The Red Letter. Above taken Sept. 25th, 2010 at La. National Hunting and Fishing Day, LDWF Education Center. A great example of why we volunteer!!!

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1 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RED STICK FLY FISHERS Next Membership Meeting: Monday, June 13, 7:00PM at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building on Quail Drive Next Fly Tying Meeting: Monday, June. 27, 7:00PM at Orvis Sporting Goods, Baton Rouge, La.

2 Above taken Sept. 25th, 2010 at La. National Hunting and Fishing Day, LDWF Education Center A great example of why we volunteer!!! Red Stick Fly Fishers (RSFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of fly fishing, conservation and outdoor ethics. Programs are held the second Monday of each month at Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries located on Quail Dr. at 7:00 pm. Fly tying is held the fourth Monday of each month, except December. The location currently alternates between Orvis, Cabela s in Gonzales and Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs. These events also begin at 7:00 pm. Dues are $25 for individuals or families, free for students. RSFF is affiliated with the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Gulf Coast Council. Submissions to must be received by the Editor no later than the first Monday of each month. Correspondence or club information can be obtained through the club web site, or by (see last page for member contacts), or by regular mail at: RSFF PO Box 3761 Baton Rouge, La RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 1 Baton Rouge, La

3 Next RSFF Meeting, June 13th, 7:00PM at the Wildlife and Fisheries building on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Time is 7:00pm, with casting outside starting at 6:00pm (weather permitting). Later this month, our club makes its annual weekend pilgrimage to Grand Isle. This event started in our early years, with former president Jim Smolenski leading the charge. Later we hooked up with the Acadiana Fly Rodders and members of other clubs in Louisiana and Mississippi to share in the camaraderie and the rich bounty that God has bestowed upon his "Good Land". Whether you plan to participate in the Grand Isle Weekend, or just plan to fish the island on your own sometime this summer, you'll want to attend this meeting. We'll have veteran surf fishing tips, latest fishing reports from Grand Isle and recently reopened Elmers Island, as well as hotspots for kayakers and boaters. We'll talk about some of the preparations you need to make to have a safe and enjoyable trip. Also, what type of equipment, leaders, flies, knots, apparel, and accessories are recommended. Also night fishing strategies. It's all you need to know for fly fishing the "Cajun Bahamas" and surrounding waters! Isle Fly Fishing Weekend June by Randy Leonpacher Well after 2 years of waiting, it s definitely time to get the Grand Isle Fly Fishing weekend back on track. The date is June 24-26, 2011, a scant 7 weeks away. Many RSFF club members along with other surrounding area club members are well aware of the magnitude of this event. It's at the point where most surrounding fly fishers have either attended, or at least know about, this event. If you happen to be one of the rare few who have not had a chance to partake, your opportunity is nearby. The weekend offers lots of fun for all types of fly fishers. Simply bring your boating, puddle craft or bank/surf fishing equipment and join with others who share your fishing technique. The weekend lets the "non-fishing fly fishers" share their techniques. These are the folks who choose to get out of the sun, tie a few flies, drink a cold beverage or two, and tell fishing stories. High points of weekend are the Friday evening shrimp boil and Saturday evening fish fry. The Saturday fry features fresh fish contributed by those who caught fish... The intent is for everyone to fall into the category of having caught fish and contributing to the fry, even though that's not a requirement. Historically, the generally overwhelming supply of shrimp and fish, has ensured that no one has ever gone away hungry from these feasts. Another plus for the weekend is the abundance of fresh shrimp and the opportunity to pick some up for the trip home. This year s shrimp crop is looking to be one of the best ever. Prices on the island are about as good as it gets. So be sure to bring a spare ice chest to take a few pounds home with you. The Blue Dolphin will remain as our central location. As per SOP, we are ONLY taking individual "bed" reservations for the rooms at Blue Dolphin Inn. Additionally, Blue Dolphin Cottages can be reserved as an alternative. At this writing time there are quite a few beds available for those wanting to stay at the Blue Dolphin Inn. However, if you are interested you'll need to sign up quickly as the notices have gone out and we are quickly booking up. As expected, the rate for a Blue Dolphin bed is slightly higher this year at $83. But, this is only a $5 increase from the $78 two years ago. So lock in your reservations soon. Everyone who signs-up for a bed at the Blue Dolphin will need to have paid up by the RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 2 Baton Rouge, La

4 first week of June. You also have the option of making your own personal reservations to stay with friends who own camps, at rental camps, or other hotels & motels on the island. Ricky's Motel is a great motel choice as they have a fishing pier on the back side of the island. Ricky's Motel is about a mile from the bridge on the bay side of the island. Those of you who prefer to stay at Ricky's ( ) or other nearby hotels, motels or camps will do business directly with them. I recommend that you make your reservations ASAP. The hurricanes have left us with fewer places to stay on the island and these will begin to book up soon. As for the fishing this year, who knows? Marlene at Blue Dolphin claims that the month of June is the best trout fishing month. So if this holds true, this year's event could be the BEST EVER. Of course, we still have to wait to see what Mother Nature will be bringing use for the GI weekend weather. But, even if the fishing isn't a success for everyone, folks who have attended can tell you that the great fun, and great food, and great comradeship are enough to justify coming back every year. This by itself, tells you want this fishing trip is all about RSFF SPRING CATCH AND EAT By Dugan Sabins, Education/Program Chair Over May 20-22, around two dozen Red Stick Fly Fishers and friends gathered along the Louisiana Highway 1 Corridor, as we like to call it, for the annual spring catch and eat. That is, catch fish especially on a fly and eat them to our hearts delights! This is the first of three annual RSFF sponsored salt water events and helps get the salt back into our veins in a big way after the winter break. It also prepares us for the summer Grand Isle signature fishing event to follow. The Catch and Eat event includes heavy fishing on both sides of LA 1 in both the Terrebonne and Barataria Basins and the waters around Grand Isle. Favorite places include the Catfish Lake and surrounding canals and marshes, Bayou Lafourche and surrounding marshes and the Lakes Laurier/Palourde and surrounding marshes and bayous. In addition to the fishing of course, event highlights include a Friday night seafood fest at a local Golden Meadow establishment and a giant Saturday night fish fry with all the fellowship, storytelling and trimmings of food and drink featuring fried fresh caught fish. This year's Catch and Eat happening went off OK logistically with most everyone arriving at their scheduled times and fishing their favorite places so that was good. But alas everyone was hampered by the lingering winds of La Nina which have prevailed along the coast this year from late winter into spring. We are talking about serious winds in the 20 and 30 plus MPH/knots range. It has been a Gulf wide phenomenon this year from Texas to Florida so we have not been singled out in Louisiana! We suffered at the hand of the wind god for hours on end and in this case, Roger Del Rio cannot be totally to blame. Greater forces than even Roger were at work this time. A new seafood eating place was tried out by the Friday night fishers, Barrios Seafood, which was conveniently located across from Boudreaux s Condeauxs where many were staying. Word was it competes with Café Oceana and Rose s Café with supporters for each place as would be expected from such a diverse group! The Saturday night fish fry was held at Boudreaux s Condeauxs in Golden Meadow as tradition and a wildly good time was had by all as usual. Fishing was lackluster due to the wind but specks and reds were caught on the fly and RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 3 Baton Rouge, La

5 heartily eaten. Thanks again to Salt Water Chair, Randy Leonpacher for coordinating it all and to his handy helpers Butch, Jack, Catch, Greg, Pete and the list goes on as everyone pitches in some way to make the Saturday night fish fry such a special event. So there were no special fish stories this trip but that did not lower our satisfaction and camaraderie. Everyone is now better focused and prepared for the two upcoming salt water events, Grand Isle and the Fall Catch and Eat. Bring them on!! Fly Tying Forum Winners for by Emmitt Simmons Each year for the past several years the website Fly Tying Forum holds a tying contest of a number of different types of flies which had to be submitted by Dec 31. For the year 2010 there were 18 different categories. I am proud to announce that Ron Braud won two awards in this competition for his outstanding work. Ron won first place in the popper category winner with his Mosaic Popper. Ron also won first place in the Terrestrial category with a tie of the late Mike Verduin's Catalpa Worm Pattern. Congratulations on your prize winning work, Ron. Fantastic job!!! RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 4 Baton Rouge, La

6 Other Winners to acknowledge: Ron noted that Kirk Dietrich won second place in the Streamers over 4" in length category and that Fred Hannie of Lake Charles won the Popper category for Fly Tyer s Bench - by Emmitt Simmons Introduction The Spring Saltwater Catch and Eat was a windy challenge for most (except for maybe a few select individuals). Our club fished hard, long and put together enough for a good fish fry on Saturday night at Boudreaux s Condeauxs. I would love to hear from those who were successful as to the pattern(s) they were using. Thanks to all the club members that participated in the fish fry. The food and fellowship was wonderful as always. Beginners Corner - Hey - How Does This Work? I guess that I have been remiss in explaining how being a featured tyer works as several members have inquired about this in the last couple of months. First of all, if you would like to demonstrate a pattern just give me a call or send me an . My contact info is in the news letter. A date will be selected that fits your schedule and will fill the available dates for our tying session. The featured tyer is responsible for providing instructions and materials for the class. Usually about a dozen copies are all that are required. It s highly appreciated if the instructions are in MS Word or PDF format for inclusion in the newsletter. On the night of the session bring your materials, instructions and receipts. You ll be reimbursed by the club. Excess materials may be donated to the club or kept. That s all there is to it. Tools and Techniques Scissors 101 In the Beginning Did you start out with stainless steel cheapo kit scissors that wouldn t cut hot butter? If so, you were like most folks getting started in tying. I still have mine, but I limit their use to cutting lead and copper wire. A good set of scissors is an investment that will give you years of service and will greatly enhance your fly tying experience. How many types of scissors are there, and how do I know which one(s) I need? There is, indeed, a vast array of scissor styles, but most starting fly tyers need a quality set of 3 ½ or 4 general purpose scissors with 1 blades. There are numerous brands, but Dr. Slick has an excellent array of styles and the scissors are crafted out of surgical steel and precision ground on German machinery. As one progresses, additional styles of scissors may be required. For cutting hair on deer hair flies, scissors with curved tips or straight 2 serrated blades may be helpful. Fine tip scissors for working small drys and nymphs may be a required addition to your tool kit. If you have had the experience of watching professional fly tyers, you will notice that most never put down their scissors, but keep them in their hands ready to cut materials. This increases productivity and efficiency. There are several styles and manufacturers of scissors that are designed to be held this way. Check and for more information. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 5 Baton Rouge, La

7 June Tools and Techniques - What is an articulated fly? An articulated fly is a two part jointed fly that has head and tail sections. Materials and a connector loop are applied to the front hook. The rear part of the fly is a second hook with the tail materials affixed to it. A mono or wire loop connector tied to the front shank allows the rear hook to wiggle and sway in a manner that is irresistible to fish. Depending on the pattern, both hooks, the front hook only, or the rear hook only are used. The bend of the unused hook is removed to achieve the proper action. Materials, Hooks, Threads and Cements Hastelloy wire leader is a great item to add to your saltwater materials. Extremely corrosion resistant and strong, it makes a great bite leader when going after toothy fish. It can also be used for weed guards, or attaching components to your creations. Drill a small hole in a cork, bend a length of wire leader in half and epoxy the wire to create a low cost bobbin threader. May 2011 Featured Tyer - Sheldon Anderson - Bass Pro, Monday, May 23, 7:00PM. Sheldon is the editor of the RSFF Red Letter monthly newsletter and an avid angler in all types of waters. This month, Sheldon demonstrated a technique introduced at the Spring Red Stick Day Event. I believe you will find this technique very useful and interesting. The Gary Borger Spun Dubbing Streamer As Demonstrated by Sheldon Anderson Earlier this year, many of you witnessed Gary Borger demonstrate spinning materials using a dubbing loop. Sheldon has been practicing and researching the correct materials for this fly pattern. Here are Sheldon s instructions for tying the streamer. Materials Size 1/0 hook Zonker Strips (Claws) Crystal Flashabou 210 Flat Waxed Thread Weight Materials, Non-lead wire, dumbbell or cone head (your choice) Foxx Fur by Targus (contact info-western Sport Shop, (415) ), Thanks to Mike LaFleur for tracking down. Instructions -Place hook in vise as shown. -Determine weight & type based on sink rate, angle or style preference. -Lay down thread base from hook eye to bend of hook. -Add eyes if wanted. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 6 Baton Rouge, La

8 -Add couple of strands of Flashabou. -Tie on two 1/8 wide by 1-1/2 long zonker strips and crystal Flashabou. Superglue components in place. -If you only have magnum sized zonker strips, cut/slit as shown. Cut only thru the leather backing. -Cut Foxx Fur, approx nickel sized pack of each color. -Strip out short under fur fibers by pinching the hair clump about 1 from fiber butts, then grab the hair at the butt and pull the shorter fibers out. Repeat as needed keeping in a separate pile. -If flash is wanted mixed into the fur, cut to length and add to long fibers. -Form a dubbing loop. If you have a bobbin holder, swing it around, hang your doubled thread over it, and insert your spinner or weight to help hold the fiber in the loop tight. -Yes, these are heavy drawer pulls with hooks added. Low cost and really works great. -Insert string material as shown to assist in separating your doubled thread as you insert your materials. -Lay the material in the dubbing loop in the order you want, starting back to front. Starting with short under fur fibers which helps build up bulk at the rear of the lay. -Alternate material colors if desired when filling the dubbing loop, adding any desired flash. - Tip to thread determines the dubbed fur length. The butt sections can be cut back to approx ¼ from thread. Longer will give more body but will tend to grab the longer fiber and tangle. -Pinch the thread loop just behind the last material added. -Pull tight to hold in place. -Twist the remaining thread many turns with spinner. -Pull the whole thread loop tight, slowly release the pinched thread as needed, allowing the material to spin freely as the twists move up the thread toward the hook, centrifugal force separates the fibers making a furry thread. -Practice makes all the difference at this step. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 7 Baton Rouge, La

9 -Comb out tangled longer fibers as needed. - Fold back the spun fur as you wrap the hook tightly moving toward the hook eye, packing fiber as needed. -Keep sweeping back the fibers, giving the fly a very buggy appearance. -If more material is needed, use the remaining double thread to spin more fur or insert flash. -Twist dubbing loop threat around your working thread and wrap both around hook several times to lock the loop in place. -A weed guard can be added or build up a thread head, whip finish and apply head cement. EP Fiber Crab Pattern, by Sheldon Anderson Materials: Mustad Hook, size 1/0 1/8 wide Zonker Rabbit Fur (Claws) Crystal Flash 6" of 20-30# Clear Mono Line (Weed Guard), use flexible material EP Fiber Crustaceous Brush 210 Flat Wax Thread - Lay a thread base from eye to curve of hook. -Bring thread forward to about the barb of the hook. -Lay the mono on the hook, pinch to hold in place as you wind the thread over the mono, then forward. -Add eye material, using a figure 8 wind to lock in place, sweep back, wrap the doubled mono to hold in place. -Strip off about 1/4" of fur, lay zonker strips (fur out) on each side of the hook and tie in. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 8 Baton Rouge, La

10 -Add flash, mono whiskers, legs, etc. as desired. If you want legs mixed into the body fiber, tie in the EP brush 1st. Enrico Puglisi makes synthetic fly tying material of all types, this one is varying colored materials, laid flat as stainless steel wire is twisted around making a ribbon (brush) as shown. More info at -As you would tie in a feather, expose some of the wire binder and tie onto the hook. Start wrapping the hook sweeping back the materials as you move forward. A rotary vise works great for this. -Tie in flash or legs, then work your brush around and past legs, continue forward. Add more if desired. -Be sure to tie in your dumb bell eyes before you move forward too much. Be sure to leave room to tie down the other end of the mono weed guard ahead of the dumb bell eyes. -Tie off the brush just behind the dumb bell eyes. Now you have a furry bush to comb out. -At this point you can start the shaping process in two ways. 1) For a thicker body that you can trim thinner toward the edges, just part the material on top and bottom of the hook. Pull the materials to each side and then mash rather flat. Add hard as nails or super glue to the fibers along the hook shank. Use plastic material to shield your fingers, and mash the fibers again as the glue holds the fibers flat. 2) if a thinner body is wanted, with scissors trim material top and bottom side of the hook shack to the desired thickness and profile. Add glue along the hook shank to hold things in place. -Warning... if you've tied in legs or flash, be sure to find those items in all the fiber and place in the desired position and be sure not to trim them too short. -Once the glue is dry and the fly has been trimmed to shape, pull the mono weed guard over the hook and tie down at eye. -Finish with head cement. Be sure to let Emmitt Simmons know if you have a pattern you'd like to demonstrate. I'm sure he'd be happy to work out the details and get you scheduled. After last month's book, figured I'd better cut this one short... Until next month... Great fishing!!! RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 9 Baton Rouge, La

11 RSFF Calendar of Events by Catch Cormier, Events Chair What's happening in the weeks and months ahead. Asterisk (*) denotes a RSFF-sponsored event. Activities designated with (M) are for members and their immediate family, or members of other clubs, only. All other activities are open to the public. For the most up to date list, go to and click "Calendar" page to see what's scheduled. Recurring Activities * Membership Meeting: 7:00 p.m., 2nd Monday of each month, Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge. Casting instruction prior to meeting during Daylight Savings Time. * Fly Tying Sessions: 7:00 p.m., 4th Monday of each month. Meeting locations rotate every 3rd month. For more info, contact the Fly Tying Chair, Jack Dial, at (225) January, April, July, October: Cabela s in Gonzales. - February, May, August, November: Bass Pro in Denham Springs. - March, June, September, December: Orvis in Baton Rouge. December meeting coincides with annual Orvis Open House. Fly Tying at Bass Pro Shops: 9:30 a.m. - 12noon, 4th Saturday of each month (except December when it's the 3rd Saturday). Conference Room, Bass Pro, Denham Springs. Call Harold Henkel (225) Events * June Fly Fishing Film Tour. Pack and Paddle, Lafayette. Doors open 3:30, showing begins at 4:00pm. A collection of short films by independent filmmakers that celebrate the sport of fly fishing. Check the article in this newsletter for complete details. Co-hosted by RSFF, Acadiana Fly Rodders and Pack and Paddle. Tickets: $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Seating is limited, so advance tickets encouraged. For tickets, go to * June (Fri-Sun) - Grand Isle Fly Fishing Weekend, Blue Dolphin Inn, Grand Isle. Cosponsored by south Louisiana and Mississippi fly-fishing clubs. Registration required. Call Randy Leonpacher (225) or Barry Dauphin (337) or go to Sept 17 (Sat) - Contraband Conclave, 9:00am - 3:30pm, Moss Bluff. Hosted by the Contraband Fly Casters of Lake Charles. Fly tying, programs, casting, food, raffles, and more. For details go to RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 10 Baton Rouge, La

12 Sept 17 (Sat) - Ride the Bull II Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament. Bridgeside Marina on Grand Isle. Presented by Calmwater Charters. After a smashing debut in 2009, RTB had to be cancelled last year due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. But organizer Danny Wray says "It's back... and so are the bulls!". The format is simple - land a Bull Red from your Kayak or other authorized paddle craft in Caminada Pass. Awards will be given for largest Bull Red landed and weighed (and released). Net Proceeds from the tournament used for kayak access on Grand Isle. For rules and info, go to * Sept (Fri-Sun) - RSFF annual Fall trip to Lake Concordia. Friday thru Sunday. Fly fishing for bass, bream, crappie, other species. Culminates with Saturday evening fish fry. Check for further details. Oct 6-8 (Thu-Sat) - Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Southern Conclave, Baxter County Fairgrounds, Mountain Home, AR. Annual conclave of the Southern Council FFF. Thursday offers workshops only, Friday and Saturday features more workshops, programs, fly tying, vendors, raffles, and many other activities. Great coldwater trout fishing on adjacent White and Norfork Rivers. Check for details. Oct 15 (Sat) - Fall-n-Tide VII, kayak fishing tournament hosted by Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club. Open to the public. The FnT also has a "Fly Fishing Division". Each participant is eligible for lots of door prizes, captains bag, Friday night jambalaya and Saturday fish fry. The 20+ members of Red Stick who are also members of BCKFC can attest that both clubs eat well! It's also a great opportunity to learn from the nearly 100 folks who participate. For more info or to register, go to * Nov (Fri-Sun) - RSFF Fall Catch-and-Eat marsh fishing trip for reds, specks, drum and other species. Highway 1 corridor. Culminates with Saturday evening fish fry at Boudreauxs Condeauxs in Golden Meadow or Boudreaux Motel in Leeville. For more info, check upcoming newsletters or forum at RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 11 Baton Rouge, La

13 RSFF Board Position home work address Dan Weber President Don Richardson Past President Greg Brignac Vice President Ron Braud Treasurer Sheldon Anderson Editor Mike LaFleur Secretary Glen Cormier Events Jack Dial Coldwater Emmitt Simmons Fly Tying Randy Leonpacher Saltwater Bill Brown Membership Roger del Rio Conservation Dugan Sabins Education/Programs Jack Lithgoe Warm water Friends of RSFF, Please support our club sponsors! A Bayou Runs Thru It - PO Box 1062, Broussard, LA 70518, (337) , Jerome & Dena Hebert - Custom Flies, Wildlife & Game Fish Art. Backpacker Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA, (225) , Camping, canoes, kayaks, outdoor clothing. Fish With Rich Guide Service - Capt. Rich Waldner, New Orleans, La, (504) , Fly fishing for reds and specks in the Southeast La. Marsh Fly Fishing in Salt Waters Magazine - (407) , Leading publication on fly fishing saltwater. Green Trout Fly Shop N. Range Ave. Denham Springs, La. (Located in Seldom Seen Mall) Louisiana Fly Fishing Louisiana online fly fishing resource since Louisiana Sportsman Magazine PO Box 1199, Boutte, LA, (504) , Louisiana's premier outdoors magazine and online source. Mayer Clothiers Orvis, Winston Rods 5830 S. Sherwood Forest; Baton Rouge, (225) , Jim Mayer, Proprietor. Orvis rods & fly tying material, Winston rods, fine clothes for men and ladies Rio Products, Inc. Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, (208) , makers of premium fly lines, leaders, accessories. Temple Fork Outfitters Makers of affordable quality fly fishing products. Tibor Reels Old World craftsmanship Made in the USA. Uptown Angler 601 Julia St., New Orleans, (504) , Alec Griffin, Manager Red Chaser Guide Service RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 12 Baton Rouge, La