September 2025 activities

AFR monthly meeting
Thursday, September 18
6:00pm
* Pack & Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette
Guests are welcome!

* Please note we are now meeting inside Pack & Paddle store -not- the Outpost in the back. The Outpost is no longer available for any use by anyone. *

As a fly fishing club, we subscribe to the "all fish in all waters" philosophy.  However, being in south Louisiana limits our experiences with coldwater trout - the species most associated with fly fishing - to winter stockings of local ponds. If we wish to enjoy the more typical flowing rivers, then significant travel can be required - but not entirely!

Join us this month as our guest speaker, Carlton Townsend, provides insight on a close-to-home year-round trout river - the Little Missouri in southwest Arkansas. Carlton is Coldwater Chair for the Kisatchie Fly Fishers, and has significant experience fishing the "Little Mo". Just a little more than five hours from Lafayette, this river offers good fishing for beginners and experienced anglers alike, with easy access. So come get some great info on this opportunity from a knowledgeable source!

As always the public is welcome.  Come early for some retail therapy at Pack and Paddle.

Acadiana Bugs & Brews
Thursday, September 25
6:00pm
* Pack & Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette
Open to the public

* Please note AB&B is no longer gathering inside Pack & Paddle Outpost.  We'll now meet inside the store.  *

Acadiana Bugs & Brews is an open community fly tying event. While not affiliated with AFR, several of our members participate and assist beginners.  Bring your favorite beverage, and enjoy a cold one while tying flies and sharing fishing tales.

This month Pat Bienvenu will lead us in tying the Propaganda Bass Fly.  Pat was introduced to this fly thru the Red Stick Fly Fishers, and it's touted as a bass fly that matched the conventional bass fishing Ned Rig.  However, RSFF's Fly Tying Chair David Rogers has also had good success using it for Black Drum. 

As always, AB&B is open to the public. We’ll have materials and extra tools for any beginners interested in learning to tie. So come and tie the featured fly, or just bring whatever you're tying and enjoy some conversation and cold beverages. 

Fly Fishing 101 reminder

AFR will host a FREE introduction to fly fishing clinic on Saturday, October 28th at the Lafayette Parish Eastside Regional Library.  Location is 215 La Neuville Rd in Youngsville. Time is 10:15am to 1:00pm. 

Pre-registration is required. Please visit our Fly Fishing 101 page for details, or to register. 

Make plans now for Flies & Pies!

ALTO Fly Fishing Fair
Saturday, September 20, 2025
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
First Baptist Church of Natchitoches Gym
508 Second St., Natchitoches, LA
FREE admission

Building on the success of last year's inaugural event, the ArkLaTexOma Fly Tiers group (ALTO) is holding their 2nd annual "Flies & Pies" tying event in conjunction with the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival.  This year, the event will be held in a new location  just a couple blocks from the heart of the Festival - which is an attraction all to itself.

Along with some of the best fly tiers from across the region, the festival will have presentations including: Jerald Lewis on Fly Fishing for Bream, Burley Johnson on Creating Bass Poppers, and Mike Hawkins on Making Furled Leaders.  The new location has an outdoor casting area as well. So if you need a free casting lesson, or tune up, there will be two FFI Certified Casting Instructors on hand.

While this event is FREE to attend, the group will be taking up a Love Offering to present to First Baptist Church for the use of their facilities.

For more details, go to the ALTO website at www.arklatexomaflytyers.com .  Or check them out on their Facebook page (link)