March 16th meeting - Countach Plus Nymph

AFR monthly meeting
Thursday, February 16, 2023
6:00pm meeting
Pack & Paddle Outpost, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette

For this session, Catch Cormier will lead us in tying the "Countach Plus".  It's a variation of a stonefly imitation created by Clark "Cheech" Pierce of Fly Fish Food called the Countach Jig Nymph.  The story goes that Cheech and his lunch buddies called themselves the Countach Club as their dream was to someday each own a Lamborgini Countach sportster.   The original fly was named in honor of the group - and the car.  

When Catch first saw this fly, he thought, "add a small marabou tail and this would be a killer smallmouth and creek bass fly".  It is... but in addition, it's a great fly for trout, largemouth, redears, and carp!

Catch will provide materials for others to tie along with him.  Bring your tools and tying thread.

Materials to be used:

• hook: barbless jig, size 12 (Gamakatsu J20-B, Fulling Mill 5045)
• bead: 1/8" tungsten, black nickel
• legs: grizzly flutter legs, rootbeer (1 strand)
• abdomen: antron dubbing, color Rust or March Brown
• thorax: micro pine squirrel zonker, color Rust
• ribbing: midge diamond braid, color tan or pearl or rootbeer

With Daylight Savings Time in effect, come early to get a little casting practice beforehand and maybe some retail therapy in Pack and Paddle.

Red Stick Day coming up March 4th

28th annual Red Stick Day fly fishing festival
Saturday, March 4, 2023
8:30am to 3:00pm
LDWF Waddill Outdoor Education Center
4141 North Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge, LA

Hosted by our friends to the east, the Red Stick Fly Fishers, Red Stick Day is one of the longest-running fly fishing festivals in the South. There's seminars, fly tying demonstrations, casting instruction, food, loads of raffle items, and more.  And best of all, admission is free!

The event will again be held at the LDWF Waddill Outdoors Education Center off North Flannery Road.  The ponds on the premises are full of big bass and bluegill.  In addition, Masseys Outfitters will be on hand with a variety of kayaks from Hobie, Native and other brands for folks to test paddle/pedal.

This year, thanks to the FFI Gulf Coast Council, the headliners will include three of the nation's top casting instructors: Dave Barron of Wisconsin, Jeff Ferguson from Lafayette, and Jonathon Walter of Colorado. All three are also members of the FFI Casting Board of Governors.  If you've ever wanted to learn more about any type of casting, or improve your casting skills, this is a grand opportunity to learn from the best!  Also on the agenda are programs by Brian Roberts and Dave Barron.

Over a dozen of the region's top fly tiers will also be on hand to demonstrate their various flies, along with their favorite legacy patterns. There's also a giant raffle and silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind items, all to benefit the club's educational projects.

Details about the event, including speaker and tier bios, schedule of activities, and more can be found by going to www.rsff.org and clicking on "Red Stick Day" in the menu.

Feb. 16th meeting - Shooting Heads

AFR monthly meeting
Thursday, February 16, 2023
6:00pm meeting
Pack & Paddle Outpost, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette

This month, our guest speaker will be Jay Smith, one of our casting pros. He will discuss “Shooting Heads”.  Shooting heads are a style of line that aren’t commonly used on the Gulf Coast. We’ll discuss these unique fly lines, how they can be used, as well as techniques for how to handle and cast them easier.

Our club founder Dennis Vidrine once held a casting demonstration many years back, where using a shooting head, was able to make extremely long, accurate casts. Shooting heads give anglers that extra distance that might occasionally be needed for when redfish are just out of range, or in the surf when schools of trout are holding to the second sandbar.

Since no fly casting yet (until Daylight Savings), please come early and get in a little retail therapy in Pack and Paddle.

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.

For more details, go to www.neworleansflyfishers.com.

Jan. 19th meeting - AON fly tying

AFR monthly meeting
Thursday, January 19, 2023
6:00pm meeting
Pack & Paddle Outpost, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette

This month, our meeting  will be held in conjunction with the Acadiana Open Night Fly Tying Group meeting. This month's guest fly tyer will be Chris Williams, aka “The Fat Fingered Fly Tyer”.  As a lot of you know, Chris has a website by that name and is a very active tyer and fisherman.  He publishes a wealth of knowledge about all things fly fishing and fly fishing related. Plan to bring your vise and tying materials. As with all AONFTG events, there promises to be beer!

It will be dark by 6:00pm so probably no fly casting can be done. But do please come early and see what all Pack and Paddle has to offer.

See you on the 19th!

Merry Christmas & 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.  There are several great regional activities coming up in Spring of 2023, including the New Orleans Fly Fishing Expo on January 21, hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers (www.neworleansflyfishing.com), the annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival on February 4, hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers of Houston, and the inaugural Gulf Coast Classic in Gulf Shores on May 4-6, hosted by the FFI Gulf Coast Council.  Click on our Calendar page to discover these and other activities taking place.