Happy Thanksgiving & Christmas Gathering reminder

This Thursday means many things to many different people. For most, it's a day of feasting with friends and family. Here in Louisiana, the dinner table will be adorned with turkey, roast, venison, duck or other hearty meat slowly cooked, along with Cajun favorites like sweet potatoes and corn machcoux. I'm getting hungry just typing this, lol!

While we do enjoy our feasting and football, we still recognize Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. We're thankful for all the woods, waters and wildlife we have here in the Sportsmans Paradise. And for the numerous friends we've made through our love of outdoors.

And speaking of friends, our annual club Christmas Gathering is set for Monday, December 9th. Great food, great comradery, club awards, Mixed Bag awards and drawings, door prizes, silent auction, and more!  If you've not received the email invite with the registration link, please email Catch Cormier at catch(at)laflyfish(dot)com as soon as possible.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

November 18th meeting - Midge Magic

KFF general meeting
Monday, November 18, 2024
6:30 pm - program
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

For this meeting, we'll watch a video, "Midge Magic with Davy Wotton".  In this video, the British-born Arkansas guide demonstrates, on a variety of water types, all the skills needed to catch trout feeding on midges.  He covers gear, leaders, tippets, tactics, useful line management methods, and more.  Wotton also demonstrates a variety of rigging systems and fishing them at different depths.

The timing of this video is important to those who plan to fish the Little Missouri River over the next couple of months. A sampling of stomach contents of Little Mo rainbows in January revealed that over 35% of their diet consisted of midges!

As always, the public is welcome. For those members joining us remotely, check your email for the Zoom meeting number and password. For livestreaming on the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos -
http://bit.ly/3oBk106  

Sugar Day cancelled

Early this afternoon, Kent House made the decision to cancel Sugar Day this Saturday due to weather concerns.  The forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms, with possibly locally heavy rain in the afternoon. 

While our fly tying demonstrations - and a few other crafts activities - are indoors, about 70 percent of the many exhibits and activities are outdoors.  We share disappointment with Kent House on this decision, and look forward to next year (and hopefully, better weather).

November 4th fly tying - Fools Gold Crab

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, November 4, 2024
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

* Please note this month's tying session is moved up a week due to the Veterans Day holiday *

This month, Chris Williams will be driving up from Baton Rouge to tie the Fools Gold Crab.  This pattern, created by Johnny Miller, can be fished like a crab or a shrimp bumping off the bottom.  In Fall and Winter, when Louisiana redfish are inside and feeding on fiddler crabs, flies like the FGC are the ticket to success!

The session is open to the public. All materials are provided, and we have several sets of tools for beginners to use during the session.

Remote members can participate using the Zoom meeting number and password sent by email. All others can watch on the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos -
http://bit.ly/3oBk106

October 28th meeting - Club trips

KFF general meeting
Monday, October 28, 2024

5:30 pm - casting practice
6:30 pm - program
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

This month we'll have a short but very important meeting - an open discussion on potential 2025 club trips.  Currently we have our 11th annual "March Brown trip" organized by the Coldwater Committee and Carlton Townsend set for March 20-23, 2025.  Details of this trip are in the latest email from Bill Morrison, but will be discussed further in the next couple of months.

The Warmwater and Saltwater Committees are looking to organize weekend or destination trips that would be of great interest to club members.  Several ideas were thrown out at the last board meeting, and we'll discuss those.   As well as take any suggestions from members for trip ideas.  We also want to add a couple of "local trips" - one day excursions to a local water such as Cane River, Toledo Bend, Calcasieu Lake, etc.  These ideas will be open for discussion as well.

As always, the public is welcome. For those members joining us remotely, check your email for the Zoom meeting number and password. If not, email Bill Morrison for this info. For livestreaming on the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos -
http://bit.ly/3oBk106

October 21st fly tying - Kreelex Minnow

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, October 21, 2024

5:30pm - casting practice
6:30pm - tying session starts
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

** Because of Columbus Day, our tying session has been moved to the 3rd Monday **

This month Jim Johnson will lead us in tying the Kreelex Minnow. Chuck Kraft developed this all-flash pattern for trout, but it has proven to take almost any gamefish out there. In fact, the Kreelex is one of the most effective and versatile light streamer patterns Bill and Jim have used over the past year. They've caught bass, crappie, gar, freshwater drum, and all manner of panfish on the pattern.

We will tie the pattern in silver/pearl and gold, so 140 denier thread in white will be best.  The version we will tie is on a #6 hook, and will be similar to the fly in the attached photo.

As always, all materials other than thread will be provided, and we will have several sets of tools for any who do not have their own.   And if you have never tied, we can pair you with someone who can help.  

For remote members near and far, you can participate using the Zoom meeting number and password sent by email. All others can watch via our YouTube livestream; search for "Kisatchie Fly Fishers" on YT.

October is the last month for casting prior to meetings due to the end of Daylight Savings Time. We'll start back of the library around 5:30pm. So get your casting coaching in while you can!

Toledo Bend Rendezvous only weeks away!

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 meeting - Tenkara 101

KFF general meeting
Monday, September 23, 2024

5:30 pm - casting practice (weather permitting)
6:30 pm - program
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

This month we have a special guest joining us via Zoom. Karin Miller is the owner/founder of Zen Tenkara, the only 100 percent woman-owned rod company, a renown expert in the centuries-old method of fishing known as Tenkara. She's caught a wide variety of species, proving that it's not just a small stream application.  Karin will give us a basic overview of tenkara and what's possible using this method.  This promises to be a great program!

As always, the public is welcome. For those members joining us remotely, check your email for the Zoom meeting number and password. If not, email Bill Morrison for this info. For livestreaming on the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos -
http://bit.ly/3oBk106

* Special note to members: check your email for a special limited-time offer from Zen Tenkara *