope to see you there! The meeting will take place at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building, 2000 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, at 7pm. Feel free to come early and practice your casting out back!

Monday, May 11, 2015

Monthly Meeting, Monthly Fly Tying, and Grand Isle Trip

Tonight's Meeting:
Richard Evans is a long-time member of the Redstick Flyfishers, a state-record holding fly fisherman, and shares time between his home in Baton Rouge and his summer house in Montana.  Rich will entertain us tonight with a talk on fishing the West.  If any club members wish to make a trip out west for cold water trout fishing, Rich is a great resource to help in planning when and where you can fish for big wild trout.  Mike Lafleur and Joe Kahler have agreed to participate in a question and answer session after Rich’s presentation to help answer any questions the attendees may have about planning a trip out West.

The meeting will take place at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building, 2000 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, at 7pm.  Feel free to come early and practice your casting out back!

Monthly Fly Tying:
The May 25th Fly Tying Meeting at Bass Pro, 175 Bass Pro Blvd, Denham Springs, LA 70726, is NOW May 26th 7PM Due to Memorial Day.  Jeff Denig will be tying Commercially Available Foam Pencil Poppers and EZ Poppers.

Grand Isle Trip:
The Grand Isle Fly Fishing trip is our premier annual event. Members of Louisiana and Mississippi fly fishing clubs (and a few stragglers from other clubs elsewhere) come together down at Grand Isle for a weekend of saltwater fishing, food, and comradery.

This weekend offers lots of fun for all types of fly fishers.  Simply bring your boating, puddle craft or bank/surf fishing equipment and join with others who share your fishing technique. Activities take place at the Blue Dolphin Inn, and include the Friday night shrimp boil and the Saturday evening fish fry.  Rooms and cottages at the Blue Dolphin have been reserved.  A "bed" reservation can be made by contacting Randy Leonpacher.  Cost is $93 and includes Friday and Saturday night.  In addition, the 2 large cottages are $381, and the remaining small cottages are $333.

Full details about the trip can be found at: http://www.warmfly.com/smf/index.php?topic=7816.0

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Spring 2015 Saltwater Catch & Eat - May 16 weekend

The RSFF Spring Saltwater Catch & Eat is just around the corner - May 16 to be exact. For those new folks interested, fishing takes place along Highway 1 from Galliano south to Grand Isle.  Find a partner(s) then group with others who fish by your style - boat, off-road, puddle craft at your designated fishing spots. Everyone handles their own reservations at a favorite place of stay. Popular places are Boudreaux's Condeauxs, Galliano Inn, Catfish Lake Cabins, Days Inn all of which are in Golden Meadow.  Also popular is Boudreaux's in Leeville and Blue Dolphin Inn in Grand Isle.

Most folks come down on Friday and fish Friday and Saturday.  Some fish on Sunday morning. But Saturday evening is the main event.  On Saturday evening, usually starting at 5:00pm, we get together at Boudreaux's Condeauxs in Golden Meadow for a seafood fry.  The menu typically consists of fresh fried fish filets (contributions of the weekends catch from everyone), fried shrimp, potatoes, salad, french bread, desserts, possibly other goodies.  We also exchange fishing stories from the weekend.

A lot more details on this event can be found on the Red Stick Fly Fishers Forum at www.warmfly.com.  If you've never been at the Spring C&E or Fall C&E, you will not only enjoy a great time, but learn a lot from the saltwater veterans who are regulars. This event is open to all current members of Red Stick Fly Fishers, their guests, and members of other recognized fly fishing clubs.

Monday, April 13, 2015

April 13 meeting

The next meeting of the Red Stick Fly Fishers will be held Monday, April 13, at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.  Casting outside (weather permitting) beginning at 6:30pm, with meeting time 7:00pm.  The public is invited.

On the agenda: debriefing of the Lake Concordia Trip, discussion about the upcoming Spring Catch and Eat marsh fishing trip the weekend of May 16.  Also open forum on several topics... members should bring questions if they have any.

Upcoming meetings: May - Richard Evans, August - Dr. Vic Tedesco. We also have Marc Pinsel and Kyle Moppert scheduled for later this year.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Monthly Fly Tying - March 23rd

The monthly fly tying is this Monday at Orvis:

A number of years ago Fly Tying/Fishing Legend Mike Verduin attended our Spring RSFF Trip to Lake Concordia. The following day Mike was gracious enough to demonstrate the tying of his Cap Spider to RSFF Members. This Monday, March 23rd 7PM, Orvis - Ron Braud, in tribute to Mike Verduin, will demonstrate the tying of two different Verduin Patterns - the Cap Spider and the Woven Catalpa Worm. Both of these patterns can be used, with great success, on the upcoming trip to Lake Concordia. In addition, if time allows, Ron will be demonstrating another Woven Fly Pattern of Dirk Burton’s design.

This meeting will be open to the public. Materials are provided, and fly tying tools are available or you can bring your own. Orvis is located at Perkins Rowe off Bluebonnet Blvd north of Perkins Rd. This is south of I-10 off exit 162A.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Red Stick Day this Saturday!

This Saturday, March 7, is our annual "Red Stick Day" fly fishing festival at the LDWF Waddill Outdoors Center on 4141 Flannery Road in Baton Rouge. Our annual conclave features seminars, fly tying demos, kayak demos, casting instruction, on-site fishing, great food, lots of great raffle prizes and more!

Best of all - it's FREE! For complete details, click on the "Red Stick Fly Fest" on the menu bar.  See you there!

Monday, February 23, 2015

February 23rd fly tying - Bass Pro

Our next fly tying session will be on Monday, February 23 at Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs. Time is 7:00pm. Our monthly tying sessions are FREE and open to the public. If you have tools, please bring them. Otherwise, the club has a few toolsets (vise, bobbin, bodkin, scissors, etc.) to use during these sessions. Materials will be provided.

Monday, February 9, 2015

February 9th Meeting - F3T Film Tour Tickets

Come on out tonight and hear Michelle Maloney! Orvis will be sending a representative to sell F3T Film Tour tickets to save you a trip. The F3T Film Tour will be February 27th at the Orvis Store at 7 pm with doors opening at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $15 cash or check only.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

February 9th meeting - Michelle Maloney

The next meeting of the Red Stick Fly Fishers will be held Monday, February 9, at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.  Time is 7:00pm.  The public is invited.

This month we get to hear from Michelle Maloney, the Coastal Outreach Coordinator for the Louisiana Wildlife Federation. She will be presenting on coastal restoration and where we are now with the State Coastal Master Plan and RESTORE Act. This will be an insightful presentation as a lot of our inshore salt water fisheries are dependent on our marshes.

Also on the agenda: fishing reports, upcoming events including Fly Fishing Film Tour (Feb. 27) and our own Red Stick Day conclave (Mar. 7). 

Friday, January 23, 2015

January 26th Fly Tying - Cabela's

This Monday one of our new fly tying co-chairs, Jeff Denig, will be leading our tying for us. On the Warm Fly forum he says: "At our next fly tying meeting I will be tying the EP Fiber Floating Injured Minnow and a Mystery Fly. It's so secret that, umm, it's still a mystery to me, lol. As with most of the EP Fiber patterns - it would be a good idea to bring either white or clear mono thread. That should work on the mystery fly as well." We hope to see you there!

Thursday, January 8, 2015

January 12 meeting - Launch Leeville



The next meeting of the Red Stick Fly Fishers will be on Monday, January 12, 2015 at the Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. The public is invited.  

Janet Rhodus of the advocacy non profit, Launch Leeville, will be speaking about her favorite topics, fishing and Leeville of course.  Informational forum, welcoming your input and questions.  Come hear what's new and projected for our cozy little fishing village.