Friday, February 21, 2020

February 25th meeting - Rigging & Tactics for Coldwater Trout

KFF monthly general meeting
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
6:30pm
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

* Please note date change - Tuesday - Mardi Gras day *

We have two club trips to the Little Missouri coming up, and another two coldwater trout trips for this year in the planning stages. Add the fact that we have over two dozen new members since last February, and the Coldwater Committee thought it might be wise to do another "Rigging and Tactics for Coldwater Trout" presentation. 

This meeting will be informative whether you're a complete beginner or a semi-expert.  That's because everyone is welcome to share their knowledge and tips as part of the program.  The Coldwater Committee will lead the various topics, and members are encouraged to chime in at the end of each topic to offer their own experiences or expertise.

Among the many topics that will be covered include: tackle, leaders, packs or vests, waders, boots, wading staffs, accessories, clothing, flies, and types of casts to work on in moving water.

Also information about the Little Missouri River, pertinent to our two club trips coming up.  These include: river access points, generation and river levels, and best flies.

Also on the agenda: Casting Skills update, the LDWF Spotted Seatrout meeting on Thursday, our annual Fly Fishing 101 (Mar. 28), and our Spring Picnic meeting on Cotile Lake (Mar. 16).

As always, the public is welcome!

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

LDWF meeting on seatrout coming to Alexandria

A reminder that next Thursday, February 27th, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will hold a public meeting here in Alexandria on the future of spotted seatrout (speckled trout) management. The most recent stock assessment indicated spotted seatrout are overfished and undergoing overfishing and changes are necessary in order to recover the stock.

Location is the Rapides Parish Extension Office, 300 Grady Britt Drive, located at the back end of LSU-Alexandria campus.  Time is 6:00pm. 

The FFI Gulf Coast Council, of which Kisatchie Fly Fishers is a member club, has endorsed support for a 14-inch minimum size limit. According to LDWF biologists analysis, this would be the most effective pathway to increasing the spawning biomass by the 20 percent savings necessary.

We need all conservation-minded anglers to attend.  Please fill out the BLUE comment cards prior to the meeting and speak up in favor of new regulations that will bring back this once-great fishery!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

February 17th fly tying - Triple Threat!


KFF monthly fly tying session
Monday, February 17, 2020

5:30pm - tying skills clinic
6:30pm - regular fly tying begins
Rapides Westside Library, 5416 Provine, Alexandria

** Please note that the tying skills clinic starting this month at 5:30pm **

We'll be tying a trio of flies this month. Two for the Little Mo (or other trout waters) and one for bluegill.

The A&W Emerger is the creation of Jeff Guerin and simulates a March Brown mayfly in the emergent stage.  Here is a link to the video on the FFI website. 

The Long Creek is another creation of Jeff Guerin. He considers it his "best March Brown nymph imitation" and has caught fish on just about every water.

The Bluegill Belly Bean was created by Paul Beel of Indiana, fly fishing writer and owner of FrankenFly website. Beel suggests letting the fly sink down using the countdown method, then stripping short strips to deep bedding bluegill or redears. For a video of tying this fly, click here.

As always, beginners and other guests are welcome!  Bring your tools, if none, the club has sets for use during these sessions. Materials are provided.   

Friday, February 7, 2020

Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival - Feb. 14-16

18th-ever Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival
A celebration of trout and fly fishing on the Little Missouri River
February 14-16, 2020
Community Center, Murfreesboro, AR
Cost: $5

Organized by Jeff Guerin of Little Missouri Fly Fishing (www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com), the Fest is one of the more laid-back and enjoyable events of winter.  Folks gather on Friday evening for tying and gumbo or chili.  On Saturday, there's vendors, fly tying demos, furled-leader demos, presentations, and who knows what else!  The "Usual Suspects" return to demonstrate their favorite flies and tying techniques.

On Sunday morning, Jeff conducts the "Can You Take It" casting clinic. It's a group clinic for those wishing to take a hard look at their casting strokes - and have everyone else take a look at them too! OUCH!!!

For more info on the Fest, including a list of accomodations, and latest info on the Little Mo itself, go to www.littlemissouriflyfishing.com.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Mixed Bag Contest update 2/5

Terry Stafford's warmouth caught on Clouser Minnow
January 1st kicked off our 3rd annual "Mixed Bag Contest" - a members-only CPR online tournament where size doesn't matter, but variety of species does. The monsoon season here in central Louisiana hasn't been friendly to flyfishers, but some have registered a few fish, especially around Saline. Others have made the 4-hour trip to the Little Missouri River and registered rainbow trout.

Here are our first-round leaders:
Carlton Townsend (3) - black crappie, longear sunfish, rainbow trout
Joel Dinnat (2) - black crappie, warmouth
Terry Stafford (2) - black crappie, warmouth
Bill Morrison (1) - largemouth bass
Rich Hudson (1) - rainbow trout
Eddie Quitta (1) - rainbow trout

The most productive flies have been: Clouser Minnow, woolybuggers, Birds Nest, Sqwirmy Worm, Ruby Midge.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

LDWF announces public meetings on speckled trout management

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has announced dates for public meetings to be held on spotted seatrout (speckled trout) management. The most recent stock assessment indicated spotted seatrout are overfished and undergoing overfishing and changes are necessary in order to recover the stock.

The slide to the left was part of the presentation given by LDWF biologists at the January meeting of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. It shows that speckled trout spawning stocks have been on the decline since 2010, and below both the conservation target (yellow line) of 14 percent since 2012, and the recruitment threshold (magenta line) of 10.2 percent since 2013. 

The top slide also shows results over time in  various savings in the spawning biomass or potential ratio (both had similiar graphs).  CLICK on the images to enlarge.  

 No action is being taken at this time.  The Commission indicated it would like to hear public input before considering management changes.  LDWF’s biological opinion is that a 20% reduction in harvest is needed in order to recover the stock by 2025 or sooner, but there are a range of options that can achieve that goal. 

Management change options recently presented to the LWFC in early January 2020 included:
- creel limit only changes
- minimum size limit changes only
- combined creel and minimum size limit changes
- slot limit only changes
- combined slot limit and creel changes.

Below is a list of meeting dates and locations.  All meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m., except the meeting in Ruston, which will begin at 1:00 p.m.

- Monday, February 10 – North Branch Library, 4130 West Park Ave, Gray
- Wednesday, February 12 – LDWF HQ, Herring Room, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge
- Thursday, February 13 – Lafayette Council Chambers, 705 West University Avenue,  Lafayette
- Wednesday, February 19 – East Bank Regional Library, 4747 West Napoleon Avenue, Metairie
- Thursday, February 20 – Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 Second Street, Slidell
- Wednesday, February 26 – Calcasieu Parish Extension Office, 7101 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles
- Thursday, February 27 – Rapides Parish Extension Office, 300 Grady Britt Drive, Alexandria
- Saturday, February 29 – Lincoln Parish Library, 910 North Trenton Street, Ruston

LDWF is partnering with Louisiana Sea Grant to use interactive voting technology at these public hearings in response to a survey that will be given at the meetings.  LDWF will also be sending out an email survey identical to the survey that will be administered at public meetings.

For more information, please contact Jason Adriance at 504-284-2032 or jadriance@wlf.la.gov.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

KFF makes donation to Food Bank!

On Friday, KFF president Mike Carlin, Secretary/Treasurer Richard Hudson and Events Chairman Catch Cormier presented a check of $1,000 on behalf of the Kisatchie Fly Fishers to The Food Bank of Central Louisiana. Accepting on behalf of FBCL was Jayne Wright-Velez and Linda Hutson. The money was generated from our fundraiser during the recent Cenla Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Festival. This donation will help feed seven impoverished seniors for an entire year!

In addition to raising funds for the Food Bank, we raised a significant amount for our local conservation and education initiatives.  Perhaps just as important, we signed up 13 new members bringing our membership up to 79 individuals or families!

We wish to thank all of our generous benefactors who made our Festival another great success and this donation possible. Top of that list is Capt. Mike Sorrel of Citrus County Outfitters for his donation of a guided saltwater fly fishing trip, and our own Roger Breedlove for donation of a Sage X fly rod valued at $900. Also many thanks to H2GO Outdoors, Bill Lewis Lures, Bryant's Custom Jigs (Larry Bryant), Mudfish Adventures (Capt. Steve Stubbe), Jim Johnson and our many club and guest tiers who donated items for our raffle. 

Also we wish to thank the City of Pineville, Councilwoman Christy Frederic (a KFF member), Mayor Clarence Fields and the wonderful folks at Kees Park for their assistance and support of this event. Also to Cenla Focus magazine, KALB-TV and Mark Hamblen for their support. Everyone is looking forward to our next Festival in January, 2022.