Those BNTEP tidal calendars which are so popular among southeast Louisiana flyrodders and kayakfishers are a bit delayed this year, but will be arriving at the BTNEP office in Thibodaux on Friday. The various Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program calendars are much in demand, but none moreso than the tidal calendars with daily lunar/tidal graphs. Tide ranges and times are based for Caminada Pass. By using adjustments available on rodnreel.com or louisianasportsman.com sites, you can estimate the tide for most of the Louisiana coast. Now, if you're a member of the Red Stick Fly Fishers club, that club has reserved a box of calendars that will be distributed possibly as early as their fourth Monday fly tying, and certainly by the February meeting. I know the New Orleans Fly Fishers usually makes similiar arrangements. If you are not a member of these clubs, then please note that BTNEP does not have funds to mail out all of these calendars. So if you order, you will be asked to pay postage.

My Cabela's 2009 fly fishing catalog came in. Unlike manufacturers, Cabelas own-name products are not part of the Fly Tackle Retailer new product listings. So the first glimpse I get each year of their new stuff comes when the January catalog arrives. Some of the more interesting items are their new ETQ rods (Extra Tight Quarters), L-Tech rods and Watershed reels. The ETQ rods range from 5 feet to 6 1/2 feet in length. The L-Tech rods look strange... they are extremely lightweight rods where additional grams of weight have been cut by eliminating most of the reelseat (and the arbors that would support it). The Watershed reel is now Cabelas premium fly reel, made in the USA, and with a very strong resemblence to the Ross Evolution. Hmmm? If this is a bargain version of the Evolution (about $150 cheaper), then it's going to be a hot item. Cabelas continues to expand it's waders, wading boots, and tackle pack offerings including FishPond, William Joseph, Simms and Cloudveil.

Monday, January 5
What's happening this week. The new year brings the start of event season. Over the next 12 weeks, the vast majority of this year's fly fishing shows, boat shows, outdoors shows, seminars and club conclaves will take place across the nation and within our region. Right now, the Houston Boat Show is already in progress, and will continue thru Sunday. On Wednesday, the New Orleans Boat Show kicks off. It too runs thru Sunday. Also on Wednesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their January meeting. Time is 6:30pm, location is Grace Presbyterian Church in Lafayette. The Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers also meet on Wednesday night, at 7:00pm at New Orleans Food and Spirits in Covington. Thursday the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission holds their January meeting at the LDWF Building in Baton Rouge. Time is 9:30am. On the agenda are emergency resolutions for the red snapper and king mackeral seasons. On Saturday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club holds their first of a five tournament series for 2009. The BCKFC Minimalist Challenge will take place at Golden Meadow, and top finishers earn points towards Kayak Angler of the Year. Check the bckfc.org site for more details and registration. Also on Saturday, there is a fly tying class at the Ascension Parish Library- South Irma branch in Gonzales. The class begins at 9:00am and there is no fee.

Global warming rears it's ugly head. After sneaux fell across our state in early December, seems like everyone was making the case that we were in for a hard, cold winter. Seems like now winter is on vacation. Wearing t-shirts and short pants just isn't natural for this time of year... at least not for several days in a row. The mild weather has been a mixed bag. It's allowed folks to get out and do some fishing. Unfortunately, the "catching" is as it usually is this time of year - hit or miss. We need some hard freezes to help kill back some of the aquatic vegetation in freshwater lakes and ponds.

Wednesday, December 31
Geaux Tigers! Last year I watched Jordan Jefferson three times as he guided Destrehan to the state championship. I posted on Tiger Droppings that I thought he was the best Louisiana high school quarterback I'd seen since Peyton Manning (and we all know how that turned out). Tonight as a true freshman he leads the Tigers against the favored - and home team - Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. I'm predicting he'll have a great game and lead the Tigers to victory!

The 2009 catalogs are coming! Every year just after Christmas, the 2009 fly fishing catalogs start pooring in - Cabelas, Orvis, KK Flyfisher, Madison River, Kaufmanns, Marriots, etc.. (Yes, I do a little bit of business with each retailer each year just to keep my name on their list). Now I haven't received the Cabelas catalog yet, but I read on Fly Fisherman board that Cabelas now offers the Sage XP rod. You read correctly... the XP. Recall the XP was terminated and replaced with the supposedly better Z-Axis? As one respondent posted, can you say "Classic Coke"? As much as I love Sage rods, the Z-Axis is definitely my least favorite, while the XP was nothing short of a national treasure. Cabelas has homered on this one!

Another jewel found in the catalogs. When I did my December column for Louisiana Sportsman ("For 2009, Short Is The New Long"), I thought I had listed all of the new short (under 8'3") bass and salt rod models being offered for 2009. Apparently one press release or Fly Tackle Retailer summary I had not received was for the Ross Flystik. These new rods are offered by Ross Worldwide, and are advertised as "tournament legal" as the 6, 8, and 10 weight models are all 7-feet, 11-inches long. They feature a moderate action, and a lifetime warranty. Best of all is the price - $169. The only review of the Flystik I could find was one by a young kid named Befus Tyler, who happens to be on the RW Pro-Staff. So the jury is still out. But given that (1) my favorite kayak and bass rod is an 8-foot, 8-weight moderate rod I built off a Jon King blank, and (2) I never thought I'd ever see such rods again in my life, then (3) I'm absolutely ecstatic...overjoyed...giddy... that there are now a plethora of choices on the market!

Monday, December 29
What's happening this week. With regards to fishing events or activities, nothing. Besides, there's so much great football to occupy our spare time. One bowl game we'll definitely be watching on Wednesday night... LSU plays Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. Can LSU stop the Tech option attack? Nobody else really has. Our Tigers are not favored, it's basically a home game for GT. Last night, Louisiana Tech did our state proud by defeating Northern Illinois in the Independence Bowl. Congratulations to Coach Dooley and his staff. The Saints finished the season as they have several games this season - losing in the final minute. Drew Brees had a great chance to break Dan Marino's record on the final play of the game, but he didn't take advantage and some commentators believe he didn't want to break the record. Regardless, our congrats to Drew Brees for becoming only the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 5,000 yards in a season. While the Saints may have struggled on defense, their offense made for the most fun watching of any pro team this season.

The first phase of coastal restoration projects for the Terrebonne estuaries will soon be underway according to an article in the Houma Courier. Environmental studies before construction can begin in 2011 for two projects. One will redirect water and sediment from the Atchafalaya River into marshes, while the other will restore and build up the barrier island chain south of Terrebonne Bay. A third project under study is looking at using the Houma Navigation Canal to pump freshwater into wetlands and bayous north of Cocodrie. Next month, a water diversion project will be reviewed for pumping Mississippi river water and sediment into the Lake Maurepas system.

Christmas trees for Kincaid. The Alexandria Town Talk reports that City of Alexandria Environmental Services is collecting Christmas trees, with some being put to use as fish habitats in Lake Kincaid. Others will be ground to landscaping mulch. Work crews will be picking up the trees off curbs in Alexandria starting today through January 9. Kincaid has long been one of my favorite fishing holes, and hopefully this program will continue to help it prosper!

Cormier's Twelfth Law of Fly Fishing states that freshwater fishing hits a winter seasonal low when the combination of water temperature and oxygen level is at it's lowest. Let me explain. Although colder water holds more oxygen, leaves fallen from trees into lakes consume up some of that oxygen as they decay in water. Several weeks after all or most of the leaves have fallen off, and water temps stay cold (or colder) then oxygen buildup begins. Fishing then picks up gradually and continues to pick up as surface water temps warm over the next few months. Usually the winter peak low is around the end of December or early part of January. One thing to look out for is the crappie reports. When I start reading a few good reports during this time span, then I know that peak low has been reached, and it's upward from here (although it'll be slow the first several weeks). Well... in Sunday's Monroe News-Star, it appears crappie fishing is picking up. "Better" reports are coming in from lakes Caney, Claiborne, D'Arbonne, Yucatan, Poverty Point. I also read or was told of "better" crappie activity at Toledo Bend, Sibley, Cotile, and eastern Florida Parish ponds. "Better" doesn't mean good or great, not yet. And most of these fish are being caught deep... some up to 30 feet! I'd say now is a good time to tie up those weighted minnow patterns because before you know it, crappie action will be "much better".

Thursday, December 25
Merry Christmas to all! Hope you and your family are enjoying a great day. Despite all the gloom and doom news about the economy, things are still pretty good this holiday season. I overheard a lady in Walgreens yesterday complaining that because her pay was cut she was going to have to get her son an MP3 player instead of an iPod. Imagine my grandfather, who lived in the Great Depression, having to make that kind of sacrifice! I don't even have an MP3 player myself. Of course, there's still a couple presents left under the tree. Who knows? The greatest Christmas present we could all have would be great fishing in 2009. At least better weather than we had in 2008, and NO hurricanes!

Future Beach kayaks are here. I recently spoke to Tom Jindra, regional rep for TFO rods and other fly fishing products. FYI, Tom is a resident of New Orleans, a past-president of the Federation of Fly Fishers, past chairman of the FFF Casting Board of Governors and one of the finest instructors there is. Tom told me he's picked up another product, Future Beach kayaks. In the last issue of Marsh and Bayou Magazine, I saw an ad for the Angler 160 at one of sporting goods stores in Slidell. My first thought was "sixteen feet is probably a bit long for kayak fishing around here". But unlike other manufacturers, where the 160 would mean 16'0", Future Beach models are based on length in inches only. 160 inches translates to 13'4", an almost ideal length for puddling both fresh and salt. Tom told me the two most important features are the hull and the value. The wide dihedral hull makes it exceptionally stable. The value is that this an angler version sells for about $200 less than competitive models.

Monday, December 22
What's happening this week. Christmas is Thursday. You still have time to get that present for someone. Saturday there's a Fishing 101 session for kids at South Toledo Bend State Park in Anacoco. The activity starts at 2:00pm at the Walking Bridge. Call 888-398-4770 toll free or 286-9079 locally for details.

Saturday morning at stopped at the Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs and talked to Harold Henkel in the fly fishing department. Harold said they have some great deals on Gold Cup flylines and 270 rod/reel combos. Also that they have set the monthly fly tying classes for 2009. In fact, Vincent Diliberto was conducting one right then. I went upstairs and Vincent was finishing up his class with about seven students. A couple of folks were looking to use the holidays to tie up a bunch of flies for the spring season. Not a bad idea. Seems like there's never time when the fish start biting to tie flies!

More sneaux? The National Weather Service is calling for a "light wintry mix" tonight for several parishes in northwest and northcentral Louisiana. No accumulation is expected. However any flyfishers looking to make a trip tomorrow to Mountain Fork in Broken Bow (about 2 1/2 hours north of Shreveport) might want to cancel out due to a ice storm advisory. The deep freeze that has gripped most of the midwest and midSouth is having it's impact on us. As of 10am today, Shreveport was only 27 degrees. Closer to the coast was in the 40s but breezier making it pretty miserable. Gulf return flow will move back in tomorrow, and while it'll be much warmer for the rest of the week, the winds will be rough, especially along the coast. Best advise: stick to small waters for now... it can't blow forever!

A miserable report. Read yesterday's Monroe News-Star fishing report and looks like my trip this weekend to Lake D'Arbonne is out. Unless I'm willing to fish cold worms for catfish. Nothing's really biting at Yucatan, Caney, St. John, Black Bayou, Poverty Point, etc, etc.. The only glimmer was crappie below the spillway on Cheniere Lake. I thought for sure the crappie would turn on once the water temperature dropped below 60 degrees, but apparently 47 degrees is too cold for anything to eat! Down in Gonzales, the water temperature in one pond was a paltry 55 degrees and the crappie still weren't biting. However, there is still some fair bass activity at one of my secret haunts. An olive fluff butt has been best, an LSU Clouser and a sparkle chenille worm close seconds.

What happened to The New Fly Fisher? About six months ago, the show stopped airing on PBS stations in Louisiana. I was told that the show was moving to Fox Sports in October. They even had this posted on the home page of their website. Came October, and no sign of TNFF on Fox, and an email confirmed it wasn't happening. So I emailed TNFF and no response from them. Now I see where their website has been upgraded, and nowhere is it mentioned about Fox Sports. So I guess the deal fell through. They aren't on Versus Country (formerly Outdoor Life Network) as advertised. I think they are only being shown on PBS stations in Canada. Perhaps in these economically-challenged times, getting the needed funding for going network wasn't there. Such a shame.

Thursday, December 18
Tomorrow and Saturday and possibly next Wednesday, look like the best days for fishing before Christmas. In between, a strong front will produce the kind of weather we've had to deal with nearly every weekend since early November - windy and cold. Right now the reds and drum are stacked in marsh holes, while specks have either moved back towards the Gulf or are stacked in interior lakes, canals, and bayous. Pete Cooper's post on Dularge was just one of three great reports from inside lakes. The others were Lake Prien (Lake Charles) and Hopedale Lagoon. Sacalait, aka white perch, fishing has really picked up in the last week. The foggy mornings are extending their feeding periods an extra hour or so. The fish are still deep so I'd tie fluff butts and other minnow patterns on a 1/80 or 1/100 ounce jighead as opposed to beadheads.

New entries to the 2009 Calendar were posted yesterday. At this point, it looks like just about every annual event has been set for next year. The calendar is pretty crowded, which to me indicates that fly fishing and kayak fishing in Louisiana and surrounding states is growing. About the only event I've not received info on is the FFF Southeast Conclave, usually held in early June. Come Monday, I'll submit my 2009 calendar to various media and websites. For example, The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge will run it's annual Outdoors Calendar on January 3. So if there's anything missing from the calendar you'd like to see on my media list, send it to me, like NOW!

Rod companies in trouble? I'm reading some interesting posts on the Fly Fishermen board about Winston and Sage cutting back production and laying off some employees in response to the current recession. This may seem odd, but I find it difficult to understand why any company that makes $700 fly rods would suffer in this economy, unless it was on the marginal customer base. The fact is, even in a recesssion, someone somewhere has the money. Money just didn't disappear. In fact, as economist John Maynard Keynes proposed, when times become tough, people hoard money, the hoarding itself leads to even more difficult times since circular flow of money is the lifeblood of the economy. The Keynesian solution was for the government to prime the economic pump. Needless to say, tax incentives, government bailouts, stimulus packages, etc., have all been put to use. Which means there is even more money in the economy than a year ago. So while some people may have less of it, others must have more of it. So why aren't those folks buying $700 rods? Regardless, my economic philosopy leans more towards Henry Hazlitt. Hazlitt must be turning over in his grave right now, given the amount of government intervention in the economy. But if Hazlitt could address the fly rod industry issue, I think this would be his response: "Somebody needs to fail. There is simply not enough market for six (maybe more) companies that sell $700 fly rods." I would add that given the quality of rods in the moderate-priced range, $150-$300, there probably is less demand for $700 rods than in anytime prior. Some have wrongly contributed the high cost of premium rods to wages being higher for American products than those built in Korea or China, just as they have for cars. When you factor in shipping costs, tariffs, etc., the margins are not that great. St. Croix makes good rods at competitive prices here in America. The difference is that St. Croix doesn't have the company excesses we see with some premium manufacturers. We certainly don't need a government bailout of the fly rod industry!

Monday, December 15
What's happening this week. Tuesday night the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their December meeting at 7:00pm at YMCA Camp Forbing in Shreveport. Among the topics of discussion will be their Frozen Chozen trip to the Little Mo sometime next month. On Saturday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly fly tying clinic from 10:00am to noon. Instructor will be Vincent Deliberto. Apparently I had the date for this month's session incorrect. But I received a memo from Harold Henkel that the tying classes are now scheduled for the fourth Saturday of every month, except for December which will be the third Saturday. This schedule will remain in effect through 2009, so folks can plan ahead.

Last week's winter storm produced a dramatic change in our lakes. Water doesn't get any colder than 32 degrees, so when the snow melted, it dropped the water temperatures down significantly. I measured three lakes here in Baton Rouge on Saturday and all were between 48 and 52 degrees at the surface, where water should be warmest. I'm concerned what impact this may have had on the Rio population in New Orleans. You might notice your favorite lake now has more of a pea-soup green color. This happens when a lake turns completely over (bottom water rises to the top) due to very cold temperatures like we had this week. It's actually a very good condition, one that results in fish moving to the bottom to feed. Some of the fattest bluegills I've caught at False River and Lake Bruin have come in the spring following a very cold winter.

Friday, December 12
If you were dreaming of a White Christmas and lived in south or east Louisiana, then your dreams came true yesterday. After just a slight dusting up in the northwest parishes, the cold front descended into southern parishes and combined with an upper-level low from the Gulf that resulted in sneaux from Houston north and east to Jackson, Mississippi and beyond. Even New Orleans and Thibodaux got some light accumulation. But nothing like what fell between Baton Rouge and Meridian. Ryan Field in Baton Rouge got 3.0 inches, my house near Denham Springs got just over 4 inches, Darlington had over 5 inches, and Amite registered a whopping 8 inches! This morning the lawns in my neighborhood were still covered in white. Only the streets and roofs were free of ice and snow. Yesterday's high temperatures in BR and Slidell were less than the average low temperatures for this date. By tomorrow, it'll all be gone as strong southerly flows bring a return to seasonable temperatures.

What impact will the sneaux have? Well, sneaux is about as cold as water gets, right? The runoff will likely shock freshwater systems and put warmwater species other than crappie into dormancy. I expect the crappie fishing to get better from now on. Water temperatures in Lake Pontchartrain were around 50 degrees this morning, 55 degrees at Boothville. The marsh pattern for most days will be s-l-o-w working of flies off the bottom in deeper holes. On milder, sunny days (like this Sunday) the fish should move onto the warmer flats in the afternoon. It might even give flyrodders a shot at popper action.

Rio has announced their new Redfish line. It joins the ranks of 3M Mastery and Orvis with their "Redfish" fly lines. According to their press release, the new Redfish line "features a unique line profile that is designed to load a fly rod at close range. A medium-length front taper ensures great turnover of small to large flies and helps the cast penetrate a tough wind. A hard, saltwater coating over a medium stiff core results in a fly line that will not wilt in most tropical conditions, while Rio's dirt-repelling XS Technology keeps the line ultra slick for fast, long casts." Now for some analysis... I've had really good experience with Rio products. They and Orvis are the only tippet material I use. I've also had good success with the Redfish lines from 3M and Orvis, they really do short-load well on my faster-action (stiffer) rods. However, the Mastery Redfish line is already cracking apart after only 3 years use. I don't care for my lines very well, but I've abused others worse than this, and they've lasted much longer. Wulff Triangle Taper comes to mind. So is paying $75 for a fly line worth it? I've had good success with mid-priced lines like Gold Cup (Bass Pro), Prestige Plus (Cabelas), Ultra4 (3M), and Silver Label (Orvis). The higher-priced lines seem to make a real difference on the faster-action and more technical rods. So the answer is, "it depends".

Wednesday, December 10
Sneaux! I've been talking about how colder than normal it's been this fall, but we certainly didn't expect this. I checked with my daughter in Shreveport this morning, and there's a few flakes coming down. While most of the northern parishes are under a slight chance of sneaux later today and tonight, the biggest chance for accumulation will come tonight in the northern areas of the Florida Parishes and in southwest Mississippi. Some areas could have a half-inch or more on the ground by tomorrow morning. I had been planning a Saturday morning trip to Lake Concordia. Perhaps on the drive up, as I pass towering Mount Deloroso (over 400 feet!), it's glaciers will again be present after melting off this past summer. One can only hope.

Many great buys for Christmas right now being offered, and you don't need to go online. Cabelas in Gonzales is selling their Cahill outfit for $29. It includes rod, reel, line, backing. No warranty, and only a decent casting rod, but still a great outfit for a kid or someone on a tight budget. Bass Pro in Bosser City and Denham Springs has 20-percent off their White River vests. Orvis in Baton Rouge has their Clearwater and SilverLabel waders on sale for $89 and $129, respectively. They also have a deal where with any purchase of a TLS, T3, or Superfine rod, you get a Battenkill Barstock or Mid-Arbor reel free, of your choice. Also, check with Uptown Angler in New Orleans, Gulf Coast Tackle in Lake Charles, Bowie Outfitters in Baton Rouge, and Mayer Company in Baton Rouge for end-of-season closeout sales. This is the time of year when retailers discount items to make room for new lines coming in. Support Louisiana stores and Louisiana jobs!

Tuesday, December 9
What's happening this week. Monday night the Red Stick Fly Fishers held their December meeting, with election of officers followed by food, refreshments, and fishing stories of this past fall. There was also discussion of upcoming trips this spring. On Wednesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders of Lafayette will hold their Christmas Party. On Thursday night, the Pointe Coupee Chapter of CCA-Louisiana will host their annual banquet at the Scott Civic Center in New Roads. Doors open at 5:30pm, with open bar and silent auction, followed by dinner at 7pm, and live auction at 8pm. Tickets are $50 per person, which includes CCA membership, spouse tickets are $30 and youth tickets are $25. For more info, contact Ryan Guerin at (225)952-9200. Saturday is a busy day. There's a fly tying clinic at the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs from 10am to noon, with instructor Ardes Johnson. There's also a fly tying clinic at the Ascension Parish Library in Gonzales, on South Irma Boulevard, from 9am to noon, conducted by Darrell Crawford (225)644-7989. Both tying clinics are free. For those looking to improve their casting skills should head over to Houston for Fishing Tackle Unlimited's 2008 Fly Fishing Expo. Time is 9am to 6pm. Special guest will be world casting champion and instructor, Steve Rajeff. There will also be tying demonstrations and vendor reps. Also on Saturday... Fort Jesup State Park will hold a "Cane Pole Fishing" clinic open to participants of all ages. Many of us got our start at fishing with a cane pole at a young age, and Office of State Parks is encouraging a new generation to get hooked on fishing. Cane poles and bait will be made available, and there's bass, bream, and catfish to be caught. For more info call 888-677-5278 toll free.

Don't worry, the new forum is coming. Implementation was supposed to be this past weekend, but we found a couple bugs, so it's backed off until Wednesday or Thursday. A few other changes are being made to the LFF site in general so it's (finally) maintainable. A few of our pages were last modified when fiberglass rods were considered hi-tech.

2009 events are coming in. Last week I received notices of scheduled dates for several regional events, including the Texas Fly Fishing Festival (Houston, February 7), the Fly Fish Texas (Athens, March 8), the Texoma-On-The-Fly (Sherman, TX, June 20), and the Texas Fly Fishing Expo (Arlington, August 22-23). All of these are club-sponsored events. The Florida Council FFF Conclave has been moved back from March to October, and there is no date yet for the Southeast FFF Conclave. Also, it now appears that the only commercial (non-club, non-FFF) fly fishing show in the South for 2009 will be the Atlanta Fly Fishing Festival in January. As previously mentioned, the major flyfishing events in Louisiana this spring are the long-running Acadiana Fly Rodders (February 7) and the Red Stick Fly Fishers (March 8) club conclaves, and the FFF Gulf Coast Council Expo in Lake Charles (May 15-17). Also to our neighboring state to the north, we have the Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival (February 14-15) in Murfreesboro, and the Sowbug Roundup (March 13-15) in Mountain Home. With gas prices expected to remain under $2.50 until summer, consider taking in a couple - or more - of these shows and expanding your horizons!

Thursday, December 4
New forum is coming. As some of you may have noticed, the forums are currently locked. If you read my last topic, you'll know it's because we're doing some maintenance prior to the installation of a new forum, necessitated by the fact that our current forum is no longer supported. To prototype, I assisted the Red Stick club in installing this new forum for their website, and it's been put to great use thus far. It won't have all the bells and whistles you find on many forums, but it will have more features than our current one has. Looking at the Dan Blanton and Fly Fisherman boards, it's apparent that we flyfishers aren't heavy into style, particularly graphics, but more on substance. Still, the new forum will allow for inpost photos - great for showing off flies or big fish or even little fish.

Last night Larry Offner (of Warmfly.com) and I attended the monthly meeting of the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers in Covington, and there was a strong turnout. After some dormancy, the club is meeting on a regular basis, and has several great things planned for the year ahead, including fishing trips and a program for a Boy Scouts fly fishing merit badge. We even talked about a "Fly Fishing 101" possibility. I've always loved the Northshore area, my uncle who was a flyfisher himself lived there many years ago, and frequented Pontchartrain and Bayou Lacombe. The area has some of the most unique fresh and salt fisheries in the state... fast-moving streams, clearwater cypress bayous, and brackish Lake Pontchartrain where anglers can fish clear water and wade on hard sand flats! It's a great area for puddlers as well. Given the great fishing opportunities, and the fact that Northshore area is now is the fourth largest population center in the state, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the PBFF club continues to grow.

Where's global warming when you need it most? November graded out to B+ for bass fishing in the northern parishes, and speckled trout fishing on the coast. Great, but not the A+ the month usually always grades. Reason? According to the final climate data just released, November was colder than normal, by a small margin in the south, but by a large margin in the north. I don't believe it was just the colder air (and water) temperatures that played a role in some sub-par fishing days, as much as it was what accompanies colder-than-normal weather - high pressure and strong winds. So far December is continuing the trend. This Saturday looks to be favorable with mild temperatures and low winds. The solunar charts show a low feeding pattern, and tides will be near flat. Yet, this weekend might be better for crappie than next weekend and the full moon. I have less concern about a full moon in December for coastal species, but for crappie fishing, I want to avoid a full moon anytime of the year.

Rodnreel.com has announced the airing of a new outdoors show based in Louisiana. Sportsman's Paradise will air weekly on Cox Sports Television on Saturdays at 7am, and Sundays at 6am, beginning on Saturday, January 3. The one-hour show will be in high definition. Each episode will feature action from two to four locations across Louisiana. Mike Lane is Producer and Gino Kalkanoglu is Editor. Thanks to an agreement with the DISH Network, CST programming - which currently includes Paradise Louisiana, Louisiana Sportsmans TV, and Louisiana Wildlife, will also be shown on DISH channel 421 across southeast Louisiana and three counties in southern Mississippi.

Monday, December 1
What's happening this week. On Wednesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their December meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall, 415 Roselawn in Lafayette. Meeting time is 6:30pm with casting before the meeting at 6:00pm. Also on Wednesday evening, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers meet in Covington at New Orleans Food and Spirits, 208 Lee Lane. Time is 7:00pm. Guests are welcome. On Thursday, the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission holds their December meeting at the LDWF building in Baton Rouge. Meeting begins at 9:30am. No items on the agenda of any significance to anglers this month. On Saturday, the new Orvis retail store in Baton Rouge holds it's Grand Opening. There'll be members of the Red Stick Fly Fishers doing fly tying and casting demonstrations, along with members of CCA-Louisiana and STAR tournament, and Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club. Also, refreshments and sales items.

If it's a panther, don't anther! Part Deux. We reported a few weeks ago about the three documented panther, aka cougar, aka mountain lion, sightings in Louisiana this fall. On Sunday, a cougar was spotted in a tree in a Bossier City neighborhood. LDWF arrived on the scene and attempted to dart the animal, only to have it come down the tree uninhibited and begin it's escape. At that point, Bossier City police took the panther out. An unfortunate situation, given that cougars are making a comeback. But the safety of folks in the neighborhood was of prime importance. So... if you see a panther at the door, call LDWF, call the police, but don't answer!

Recession? What recession? I woke up at 5:00am the day after Thanksgiving, typically known in retail circles as "Black Friday". This time not to go fishing as is usually my custom on that day. Instead I actually did some Christmas shopping. Apparently I arrived too late at my first stop - the Walmart employee who survived the stampede told me that the item I was looking for was sold out in the first 15 minutes, all 70 units! In fact, everywhere I went, the story I heard was the same - more shoppers and more sales than last year. I hadn't checked with any of the local outdoors retailers to see how they fared, but I'm guessing fishing tackle might just outsell LSU football merchandise this Christmas.

Wednesday, November 26
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend, enjoy lots of turkey, turducken, or if you're a vegan, tofu-key! Please remember the occasion, and be thankful to all we have, and to those brave men and women serving in our military overseas this holiday.

Captain Barry Brechtel was killed in a car accident Tuesday morning. Many of you know him best as the host of Louisiana Wildlife television show, broadcast both locally and nationally on the Outdoors Channel. Barry was a terrific host, very informative, and his loss will be greatly missed from the program. According to David Cresson of CCA, Barry was a "dedicated and selfless supporter of marine conservation". Our prayers go to his family.

Friday forecast doesn't look good. Strong chance of rain statewide, with high temperatures of 70s in the south, and 50s in the north. If you can avoid the rain, I think it might be a good day for speckled trout or crappie. Tide range will be moderate. For crappie, remember to put the strike indicator about 3-5 feet up the leader as this is the depth several locations - particularly D'Arbonne, Grand Bayou, Cotile - are holding fish.

Monday, November 24
What's happening this week? Tonight the Ouachita River Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at Judd Moore's home in Monroe. Check their website for more details. One topic of discussion could be the much-improved crappie fishing in Lake D'Arbonne and Ouachita River as of late, perhaps due to the colder weather. Also tonight the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their final fly tying session of 2008, at Cabelas in Gonzales. Time is 7:00pm. Guest tier will be Richard Evans. Rich and his wife live in Montana half the year. He'll be tying his favorite trout patterns, the Prince Nymph and the Comparadun. Thursday is Thanksgiving Day, hope everyone enjoys their turkey and gives praise to God for the many outdoors resources we enjoy. Friday is a holiday for many folks, and with kids out of school, typically is the biggest family fishing day of the fall. The fish are biting all along the coast, and the bream are nailing flies on Cane River Lake, so take a kid fly fishing! Saturday there's a "Fishing 101" clinic at North Toledo Bend State Park at 2pm. Children and adults are invited to participate. Call 888-398-4770 toll free for more info. Also Saturday the North Louisiana Fly Fishers will hold fly tying demos at the Bass Pro store in Bossier City from noon to 4pm.

Outdoors on the radio. Late fall brings constantly changing conditions and wild swings in fish patterns. To keep abreast of the latest reports, many of us turn to outdoors radio shows each week. "Outdoors with Don Dubuc" has the largest audience in the state, and comes on twice weekly, Thursday at 9pm-10pm, and Saturday mornings from 5am-7am. Check www.rodnreel.com for stations in your area, or tune into WWL 870-AM (New Orleans) which can be heard over most of the state (I catch it up at Natchitoches all the time). Also on Thursday nights is "Eagle Outdoors" on 98.1 FM (Baton Rouge) hosted by Captain Sam Barbera and Chris Macaluso. That station also can be heard over most of the state. I'm not aware of any current outdoors radio show in the Shreveport area. If anyone knows of one, please let us know. With hunting in full swing, you may have to wait awhile to hear the fishing reports.

Friday, November 21
Brrrrr! Another weekend, another blast of strong north winds and cold air. Actually no time this week was it much warmer than last weekend. What happened to global warming? The results have been bad for speckled trout anglers, who are no longer enjoying the crazy action we had earlier this month. It's still good, just not instant-fly-hits-water-fish-eats good. On the other hand, the winds have lowered water levels, and the cold has knocked organics and silt suspended in the water. Flyrodders pursuing reds and drum are enjoying great sightcasting opportunities. It's very exciting to see the fish and watch him follow the fly, even if he doesn't eat.

Today's Fishing Friday section of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has Outdoors Editor Bob Marshall talking up a recent trip to Venice with Captain Mike Frenette and sight casting to big reds in shallow ponds. Marshall notes that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. He also notes that redfishing is so good right now, limits are being taken just minutes from downtown New Orleans (eg, Reggio Marina) but that the sightcasting opportunities at Venice are worth the drive.

Paradise Louisiana TV Show this week is features a segment on fly fishing for redfish. The segment includes a couple of videos, one with Alec Griffin of Uptown Angler. If you missed last night's showing, it airs again on Sunday on the following outlets: Cox Cable in Baton Rouge and Lafayette at 9:30pm, Cox Sports TV at 7:00am, Eatel Cable at 8:00pm, WSTY in Hammond at 6:30pm.

The new Orvis store in Baton Rouge is now open in the Perkins-Rowe Town Square off Bluebonnet at Perkins. It marks their first company store in the state. While the fishing department features fly tackle and tying materials, the bulk of their inventory is clothing and gifts. Events Coordinator Kevin Cormier says the official Grand Opening day will be Saturday, December 6, with refreshments and store specials. The fishing department will also feature fly tying and fly casting demonstrations. More details to be provided later.

Tuesday, November 18
What's happening this week. Tuesday night the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at the YMCA Camp Forbing in Shreveport. On Saturday, the Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will have another fly tying clinic at 10:00am, this one conducted by Darrel Crawford.

Pete Cooper's latest book, entitled "Redfish: All You Need to Know About When, Where and How to Catch Reds", was spotlighted in the Sunday Baton Rouge Advocate Outdoors section. Outdoors Editor Joe Macaluso begins his article by asking, "Is there anyone better to teach Louisiana fishermen how to take redfish on a fly rod than Pete Cooper Jr.?" Consider that nearly 20 years ago, I got my start in redfish on fly rod thanks to Pete, as a few folks had before me, and a lot of folks after me. Without doubt no one has taught as many to catch redfish in Louisiana on fly rod than Pete. Having said that, this book covers all types of fishing, not just fly fishing. Given the conditions the last few weekends, and how many flyrodders have turned to the ol' commie tackle to land fish, I'm thinking fly anglers won't mind one bit that their favorite author is diversifying his methodology for reds.

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