Toledo Bend Rendezvous coming up Oct. 18-20

North Toledo Bend Rendezvous
Friday-Sunday, October 18-20, 2024
North Toledo Bend State Park, Zwolle, LA

For those unfamiliar with Rendezvous, it began 35 years ago when members of two clubs met at North Toledo Bend State Park to camp and fish. The following year, the clubs decided to rent the group facility.  Since then, fly tiers and other fly fishing enthusiasts from across several states – along with their families – have gathered for a weekend of fly tying and fishing with only a minimal fee to cover lodging and meals. Some are members of clubs, some are not. Rendezvous is open to all!

There are no organized activities. Everyone is welcome to come fish, tie flies, watch some of the region's top tiers, or tie themselves. You can come for the day or the entire weekend. If you come as a family, the rate for the entire weekend for the whole family or individual is just $40 which includes lodging. For one night lodging, the fee is $20 and for day only the fee is $10.

The excellent facilities at North Toledo Bend State Park are ideal for a Fall weekend fly tying retreat. 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.

For complete details, go to flycasting.bravesites.com.

September 23rd fly tying - Llano Bug

RSFF monthly fly tying
Monday, September 23, 2024

7:00 pm
Orvis Perkins-Rowe
7601 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge LA

This month fellow club member Bob Cook ties up Kevin Hutchinson's Llano Bug.  A long time Texas favorite, this foam offering is just as fishable on our local streams and lakes.

Our fly tying sessions are open to the public, and beginners are welcome. Bring your vise and tools and tie with us, or just watch. For those without tying tools, the club has some for use during these sessions.  Materials are provided.

September Activities

Some very busy weeks ahead for regional fly anglers and tiers!  RSFF members have an opportunity to:  demonstrate their tying and favorite patterns, watch other tiers from across the region or country, learn about coastal fisheries, teach kids and even adults about fly casting or tying basics, participate in a fly fishing tournament, join other RSFF members for a weekend of fishing and comradery.

Natchitoches Fly Fishing Tie-In
Saturday, September 14th
9am - 4pm
Natchitoches Chamber Building
716 Second St, Natchitoches, LA

This event is being hosted by the ArkLaTexOma Fly Tiers, an independent group of fly tiers from the four corners region. This event is free and open to the public. Many of the top tiers from across the region will be on hand to demonstrate a wide range of patterns. 

According to Mike Hawkins, there's room for more tiers - contact Mike at flyfish.hawk@gmail.com.

FFI Fly Tying Group Rendezvous
Friday-Saturday, September 27-28
Springlake Event Center
Farmers Branch, Texas, TX

Organized by the Fly Fishers International (FFI) Fly Tying Group, this event will feature tiers from across the country.  It's an opportunity to see many tiers from across the country, perhaps some flies and even tying techniques that RSFF members may not be familiar with.

Admission is free, and there's multiple activities both Friday and Saturday.  These include: Over 40 demonstration tiers, Featured Fly Tyers (theatre-style demonstrations), classes for beginners, workshops and seminars, a banquet and fundraising event on Friday evening, Rendezvous shirts and hats, and more. For more info, go to https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/FTG-Rendezvous 

3rd annual ASGA Fisheries Science Symposium
Friday, September 27th
10am - 3pm
Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans
Free admission but pre-registration required

The American Saltwater Guides Association will host their third Fisheries Science Symposium at the Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans. It will feature a comprehensive lineup of guest speakers and presentations focused on current events, research and management updates for iconic Gulf species like redfish and jack crevalle.  They'll also take a peak at artificial intelligence and it's use in the future of fisheries data.

Over the past year, ASGA was a partner with the FFI Gulf Coast Council and other allies in the battle to get sensible new regulations for red drum, speckled trout, and menhaden here in Louisiana.

While the event is free, there's a maximum capacity and a deadline of Tuesday, September 17th to register.  For more info and to register, CLICK HERE.

National Hunting and Fishing Day
Saturday, September 28th
Waddill Outdoors Education Center
4141 N. Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge
8:30am to 2:00pm
Free admission!

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries celebrates NHF Day at four venues across the state, including here in Baton Rouge. Admission  is free. Activities including archery, canoeing, fishery, target shooting, outdoor games, live animal exhibits, educational displays, and more. 

Red Stick Fly Fishers has been part of NHF Day at Waddill for 30 years.  We demonstrate fly tying and fly casting, along with hands-on teaching of tying and casting.  We also talk about fly fishing and opportunities for doing so here in Louisiana and elsewhere. As always, we need volunteers for fly tying, fly casting.  Or to just talk fly fishing. 

Rio Grande Rumble
Saturday, September 28th
Weigh-in: No Wake Outfitters
1926 Airline Dr, Metairie, LA
Registration: $20

Our neighboring club in New Orleans - New Orleans Fly Fishers Club - is hosting their 15th annual Rio Grande Rumble Fly Fishing Rodeo on the 28th. The target species is the invasive and wary Rio Grande cichlid. Categories are Longest and Most. Fishing starts at 6:52am  and ends at 12:30pm.

Pre-registration is available on the NOFFC website. Anglers can also register the morning of the tournament at No Wake Outfitters. For complete details, and to pre-register, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

RSFF annual Fall Weekend at Lake Concordia
Friday - Sunday, October 4-6
Lakeview Lodge, Ferriday, LA 

While our Fall Concordia trip is officially the first weekend in October,  the club tying session later this month will be the last opporunity for club members to ask questions and get information prior to this activity.  We book the large camp building and some members book individual motel rooms.  Food is provided, however for the Saturday night fish fry we ask all attendees to contribute part of their catch.  We'll be fly fishing for bass, bream, crappie, other species. 

For details, check with Thad McDonald. 

September 9th meeting - Rigging for Success

RSFF general meeting
Monday, September 9th

7:00 pm
LDWF Headquarters
2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA

Join us as club president Brian Roberts leads a presentation on "Fly Fishing Basics - Rigging".  The focus will be on how to rig up for fishing with emphasis on south Louisiana, including fly line selection, leader and tippet selection and construction, and terminal knots.  Connor Lewing, the fishing manager at Orvis is scheduled to be on hand as well to help out.

As always, our general meetings are open to the public.  For members unable to attend in person, be on the lookout for a link to the virtual meeting as the date approaches.

Flycasting Clinic Schedule

As previously posted, Jeff Ferguson (FFI MCI) will lead us this Saturday in an in-depth hands-on casting clinic that should benefit anglers of all experience levels. Fly rods will be provided for those looking to learn. In the meantime, Jeff has proposed the following schedule:

8:30 - 9:30 am.  Roll casting. Will cover the Static and Dynamic Roll Casts and benefits of shrinking the anchor and growing the d-loop. Needed to setup the basic cast, but also a useful cast in stream and saltwater applications.

9:45am - 10:45am. Will introduce the Gammel Five Essentials of Casting. These help casters self-diagnose an efficient overhead cast. Loop control can be fun and important in distance, mending, slack line casts, casting in the wind, and pass to accuracy.

11:00am - 12:00 noon. Distance casting. Double haul is a key cast for adding distance but only if done effectively. Jeff will cover how to start and stop a haul, how fast, how long, how line length plays into hauling, and more.  Will also work on the "saltwater quick cast".

Lunch break

After lunch, we'll do fun casts that break the rules and anything else that Jeff can help with from basics to advanced. Examples: curve casts, aerial mends, slack line casts.

RSFF August Activities

A new month is upon us.  Here’s a look ahead at what Red Stick Fly Fishers has on the docket for August.

RSFF General Meeting
Monday, August 12th, 7:00pm
Where: LDWF Headquarters, 2000 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA
Topic: Trout Fishing North Georgia with Ben Roussel

Join us as RSFF Membership Chair, Ben Roussel, shares some of his experiences targeting wild trout in North Georgia.  For more details, see the post below.

RSFF Casting Clinic with Guest Instructor Jeff Ferguson
Saturday, August 17th, 8am - 12pm
Where: BREC Perkins Rd Park - Pavilion near the Pond

Join us next Saturday, August 17th as FFI Master Casting Instructor, Jeff Ferguson, joins us for an in-depth and hands-on fly casting clinic that should benefit anglers of all experience levels.  Fly rods will be provided for those looking to learn.

Admission to this event is free, and instruction will be provided from 8 am  until noon.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from one of the best fly casters out there!

Flies & Flights
Wednesday, August 21st, 7:00pm
Where: Rally Cap Brewing (11212 Pennywood Ave, Baton Rouge, LA)
Featured Pattern: TBD

Join us at Rally Cap Brewing on Wednesday, July 17th, for this month’s brewery night.  We haven’t settled on a featured pattern as of yet, but keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.

F&F is an independent collective of tiers just looking to tie and enjoy a social gathering with some fine brews. While not affiliated with Red Stick, it was hatched by a few club members as an alternative to a traditional meeting environment. Everyone is welcome!

Keep an eye out for a follow up email with more details.

**Tools, vises and materials available for those looking to learn**

RSFF Fly Tying Meeting
Monday, August 26th, 7:00 pm
Where: Orvis Baton Rouge, 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge LA
Featured Pattern: Chicone’s Disco Shrimp

This month, RSFF member Sydney Dobson ties up Drew Chicone’s Disco Shrimp.  Originally designed to target mangrove snapper in south Florida, this gurgler variant provides realistic topwater profile and plenty of fish catching sound courtesy of a built-in rattle.

**Tools, vises and materials available for those looking to learn**

RSFF Sack Up for Clean Water
Saturday, August 24th, 8:00am - 11:00am
Where: Bayou Fountain Boat Launch (14024 Highland Rd, Baton Rouge)

Join RSFF Conservation Chair, Robinson Almeida, and the rest of the RSFF gang for a morning of fly fishing and waterway clean up at the Bayou Fountain boat launch near BREC’s Highland Park.

This is a kayak-friendly outing, but there are plenty of angling opportunities for shorebound fly fishers as well.

"Our love of fly fishing is not just about uncovering amazing locations; it’s also about taking responsibility for our environment. As our consumption increase so does the litter that finds its way onto our streets, into our infrastructure, ending in our waterways. RSFF is committed to educating and advocating for responsible practices to keep all of our favorite spots pristine.” -Conservation Chair, Robinson Almeida

Volunteer Sign-up form

Happy Hour at Orvis Baton Rouge
Thursday, August 29th, 5pm - 7pm
Where: Orvis Baton Rouge (7601 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge LA)

While this is not an official RSFF Event, our friends at Orvis Baton Rouge would like to invite all local fly anglers to a special Happy Hour event at their shop in Perkins Rowe the evening of Thursday, August 29th.

The event will include a presention on Belize Bonefish by El Pescador Lodge Ambassador, Will Stephens, and some great Orvis gear will be raffled off. 

With a potential RSFF Belize trip in the works for 2025, this is a great time to learn more about the great fishing Belize has to offer.