January 23rd meeting - Mixed Bag Photos, Late Winter Crappie

KFF monthly general meeting
Monday, January 23, 2023
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

Come join us for our first meeting of the year. We're all looking forward to reconnecting after the holidays and talk some club business and more importantly, talk some fishing.  Yes, good fishing is almost here.  On the agenda:

• Short admin meeting to catch members up on club-related items
• Presentation by Jim Johnson on photography guidelines and best practices for our Mixed Bag Contest.
• Presentation by Catch Cormier on late winter crappie tactics, what to look for as crappie move to spawning areas over the next month.

As always, the public is welcome. For Zoom connection, email Mike or Bill for meeting number and password. For the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos - http://bit.ly/3oBk106

NOFF Expo this Saturday!

2023 New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo
Saturday, January 21st
8:00am to 3:30pm
St. Christopher the Martyr School Gymnasium
3900 Derbigny St, Metairie, LA
Free admission!

For a full size Expo Flyer, CLICK HERE

Hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club, this biennial event (every odd year) is a celebration of fly fishing, featuring all aspects of our sport. Whether you’re wanting to get into fly fishing, or a seasoned veteran, there’s a program or activity certainly to be of interest.

Activities will include fly casting seminars and demonstrations, fly tying instruction and demos, seminars and destination seminars, Sports Writers Roundtable, Iron Fly Tyer competition, auctions and raffles of top end products and flies, artists and vendors, and Kids Fly Fishing Casting and programs. Proceeds go to benefit the club’s educational and philantrophic initiatives.

NOFFC is the second oldest club in Louisiana, having formed in 1984 by Ted Cabali and Tom Jindra. For nearly four decades, the club has been a major contributor to the growth of saltwater fly fishing and fly tying in Louisiana, with several members well recognized in the regional and national fly tying community.

In preparation for the biennial expo, NOFFC has unveiled a new website. The domain remains the same, but there’s new content. Webmaster Wayne Schnell is still putting the final pieces together, but in addition to the latest club news and a more detailed “Calendar of Events”, the site will also include articles of interest to all fly anglers. Check it out at www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

January 9th fly tying - Copper John

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, January 9, 2023
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

We'll kickoff the new year with one of the most popular trout patterns of all time, the Copper John. While we tied a rubber leg version 3 years ago, this will be our first try at John Barr's original version. We'll use a #12 hook for our first tie, which will be easier for our novice tiers. If time allows, we'll tie a second copy.

As always, all materials other than thread will be provided. We'll also have several sets of tools for those who do not have their own. Also, we will finish the thorax using UV resin, so if you have a UV light and resin, please bring them. Otherwise, Bill will have resin and a light to use.

For Zoom participants, enter the meeting number and password sent by email. For YouTube participants, search for "Kisatchie Fly Fishers" on YT.  The YouTube livestream and recording will be posted on the Kisatchie Fly Fishers YouTube channel.

As has been our practice at the end of the last few sessions, we will draw for a door prize at the end of the session – for this session, we will have one of the cool new green KFF caps.

Material list:

• Hook: 2x long nymph hook, size #12
• Bead:  1/8” gold brass bead or size to match hook
• Thread: Black 8/0 or 70 denier
• Tail: Brown goose biots
• Weight:  .015” lead wire
• Body:  Brassie UTC Ultra wire in copper or other color
• Wing case: Saltwater pearl Flashabou & black Thinskin or Scud Back
• Thorax: 2-3 strands of strung peacock
• Legs: Brown speckled hen hackle or brown partridge
• Adhesive: Clear UV resin – thick or multiple coats of thin

2023 Mixed Bag kicks off January 1st

Our Mixed Bag Contest is back for a seventh year! The MBC kicks off Sunday, January 1st at 12:01am. If last year is any indication, expect at least 2 or 3 members to be out on opening day to nab a few entries for the contest.

Mixed Bag is a members-only, months-long tournament where the goal is to catch as many different species on fly rod. It's CPRE which means catch-photo-release encouraged. And best of all, there is no entry fee.  You only need to be a 2023 paid member of Kisatchie Fly Fishers.

For all the details on how to submit an entry, go to our "Mixed Bag" webpage.  If you're on Facebook, go to our Kisatchie Fly Fishers Members Share page and share photos of your catch as well.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

Here's wishing our members and friends, and all of their families, a most blessed holiday season. Hope everyone finds something under the Christmas tree they can use for their piscatorial pursuits in the coming year.

While Christmas is a season of festivity, let's not forget the reason for the season: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….” John 1:14. Please be giving to those in need, and pray for those who are less fortunate, for those in suffering, and for those away from their families this season.

We also wish everyone a prosperous and healthy New Year.  The new year brings many traditional club activities, in addition to our monthly meetings. In March, we have our annual Spring Picnic and Little Mo Rainbow Coalition trip, our Fly Fishing 101 in April, and our annual Summer Workshop.  Being an odd year, our biennial Cenla Fly Fest will not be held (coming back in 2024), but another biennial event - held in odd years - is well worth attending. The New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo takes place January 21st in Metairie. Check it out at www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

November 28th meeting - State of Cenla Fisheries

KFF monthly general meeting
Monday, November 28, 2022
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

Come join us for our final meeting of the year! We'll briefly talk about the Christmas Party coming up on December 5th, then get right into the presentation - which promises to be a good one!

Our guest speaker will be Rick McGuffee, Region 3 District Manager for Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Rick oversees fisheries and game management for Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides and Winn parishes. Rick last addressed our club 6 years ago.  He will talk about how LDWF samples area waters, then give a "State of the Cenla Fisheries" updating on sampling results and area lake drawdowns (like the one on Cotile Lake pictured).  Come learn about where the best places to catch certain species are in our area, as well as any other questions you may have!

As always, the public is welcome. For Zoom connection, email Mike or Bill for meeting number and password. For the KFF YouTube Channel, use this link and go to Live videos - http://bit.ly/3oBk106

November 14th tying - Lightning Bug

KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, November 14, 2022
6:00pm - Tying Basics

6:30pm - Fly of the Month
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria
Also livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube

Since we have several new tyers, we'll have a Basic Skills/New Tyer session at 6:00pm, followed by our regular tying session at 6:30pm. The new tier session will cover the loading the bobbin, securing the hook in the vise, starting thread, maintaining thread tension, basic material tie-in and finishing the fly with a half-hitch.   (Note: this session will not be livestreamed).

Then, at 6:30, we will jump into tying the colorful Lightning Bug.  This fly is also an effective fish catcher for both trout and bluegill. One look at the fly and you realize the origin of its name. The great thing about the Lightning Bug is it lends itself to endless customization.

As always, all materials other than thread will be provided, and we have several sets of tools for beginners to use during the session. The color schemes we'll use are pink or red in sizes 70 denier or 8/0. We'll have a few spools of red thread for those who don't have these colors. 

Material list:

• Hook:  #12 jig hook or standard nymph hook
• Bead:  1/8” slotted tungsten bead (jig hook) or standard bead (for nymph hook)
• Thread:  70 denier or 8/0 in your color choice.
• Tail and Legs:  Pheasant tail – natural or brown
• Body and Wingcase:  Large holographic tinsel in your color choice
• Ribbing:  Brassie size wire in your color choice
• Thorax:   Two strands of strung peacock

For Zoom participants, enter the meeting number and password sent by email. For YouTube participants, search for "Kisatchie Fly Fishers" on YT.

We look forward to sharing our final fly pattern of 2022, so do come out and join us for a fun tie!

Toledo Bend Rendezvous this weekend

A reminder that this weekend, October 28-30, marks the return of Rendezvous at North Toledo Bend State Park in Zwolle, LA.  For 33 years, one of the longest running casual gatherings of fly tiers in the country. 

Open to everyone, whether you tie flies or just enjoy watching.  The group facilities allow for overnight stays.  With only a minimal fee to cover lodging and activities. The event is open to everyone, and families are encouraged!

It’s never too late to make plans to attend.  You can read more details by going to the Rendezvous website at http://flycasting.bravesites.com/