Casting Mondays

Every Monday of the month offers an opportunity for members to improve their fly casting skills. Come get personal instruction, or compete in a casting game, or qualify for the KFF and/or FFI Casting Skills Challenge Award. Check the weather in advance, or check emails for cancellation if adverse weather.

For our monthly meeting dates - 2nd Monday fly tying and 4th Monday general meeting - there is fly casting behind our meeting place (Rapides Westside Library). It starts around 5:00pm and concludes 10 minutes prior to the meeting (6:30pm).

All other Mondays of the month we meet at the Big Field area of Alexandra City Park.  Casting begins at  5:00pm and goes until around 6:30pm..

July 12th tying session - EP Shrimp

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, July 12, 2021
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

* Remote members can participate via the Zoom app on any PC, tablet, or smartphone.  Enter the meeting ID and password to join in.  Email Bill Morrison to request.

Member Chris Williams from Sorrento, LA will be present and lead us in tying of the EP Shrimp. Chris is blogger for Fat Finger Fly Tying (check out his webpage). Created by Enrico Puglisi, the EP Shrimp has several variations, all of which are very effective for many species from speckled trout to bonefish.  

Beginners are welcome! Bring your tools, materials will be provided.  For those without tools, the club has sets for use during the session.  For Zoom participants, materials will only be mailed to those members who reside beyond 100 miles.

Patton, Williams setting records in Mixed Bag

Our 4th annual Mixed Bag Contest is setting records left and right!  Currently we have almost twice as many entries at this point in contest history. And while Jerry Patton and Chris Williams are out to prove that there is NO species that won't take their flies, we want to remind members that each entry - even just one - is more important than ever.

That's because in January the board voted to change the MBC award system to encourage more member participation. Rather than award out six places as in the past, this year only the winner will receive a cash prize. Conversely, we've expanded the consolation drawing from one prize to several. Each entry will be worth one ticket under your name in the drawing. 

We still have five more months in the contest, plenty of time to enter.  More entries = greater chances to win!

Here are the current standings:

Jerry Patton - 20
Chris Williams - 17
Tyler Woods - 8
Carlton Townsend - 8

Others: Glen Cormier (7), Robert Hughes (6), Mike Carlin (6), Bill Morrison (6), Joel Dinnat (5), Rich Hudson (5), Jim Johnson (4), Barbara Carlin (3), Preston Keiser (2), Louis Busby (2), Gene Taylor (2), Dustin McDavid (2).

Among the more recent catches of interest are Guadalupe Bass (Mike Carlin), Longnose Gar (Tyler Wood), Tiger Trout (Rich Hudson, photo top), Common Carp (Chris Williams) and Croaker (Jerry Patton, photo bottom).

Fly Tying 101 coming August 7th

Saturday, August 7, 2021
8:30 am - 11:30 am
* Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria, LA
FREE and open to the public!

* Please note that location is subject to change depending on class size *

While most tiers may not agree on the economics of fly tying, nearly all will agree with actor Ewan McGregor, of Star Wars fame and who portrayed biologist and fly fishing expert Dr. Alfred Jones in the movie “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”.  In an interview, McGregor explained the reasons why he himself loves to tie flies: that crafting a fly is transcendental, and there’s nothing more gratifying than catching a fish on a fly you tied.

If that appeals to you, here's your opportunity to learn from expert tiers.  Fly Tying 101 is a 3-hour, hands-on workshop that covers the basics of tools, materials, and terminology.  Students will tie at least 3 different flies using popular techniques and thread knots. And best of all, it's FREE!

Details, schedule and a link to registration can be found by clicking on the menu above "FT101".

June 28th general meeting - Welcome back!

Kisatchie Fly Fishers monthly meeting
Monday, June 28, 2021
5:00pm until meeting starts - casting on back lawn
6:30pm - meeting begins
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

* Also streamed on Zoom.  Enter the meeting ID and password to join in.  If you need the ID and password, email Bill Morrison with a request.

We welcome our members and any guests to our first in-person general meeting since February 2019.  While the pandemic may be over, we strongly urge our members to practice good health.  Wear a mask if you feel the need to.  And please stay home if you feel ill.

Casting practice kicks off at 5:00pm and goes until start of meeting. Bring your rod, or use one of the club outfits. Get casting instruction, or participate in the Casting Skills Challenge for a Bronze, Silver or Gold certificate.

 

For our June program, we have two presentations of great interest.  First,Tom Zabasky will present the Coldwater Committee plan for a club trip to the White River in Arkansas, tentative dates November 8-11 this Fall.   Afterward,  Tom and Robert Hughes will share information regarding their Belize Coastal Reef Bonefish and Tarpon fly fishing happening next week.

 

Also: fishing reports and details on upcoming activities including Fly Tying 101 in August. The public is welcome!

June 14th tying session - Peanut Envy

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, June 14, 2021
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

* Remote members can still participate via the Zoom app on any PC, tablet, or smartphone.  Enter the meeting ID and password to join in.  Email Bill Morrison to request.

For our first in-person fly tying session in over a year, Tyler Wood will lead us in tying a smaller version of Kelly Galloup's Peanut Envy.  In a size 4, this small profile streamer is easier to cast, and versatile for a wide variety of predatory species.  Bring your tools, materials will be provided.  

Hope to see you there!

KFF in-person meetings to resume in June

Great News!  The large meeting room at the Rapides Westside Library room will reopen in June.  Our monthly meetings are now scheduled through November (no meeting in December, that is our annual Christmas Party).   

With the renewal of meetings, there is a schedule change.  Fly tying meetings will now be the 2nd Monday of each month, and program meetings the 4th Monday of each month. 

Although our fly tying sessions will be in-person, Bill Morrison and the Tying Committee are working to simultaneously broadcast these in Zoom, and have interactive participation with our remote members and friends.  We will also continue to post our flies on YouTube.  The next tying session will be June 14th.

Mixed Bag Contest standings - 5/18

This has been the wettest Spring in Louisiana since Bienville stuck the French flag into our mud and it sunk.  Rain, wind, dark of night... none of that has bothered Jerry Patton on his quest to catch different species of fish in our Mixed Bag Contest.  Jerry has already set a new MBC record and we're only halfway into the contest!

While most members will probably never catch up to Jerry and current runnerup Chris Williams (whose also having a "big year"), there is good news.  For 2021, we've expanded the number of consolation drawings and prizes. 

So, when the sun does come out (eventually it will... we think), get your fly tackle and go catch fish. Take a photo of each different species with your smartphone or camera, then make your entries online. The more entries = greater chances to win!

Here are the current standings:

Jerry Patton - 20
Chris Williams - 16
Tyler Wood - 7
Glen Cormier - 6
Carlton Townsend - 6
Bill Morrison - 6
Robert Hughes - 5
Rich Hudson -5

Other entries: Mike Carlin - 3, Joel Dinnat - 3, Preston Keiser - 2,  Gene Taylor - 2,  Louis Busby - 2, Barbara Carlin - 2,  Jim Johnson - 2

Among the most recent interesting species entered include: hardhead catfish (Jerry Patton), pinfish (Jerry Patton), a 20-inch speckled trout (Bill Morrison personal best), rainbow trout (Preston Keiser), and Rio Grande Cichlid (Mike Carlin & Barbara Carlin).  The spotted bass pictured was caught by Tyler Wood using a "Mad Scientist Crab".