Wild partying continued this morning... and that was at our church! The 'Bourbon Street' live cam must be broken - the images look the same as they did last night. As Drew Brees aptly put it, "The party might never end.". Brees also stated what others like owner Tom Benson and coach Sean Payton, and Reggie Bush stated in their interviews: New Orleans is back; Louisiana is back; the Gulf Coast is back!

How can a football team be so important? Because in a symbolic way it represents all of us. The Saints went through very hard times after Katrina, but struggled and fought back to rise to the very top... much like we have. Sports breaks all barriers - it has done more to unite those of different races, financial status, religious beliefs, than any government, political entity, or coalition. God bless the Saints, the people of the Gulf Coast, and the Who Dat Nation!

What's happening this week. I expect most everyone is emotionally and physically drained from Sunday, and may take a week to recover. Fortunately, it's a light week. Tonight the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Wildlife and Fisheries building in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm. This weekend is the Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival in Murfreesboro, AR. Activities kick off Friday evening at the Community Center, and run all day Saturday, culminating with the trout biologists' "State of the Little Missouri" program Saturday evening. Also on Saturday, the Ascension Parish Library in Gonzales on South Irma Boulevard will host a free fly tying clinic. Time is 9:00am to 12 noon. Basic fresh and saltwater flies will be covered. For more info, call instructor Darrell Crawford at (225)644-7989.

Thursday, February 4
Update: fly tying at Orvis in Baton Rouge has been changed to the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. This is to accomodate tiers with the new store closing hours at 6:00pm (other days). That means there's a tying session tonight. For those of you in the BR area (or even outside) willing to brave the wet weather, do check it out - Jarid Malone is a terrific instructor. Also, Orvis will be conducting a FREE casting seminar every Saturday morning, from 10:00am to 11:30am. Jarid is an FFF certified casting instructor (CCI)... and did I mention it's free?

This one t-shirt says it all... "Louisiana is a drinking state with a football problem". Can you believe all this football fever in early February? I believe... that the Saints will win this Sunday's Super Bowl. After all, they are "Heaven's Team". Bless you, Boys! I checked by one of the small retail stores today which had a big supply of Saints cotton jerseys last week (I don't like the poly ones), and the whole rack was gone. The lady said they sold out and the distributor is backordered until March! On top of that, yesterday was college football national signing day. Across the state, college teams held "recruiting bashes" with the biggest here in Baton Rouge. IMO, just another excuse to party... like Mardi Gras and the Saints weren't enough. Les Miles and crew pulled out some big surprises, landing four 4-star recruits on the final day and vaulting to a top 5 rated-class. Louisiana Tech and UL-Lafayette also landed strong classes. LaTech may have gotten a hidden gem in Neville's Taylor Burch. I saw him in the Superdome and IMO, he's the best Louisiana QB since Eli Manning. If coach Sonny Dykes can do for LaTech what he did for Texas Tech, add Ruston to the list of future party towns!

Tuesday, February 2
Bad news: six more weeks of winter! Reuters News Service is reporting that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-predicting groundhog, saw his shadow this morning, thereby declaring six more weeks of winter. Similiar celebrations of "Groundhog Day" were held across the country. For example, down in Tee Butte, Naquin the Nutra came out for a minute, then ran back in his burrow, predicting six more weeks of cold rain for south Louisiana.

Winter redfishing in Louisiana can be very productive, if conditions are right. That's a big IF this season. If it hasn't been unusually cold and windy, it's been mild and still windy. But MidCurrent.com contributor Tim Romano managed to hit it about right. He spent three days in New Orleans, fly fishing for reds with Fly Talk co-author Kirk Deeter. And they caught fish. Of course, no trip to The Big Easy is without partaking of all the native cuisine. Romano says he found the "oysters fresh, beignets delicious, beer cold, and [] the fly action was hot". For a slideshow and recount of his rather successful trip, go to MidCurrent.com.

Monday, February 1
What's happening this historic week. Tuesday night, the Acadiana Fly Rodders hold their monthly meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall in Lafayette. Meeting time is 6:30pm, with casting prior at 6:00pm. Also on Tuesday, Orvis of Baton Rouge will hold their monthly tying session starting at 5:30pm. Bring your own vise and tools; materials provided. For more details, contact Orvis BR Fishing Manager Jarid Malone or call (225)757-7286. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at Friends Coastal Restaurant on the river in Madisonville. Time is 6:30pm. Guest speaker Glen 'Catch' Cormier will talk about spring sacalait and other topics. Guests are welcome to all of these club meetings. On Thursday, the CCA Westbank Chapter will hold a Spring Fishing Seminar at Ray Brandt Dodge in Harvey with cold beverages, raffles, and door prizes. Doors open at 5:30pm. Guest speakers include Capt. Greg Schlumbrecht and Mandy Tumlin of LDWF's Fish Tagging Program. For more info, contact Brett Schneider at (504)287-5783 or Ryan Guerin at (225)952-9200. On Saturday, it's the Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival (formerly Texas Fly Tying Festival) at Bethany Christian Church in Houston. Time is 8:30am to 4:30pm. The 18th annual conclave of the Texas Fly Fishers club will feature special guest Bob Clouser, creator of the Clouser Minnow and other great flies. Anyone who has a serious interest in expanding their tying horizons will find this event very productive, as several dozen of the regions top tiers will be on hand.

On Sunday afternoon, it's the Super Bowl. The one we've all been waiting for... against an AFC opponent with several players and roots to Louisiana. Saints versus the Colts; Payton Manning versus his dad's old team. No matter who wins, Archie's happy! I expect a shootout between the two top quarterbacks in the game today, with Drew Brees and our "blessed boys" and "Domeland Security" playing their best game of the season and coming out on top. This Super Bowl coincides with the peak of Mardi Gras season. Can you imagine what New Orleans will be like if the Saints win? I shutter to think about it. The celebrations have already started. Yesterday, thousands of men wearing dresses paraded through the streets of New Orleans to honor the late sportscaster Buddy Diliberto. Buddy D had vowed to parade through the French Quarter in a dress if the Saints ever made it to the big game. I wasn't there. In the infamous words of Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, "the only way you'll get me into a dress is if there's a woman already in it."

Friday, January 29 [update 5:10pm]
A winter weather advisory is in effect for extreme northeast Louisiana for tonight and early Saturday. Despite sunshine later Saturday and all day Sunday, this cold front moving through today will bring highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s and 30s, along with small craft advisories and lake wind warnings, for the weekend.

Friday, January 29
Tomorrow is the Contraband Conclave in Lake Charles. This was a great event several years back, and many of us are excited about it's return. Looking forward to seeing David Martin and Aaron Adams, and hobnobbing with fine fishermen! For those of you looking to improve your casting, there are two workshops with FFF-CCI David Lemke. See ya' there!

A letter to the Editor in today's Baton Rouge Advocate by former LDWF Secretary Jimmy Jenkins has stirred the conversation at the water cooler this morning! Entitled "Stop nighttime redfish bow fishing", Jenkins points out that "If a conventional fisherman catches an undersized fish, he can release it, and it will swim away, but when you have to pull the arrow out, the fish dies.". He also points out that the use of high-wattage headlights confuses the fish, and makes them all-the-more vulnerable. To read it's entirety, here's the link to the letter.

Is nighttime bowfishing really a problem? Let me answer by making an observation. One of my prime areas a decade ago was Lake Laurier near Fourchon; a veritable redfish/drum flyfishing paradise. Outside of Venice, the best spot in the state. Catching 20 or more reds/drum per day for us was not the exception, but the norm! But that's all changed. The west side - once filled with countless ponds and small, winding trenaisses - has dissolved into vast open water. But the north and east sides, while eroding away, has still plenty enough prime habitat. But you won't find nearly - not even close - to the numbers of fish that used to be. And if you do find them, they're spooky as heck. About eight years ago, I noticed on my night trips to the Caminada bridge, several boats with lights working that area. On occasion, we'd find dead fish, and twice, I've caught reds with holes in them. Those two reds were damn lucky... when an arrow at that speed hits a fish, even if it doesn't "hookup", it usually maims the fish and causes mortality. I know Jenkins has overwhelming public support in his opposition to bowfishing. The problem is that it's gained acceptance in the outdoors industry. Reversing that mentality won't be easy.

Fishing Forecast. When... when... folks can get out, offshore has been hot! Looking to catch yellowfin tuna on fly? Now's the time! Further inshore, the reports in papers and online have been fair or poor. Issues are cold water temperatures, dirty water, wind, and lack of effort. Those few who have ventured into the marsh on calmer days are finding the ponds mostly quiet in the mornings, but with some reds in the afternoon. It's been all reds and drum, though, with few or no specks. Freshwater... crappie fishing is beginning to turn on across the state, but most of the reports are second-hand (sacalait anglers are that way, not to divulge where they're biting). But if I were going this weekend, I'd have the fresh marshes south of Houma, Cataouche, Lake D'Arbonne, Poverty Point, Sibley Lake, Dubisson, and Crooked Creek all high on my list. Usually the start of February is when pond fishing gets going for white perch and bass. A trip to the neighborhood pond this week didn't do much... the water temp is at 48 degrees. Up considerably from 38 degrees two weeks ago, but still quite below normal. The front passing through today will bring high pressure, which won't help any. Sunday afternoon might be the best window of opportunity.

Monday, January 25
Last night Hell frozeth over. The Who Dat Nation is headed for the Super Bowl. As a consequence, all fishing-related activities scheduled for Sunday, February 7, have been cancelled... or should be!

Sunday, January 24
What's happening this week. This afternoon there's a football game in the Superdome I think everyone will be watching... GEAUX SAINTS! On Monday night, the Ouachita River Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at 7:00pm at Jud Moore's home in Monroe. Also on Monday night, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly "4th Monday" fly tying at 7:00pm at Cabelas in Gonzales. On Thursday night, the New Orleans Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at the Whitney Bank Building on 1441 Metairie Road. Time is 7:00pm. On Saturday, we have the first of four conclaves this spring hosted or co-hosted by a Louisiana club. The Contraband Conclave, sponsored by the Contraband Fly Casters will take place at the Southwest Louisiana Fishing Club on Prien Lake in Lake Charles. Doors open at 8:00am with the first program at 9:00am. I'm really looking forward to this event, and hope to see some of you there. For a list of programs and activities, go to www.contrabandflycasters.net.

Reports of fish kills continue to pour in, according to today's Outdoors Section of the Baton Rouge Advocate. However, nothing as extensive as the killer freeze of 1989. Mostly white trout, and isolated pockets of reds, drum, sheepshead and non-game species. It appears that the gradual decline in water temperatures saved the vast majority of inshore fish. Unfortunately that was not the case for south Florida, where mortality of nearly 400,000 snook and tarpon have been reported so far.

Blue Ribbon Fly Shop in Mountain Home reports that the shad run on the White and Norfork rivers is about to explode. FYI, cold weather sends the shad populations in Bull Shoals and Norfork lake deep, and close to the dam. As generators run, they suck up some of the shad. Many of the baitfish either get killed or injured or disoriented. On the other side of the dam, hungry trout gobble them up like defensive linemen at a Shoney's breakfast buffet. This diet of pure protein results in big, happy fish later on. But during this time, those trout can be taken quite easily using white woolybuggers, white zonker patterns, or roughly anything that represents a shad... intact or mutilated.

Tuesday, January 19
What's happening this week. Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day, and many folks had the day off. Hope ya'll took advantage of this "warm" weather and did a little fishing. Tonight the Contraband Fly Casters will hold their monthly meeting at St Paul Lutheran Church Community Center in Lake Charles. Fly tying begins at 6:00pm, with the meeting at 7:00pm. Also tonight, the North Louisiana Fly Fishers hold their monthly meeting at YMCA Camp Forbing in Shreveport. Time is 7:00pm. Also tonight, the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club holds their monthly meeting at Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. Time is 6:00pm. Up for discussion will be their 2010 tournament series and other events. On Saturday, the Red River Fly Fishers host their annual Texoma Tie-In at Eisenhower State Park in Denison, Texas. More on that later. Also this Saturday, Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs will hold their monthly "4th Saturday" fly tying clinic. Time is 9:30am to 12noon. The clinic is free, please bring your tying tools. Materials provided by instructor.

The 2010 regional conclave season kicks off this weekend when the Red River Fly Fishers hold their annual Texoma Tie-In at Eisenhower State Park in Denison, Texas. Time is 9:00am to 4:00pm. Usually a good contigent from northwest Louisiana attends this event, as the presence of members of the north Texas-based "Roadkill Roundtable" at the tying tables is always a big draw.

Call them conclaves, festivals, fairs, expos but over the next 7 weekends there are 6 such events being held either in Louisiana or within 6 hours of a population center (Shreveport, Monroe, Lake Charles, Slidell). In addition to the Texoma Tie-In, they include Contraband Conclave in Lake Charles (1/30), Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Fair in Houston (2/6), Little Mo Fly Fishing Fest in Murfreesboro, AR (2/13), Acadiana Fly Rodders Conclave in Lafayette (2/27), and Red Stick Day in Baton Rouge (3/6). Later this spring, the largest of these events, the FFF Gulf Coast Expo, will be held in New Braunfels (4/9-10). Registration for that event has already begun, and numerous details about programs, workshops and activities have been posted. Check www.gulfcoastfff.org for details. The conclave season wraps up the first weekend of May with the Caddo Conclave at beautiful Caddo State Park on the Texas-Louisiana border.

Friday, January 14
The current issue of Tide Magazine, the official pub of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) has a feature article on TieFest. This annual conclave, sponsored by CCA-Maryland, has grown from a basement get-together to about 500 in just eight years. Lefty Kreh, Bob Popovics, Steve Sliverio, Bob Clouser, Brian Horsley and other renown names have become part of the event. As a fundraiser, money has gone to such causes as the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative, Project Healing Waters, and Casting for The Cure. If you aren't a CCA member, find someone who is, and read this article. It even has recipes for the Hollow Herring, the Polar Pony Baitfish, and the classic Lefty's Deceiver.

And speaking of conclaves... the first regional conclave comes up next weekend in Sherman, Texas, when the Red River Fly Fishers host their annual Texoma Tie-In. According to Marc Pinsel, this event usually has some of the top tiers in Oklahoma and north Texas, including members of the infamous "Roadkill Round Table". Folks in south Louisiana and south Texas will be looking towards the following two weekends, when the Contraband Fly Casters of Lake Charles host the return of their conclave (January 30) and Texas Fly Fishers of Houston host their annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Fest (formerly Texas Fly Fest) on February 6. I don't know about you folks, but after reading that article in Tide Magazine, I'm really looking forward to attending most, if not all, of these events. Besides... prospects for fishing don't look too good in the next few weeks.

Sunday, January 10
What's happening this week. On Monday night, the Red Stick Fly Fishers hold their monthly membership meeting at 7:00pm at the LDWF headquarters in Baton Rouge. Guest speaker will be Greg Grandy, the new Conservation Director for East Baton Rouge Parks (BREC) who will talk about their rainbeaux trout program, and what else the department is working on. This weekend is the Red Stick club's annual "Rainbow Coalition" trip to the Little Missouri River. By then the glaciers should have melted back some; highs are forecast in the 50s. Also this weekend, starting Friday and running thru Sunday, is the 12th annual Southern Louisiana Boat, Sport and RV show at the Houma Civic Center. Times are 3pm-9pm on Friday, 10am-9pm on Saturday, and 11am-5pm on Sunday. Check www.bacshows.com for admission fees and seminars schedules.

The Big Chill of 2010 isn't over yet. By Wednesday we should see a return flow from the south, and a return to much warmer (low 60s) by the weekend. Undoubtedly, this is the coldest spell we've had since the Great Freeze of 89. Yesterday my daughter called from Shreveport, where the temperature in her dorm was 55. That's what the high temperature outdoors should be. The recorded high in S'port was 34, the low was 15. Here in the BR, it marked the 7th time we've dipped 28 degrees or below this season. That's almost double our winter average. The neighborhood lake wasn't frozen, probably because it was so windy. But all the ditches and creeks were frozen solid. About 15 minutes out by the lake early Saturday was all I could take (single digits wind chill). I read on the Bayou Coast Kayak club forum that their Minimalist Challenge tournament was cancelled for yesterday, but that a few members went down anyway. No surprise - it was a tough day fishing, but Brendan "Choupique" Bayard, also a member of our forum, managed 3 nice reds and 5 nice specks. I recognized the spot he was fishing. The stump that's usually in 3 feet of water was on dry bank!

My greatest concern from this spell is fish kills. There was enough gradual cold prior to this past week to allow reds and specks to adjust and move to deeper confines. I still expect some kills, just nothing like we had in 1989. The greater concern are the Rio Grande Perch in New Orleans area. This could be the end of the population in Bayou St. John and City Park Lakes. I expect a few in the canals may find refuge in some drainage pipes. We likely won't know until March.

The new catalogs are here! I hadn't checked my mailbox in three days. When I opened it up, it was absolutely stuffed with the 2010 fishing catalogs, from the 'ol fly shops to Orvis to Bass Pro. Like any good toy junkie, I paged thru looking for the new stuff. The "shop cats" mostly had the stuff we were all expecting.. the products revealed at the Fly Tackle Retailer Show in September. But there were a few things we hadn't seen yet. The big box cats are always the most intriguing because we never see their own-brand products until the cats come out. For example, LL Bean has a Silver Ghost fly rod, Shearwater fly reel, bifocal polarized sunglasses, Kennebec River pack, among it's 40 new products. Cabelas has a new Prestige fly rod, an improved Presige fly line (with "Hypershoot") and loads of new accessories and outerwear. This all makes for good reading material on these cold winter nights.

Friday, January 8
Congrats to Saint Nick and the rest of the Alabama team. As an LSU fan, it was tough decision who to pull for in last night's BCS National Championship Game. Mack Brown and Will Muschamp from Texas are former LSU coordinators, and of course, Nick Saban is SAINT NICK amongst true LSU fans. I was pulling for Texas, though, because they have great fans and because it was Colt McCoys last game. No question that McCoy getting hurt really hurt their chances of winning, but the true freshman Garrett Gilbert showed he's got a great future for the Longhorns. I guess I'll have to put up with those Bubbas from Bama and their stupid elephant hats. For at least a year.

Can they put this into feathers? LSU researcher John Caprio has developed a "technology" that triggers fish to bite lures. It was announced this week that this new technology is being licensed by LSU to Mystic Tackleworks under the brand name Biopulse Lure System. Sounds like a good name for an infomercial (sign up the Sham-Wow guy). Caprio's discovery was that if fish are exposed to a certain taste stimuli, they cannot control their urge to bite. Sounds a lot like "Gottabite", doesn't it? If this stuff really works, I suspect innovative fly tiers will find a method of imbedding into their flies.

Recycle your tree - Save our marsh! For 17 years, the Department of Natural Resources has worked with parishes and other local officials to recycle Christmas trees and use them in wetlands restoration and preservation projects. The trees are taken into the marsh, stacked up between wooden fences in shallow water areas. They act to break wave action and erosion, but in a few cases actually accumulate some sediment and build new marsh. Folks wishing to recycle their trees are asked to leave them at the curbside, with all ornaments, lights, etc. removed. For more info, visit the DNR Coastal Restoration website at www.dnr.louisiana.gov.

Wednesday, January 6
This Saturday at Cabelas in Gonzales there's a "Intro to Fly Fishing" seminar scheduled for 4:00pm at the Fly Fishing Department. The store flyer states participants can learn a few basic fly fishing techniques and learn about equipment.

More publication items. The January issue of Fly Fisherman magazine for 2010 features articles on fishing the Wyoming high country, and tying an effective mouse pattern. The latest issue of American Angler features articles on "New Gear for 2010", "Montana Fly Yakking" and "Core Nymphs". In the Winter issue of Gulf Coast Fisherman, "The Fly Guy" column by our friend Pete Cooper, Jr., is entitled "Working the Weights" and discusses how to select the proper weight rod/outfit based on species and environment. Incidently, for you folks living in Baton Rouge, Pete's book "Fly Fishing the Louisiana Coast" has been restocked on the shelves at both Barnes and Nobles bookstores. I wonder if those folks over there read this blog?

As of January 1 the National Saltwater Angler Registry went into effect, designed to collect data about saltwater anglers and their catch. According to an article in the Thibodaux Daily Comet, the data will be used to establish better angler surveys, and to help scientists assess fish stock health and economic impacts. NOAA is requiring all saltwater anglers to register, except for those who are licensed by their state. Louisiana joins Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Washington as coastal states that have saltwater licensing, and therefore, are exempt. Others exempt from registration are senior citizens, active-duty military, and youth under 16. Those latter exemption criteria strongly suggests that the NOAA registration will become a national saltwater license. Anglers in states like New Jersey and Virginia that help thwart recreational licensing might regret their decision.

Monday, January 4
Brrrrr! Well, the forecast we saw Saturday for the week ahead has taken a turn for the worse. This morning sneaux flurries are falling on parts of NoLA. It won't get much warmer than 40 degrees in most places thru Wednesday. On Thursday morning, sneaux is expected for most of the state, with best chances for accumulation in the northeastern parishes. Then it goes from very cold to brutally cold. Most areas will see highs barely in the 30s and lows in the teens, and Oak Grove may reach single digits on Saturday morning! If this forecast holds up, it'll be the coldest spell since the Great Freeze of 1989. Obviously this means taking precautions: protect your pipes, plants and pets; check your radiator fluid, etc. Also, drain water out of your boat motor. This is NOT a good time to be kayaking or canoeing. The body immersed in 40 degree water, unconsciousness sets in under 30 minutes and death shortly after (currently our neighborhood lake in BR is 46 degrees).

Sunday, January 3
Happy New Year! We're starting off on the cold side - another week of highs and lows in the 40s/50s and 30s/20s, with a chance of sneaux on Thursday in some parishes. Where's global warming when you need it most? As for the rest of the year ahead... it seems our fishing goes in cycles, good one year, not so good the next. Since 2009 was on the downside, here's hoping that 2010 will be a good one for all. May the bass, bream, specks, reds, drum, dolphin, rios - whatever you pursue - keep your rods bent often in the year ahead.

What's happening this week. We start off a sad note... On Monday, there'll be visitation and funeral for Bobby LeBlanc from noon to 2:45pm at Lake Lawn Funeral Home in Metairie. Bobby was an active and popular member of both the New Orleans and Red Stick clubs. On Tuesday, the Acadiana Fly Rodders will hold their monthly general meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church Hall in Lafayette. Time is 6:30pm with casting prior to the meeting. Also on Tuesday, Orvis in Baton Rouge will hold their monthly fly tying clinic (intermediate level, but beginners welcome) at 6:00pm. Bring your own vise and tools. Materials provided. For more info, contact Jarid Malone at (225)757-7286. On Wednesday, the Pontchartrain Basin Fly Fishers will hold their monthly meeting at Friends Coastal Restaurant in Madisonville. Time is 6:30pm. For more info, go to www.northshoreflyfishing.org. On Saturday, there's a free fly tying class at the Ascension Parish Library on Irma Boulevard in Gonzales from 9:00am to noon. Instructor Darrell Crawford (225)644-7989 will cover basics of fresh and saltwater flies. Also on Saturday, the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club kicks off the first of their 2010 five-tournament Angler Series, with the "Trout Minimalist III". It will be held at Bason's Marina in Galliano.

Publication time. Catch Magazine (no relation) now has their issue #9 online, available January 1st to February 28th. They call themselves the official journal of fly fishing photography and film, and the features are quite impressive. On to print media... the latest issue of Kayak Fishing Magazine features articles on "Kayak Speed Explained", "Kayak Fishing on a Budget" and "Stinger Anchor System Review". Canoe and Kayak Magazine's 2010 Gear Guide issue is on newstands, featuring all models of boats, paddles, and accessories. In the January issue of Louisiana Sportsman, my Fly Lines column reveals "Winter Secrets of the Frozen Chozen" along with best bets for the month and spring calendar of events. Chris Ginn highlights Lake Amedee, John McQueen the Chandeleurs in January. The Boat Doctor Hank Johnston reveals the skinny on the cancellation of the 2010 New Orleans Boat Show. Jerald Horst highlights our beloved hardhead in his 'Creature Feature' column (and yes, catching hardhead on flyrod is fun!).

Monday, December 28
What's happening this week. With the New Year's holiday this Friday, another quiet week. Tonight there will be a "Celebration of Life" service in Broussard for Carolyn Dunn. Details are posted in the forum. College football bowl action peaks this week, and on Friday, all eyes will be on the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, as LSU takes on Penn State and Coach Joe Paterno. LSU may have the better team, but no one prepares better for a bowl game than Joe-Pa. Should be a good one.

Many fly tiers use this week and the next few weekends to rebuild their stocks used up this past season. I encourage tiers to tie extra, and save some of those as donations to their favorite events, such as club conclaves, FFF conclaves, or even charity fundraisers. A box of 6 to 12 flies (number depends on relative value of each fly) is always one of the most popular raffle or silent auction items at any conclave.

In yesterday's Baton Rouge Advocate, Outdoors Editor Joe Macaluso listed the top 10 outdoors stories of 2009. Click here to read the list. Most of his list were fishing-related, with the top three being (1) reopening of Elmer's Isle, (2) burning of the Grand Isle fishing bridge, and (3) the federal closure of amberjack fishing. FYI... this Sunday's (January 3) edition of the Advocate will include the 2010 Outdoors Calendar. Later this week I'll post my top 10 fly fishing and kayak fishing stories of 2009, with emphasis to Louisiana interests. It's very likely the reopening of Elmer's Isle will be among the top stories there also.

Tuesday, December 22
A new year, a new FFF. When Phil Greenlee succeeded R.P. Van Gytenbeek as president of the Federation of Fly Fishers back in October, support was way down, and many FFF members were concerned about a possible relocation, and the organization's financial viability. Many also thought the FFF had lost it's focus. Greenlee immediately took action to build confidence and support back by announcing that the FFF would stay in Montana. Now, in the latest e-newsletter out today, he shares his goals for 2010. "The FFF has recently taken measures to reduce our operating costs and created strategies to monitor and evaluate our income and expenses in more effective ways. We anticipate that these changes will allow us to achieve programmatic goals and build a cash reserve for long-term growth.". Greenlee also wants a return to the core basics, saying, "In 2010 you can expect to see improved resources and support for FFF councils and clubs, a rejuvenated education program, and strong emphasis on conservation programs. We plan to strengthen our relationships with partner organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and conservation groups. [] Our approach can be considered one of "getting back to basics" - focusing on low-cost effective programs while promoting, honoring and supporting the fly fishing community.". To help achieve these goals, the FFF is embracing technology for communication and networking. To this end, they've created a new leadership workshop. The free course will "prepare club and council representatives for the time-intensive leadership positions and cover topics ranging from finance management and tax returns, to volunteer management, project development and fundraising.". This is a great concept... some of us who have been officers in clubs or councils could've used that workshop back then instead of learning things the hard way!

Monday, December 21
Very sad news today. We learned that Carolyn Dunn passed away last night. Recently she had been diagnosed with a tumor. More details are posted in the forum. The word we have is that services will be held early next week. She was one of the premier fly tiers in our state, and IMO, Carolyn and Rusty Dunn were largely responsible for a resurgence in fly fishing and fly tying in the Acadiana area. Our prayers and thoughts go to her family and friends.

A new fly is born. I love reading about new warmwater flies. It seems warmwater in general is an area largely ignored by the established fly fishing media. But thanks to folks like Terry and Roxanne Wilson, Ward Bean, Larry Offner, Bill Byrd, and others, the internet is chocked with info for those who pursue a wide variety of warm species with fly: bass, bream, carp, crappie... alphabetically all the way to yellow bass. One of those resources is our friend Glen Davis' blog. Glen blogs for the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger newspaper. One of his latest articles is entitled, "Upside Down Breamkiller" or UDBK for short. If you click on that name, it'll take you to the article. Glen states, "I don’t understand why there hasn’t been a good commercially available fly that was tied hook up because bream are structure creatures and in Mississippi that structure is usually wood of some kind which hooks sink themselves into readily." Indeed, many of the successful hook-up submergent patterns developed in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi - the cap spider, jitterbee, tussel bug, to name a few - are unavailable for retail (which some say isn't so bad because it's incentivized more fly tying). You'll be very pleased to know the UDBK can be purchased at breambugs.com. My intuition tells me the UDBK is going to nail the bream; just have to wait 'til the water warms for them to start biting.

Sunday, December 20
What's happening this week. Nothing... it's Christmas week. May you and yours have a great and blessed holiday! I'll start my annual "What did Santa bring?" post in the forum come Saturday. Always interesting stuff.

Rainbeaux Trout Central. That's a new forum on the Red Stick Fly Fishers website, dedicated entirely to the rainbeaux trout fishing in Baton Rouge. Did you know they stocked albineaux trout as well? It was a shock to me...

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