22nd Annual Red Stick Day Fly Fest

22nd Annual Red Stick Day Fly Fest
Saturday, March 2, 2013
8:30am to 4:00pm
LDWF Waddill Outdoors Center, 4142 N. Flannery, Baton Rouge, LA
Free admission  ($6 jambalaya)
Sponsored by Red Stick Fly Fishers and Friends of RSFF

For 2013, RSFF IS delighted to welcome Tim Borski back to Louisiana.  Tim, a resident of the Florida Keys, is a world-renown artist and author and fly fishing junkie who has applied his skills to the "art of the sport" in creating some of the innovative flies for saltwater and warmwater in the last decade. His "Borski Ties Flies" are some of the most popular saltwater tying videos of all time.  Those who recall Tim as a featured guest at the Saltwater Fly Fishing Picnics can testify he's an entertaining personality as well. 

Tim will be tying in the morning along with other featured tiers from Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.  At 1pm, he'll be doing a tying presentation demonstrating his patterns and sharing tips to fly design.

Author, outdoors writer and Louisiana saltwater fly fishing pioneer, Pete Cooper, Jr, will start things off with "Fly Fishing the Chandeleurs".  Other feature presentations include the "Montajun" Capt. Marty Authement on "Terrebonne Redfish", and WarmFly.com founder Larry Offner on "Panfish Tactics".
Tom Jindra, former Federation of Fly Fishers president, and Chair of the FFF Casting Board of Governors, will be giving a presentation on Saltwater Fly Casting.

For beginners and novices, fellow "Montajun" and fly rod record holder Rich Evans will lead a "Fly Fishing Basics" session from 9am to 10am.  Followed by a "Casting Basics" session led by FFF-Certified Casting Instructor Roger del Rio, from 10am to 11am.

For puddlers - those who fish from kayaks or canoes - or would-be puddlers, Backpacker of Baton Rouge will be on hand from 11am to 1pm, with several of their more popular fishing boats for folks to demo.

At lunch, world champion jambalaya cook J.D. Scioritino will dish out his tasty specialty with salad and roll.  Only $6 per plate.

Soft drinks and water are available all day at no cost.  Alcoholic beverages are NOT allowed at Waddill.  If you are seen with one, you will be asked to leave.  Just so you know...   

There's great fishing in the ponds, so bring your fly rod.  Rules are catch-and-release only.

For more info, go to www.rsff.org or visit their Facebook page.

Temple Fork Outfitters introduces the NEW Mangrove Series

“The Mangrove” Fly Rod Series

For decades Flip Pallot has shared his knowledge, enthusiasm and friendship with countless anglers in the pursuit of some of the most wary and challenging fish around the world.  From spellbound anglers tuning into The Walker's Cay Chronicles, to those fortunate enough to share a boat with him ... most all would agree that Flip’s experiences have enriched us - made us better anglers - and made us better stewards of the environment.  And now he's sharing his experience once more through the new Mangrove rod series from Temple Fork Outfitters.

Mangrove sticks were first seen in my mind’s eye from the poling platform of my skiff as I watched anglers struggle with fishing casts…realistic fishing casts within sight fishing distances.

Many saltwater fishing opportunities are fleeting and require timely presentation of fly to fish. It’s not really so much the number of false casts required to close the deal as it is how quickly the angler can begin to feel the fly line and shoot the fly into the area of awareness of a fish.

The rod and the casting abilities of each angler have EVERYTHING to do with this. Super technical, magnum taper rods are not always the right choice for all anglers in real fishing situations.  A rod that anglers can feel and that can re-present a fishing cast (especially along shorelines) is what is often needed. This is the genesis of the Mangrove family of TFO rods; they are, very simply, fishing tools that have been developed slowly and carefully in the crucible of real, honest fishing situations…not on a drawing board!

Grab hold of a Mangrove Stick by TFO and see just how much trouble you can get into……..

Flip Pallot

Built with the hardcore angler in mind, the Mangrove series utilizes TFO’s proprietary TiCr blank coating, which helps protect the rod from the occasional collision with a weighted fly, and TFO’s proprietary Tactical Guides™ that are braid and saltwater safe...plus they can't break or pop out like traditional ceramic guides.  The unique non-glare chestnut colored blank features a full wells grip with an instant rod weight burled cork ID system, fighting butts and cleverly machined hook keeps on each side of the aluminum up-locking reel seat.

The Mangrove series is available now in 9 foot 4 piece configurations and in weights from 6 through 10 plus a 12.  All are priced at $249.95 and they feature TFO's legendary Unconditional Lifetime Warranty.

Memories, Mangroves & Magic by Flip Pallot

I first met Flip Pallot at a local New Orleans fly shop in July of 2005.  I was there to purchase a copy of his new book Memories, Mangroves & Magic.   I remember sitting on the couch with him and chatting while he autographed my book.  During our conversation, Flip asked my favorite species to target on the fly.  I was a little embarrassed telling this fly fishing legend that it was a bluegill.  I will never forget his response; “There's nothing like a big bluegill on a three weight!”  Needless to say, I loved his reply!

Now back to the book.  My copy of the book has moved around the house for the past eight years.  I love to look at all the beautiful photos in the coffee table type book.  Recently, I made an amazing discovery… it has text!  It's an extremely well written book by Flip, forward by Lefty Kreh and illustrations by Tim Borski. 

A book review 8 years later?  Yep!   I highly recommend Memories, Mangroves & Magic.  You can find both used and new copies on Amazon.com.  Oh, if you get a copy, don’t let it lay around for eight years before you read it!

Larry Offner
Owner, Green Trout Fly Shop
Owner, WarmFly.com



Larry and Catch Cormier's Excellent Adventure!

Friday, on the way to the Dr. Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival in Houston, Catch and I stopped in Jennings, LA and fished the Louisiana Oil & Gas Park pond which is located right off I-10.  In four hours we landed 29 nice Sac-a-lait (Crappie) and quick released another 5.  We also caught another couple of dozen bluegill and redear!  We were both using 3 weight rods – what a hoot!

Crappie Candy Tied by Stephen Roberts (photo by Larry Offner)