Help make tarpon gamefish in Louisiana

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Catch Cormier

At the FFI Gulf Coast Classic, our Keynote Speaker Dr. Aaron Adams of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust brought to the attention of the audience a bill currently in process in the 2026 Louisiana legislative session. House Bill 688 by Representative Joseph Orgeron would designate the Atlantic Tarpon as a gamefish.

Why is this important? Currently, tarpon in Louisiana are no different than pinfish or hardhead catfish as far as regulatory status goes. And yet, the state’s offshore waters represent one of the major migratory grounds as well as a small, but key spawning area.

Here are the regulations for tarpon in other states:
– Florida: Catch and release only. Tarpon over 40 inches must remain in the water. For pursuit of a record fish, a $50 annual tag for harvest of one (1) fish only.
– Texas: Daily bag limit of 1, minimum length 85″.
– Alabama: Harvest tag required, 1 per person per year, 60″ minimum length.
– Mississippi: Harvest tag required, 75″ minimum size.
– Georgia: 68″ minimum size

As a gamefish, tarpon would come under the regulatory management of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, which could then set harvest limits and/or tag requirements.

HB688 is supported by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Fly Fishers International and other conservation groups. As of this writing, the bill has passed the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House floor. It is now under consideration by the Senate Natural Resources Committee. It must still get to the Senate Floor before going to the governor for signature – and that time is getting short!

As difficult as it is to believe, there is some opposition to HB688. For that reason, the FFI Gulf Coast Council asks our Louisiana members to email their state senators and request them to VOTE YES FOR HB688.

Members of the LA Senate:
https://senate.la.gov/Senators_FullInfo

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We did it again! Another very successful Classic.

Posted on May 7, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Once again, our Gulf Coast Classic was a great success! While we achieved new attendance records, in terms of the mission of our organization – education, community, and conservation – it may have been the best we’ve ever had. So far, all of the exhibitors and featured tiers for this year’s event have expressed a desire to return next year.

We also had a terrific attendance for our Conservation Keynote Speaker Dr. Aaron Adams of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Some of the topics that Dr. Adams brought to the attention of the audience certainly makes us realize how fragile our marine resources are and why organizations like FFI are critical to their preservation and restoration.

Our Classic continues to grow and improve. This isn’t possible without the support and help of some GREAT sponsors, donors, exhibitors, fly tiers, instructors, and crew of volunteers! The Classic website will be updated shortly with photos and some info that we had missing due to last minute changes. We’ll continue to show the 2026 information – especially our Sponsors and Donors – for the next several months. We’ll transition the website to the 2027 Classic sometime this Fall.

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Spring 2026 Gulf Streamer now online

Posted on April 19, 2026 by Catch Cormier

The Spring 2026 edition of The Gulf Streamer, the of-fish-al newsletter of the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International, is now available to the public online.

CLICK HERE to download (2.9mb, 14 pages, PDF format).

This issue was initially sent out to all GCC members via email on April 14th. If you are an FFI member in good standing and did -NOT- receive that email, please (1) check your spam folder and if not there, (2) check with the FFI Staff at membership@flyfishersinternational.org to insure your email address is correct.  When you email FFI, please copy membership@ffigcc.org so we are immediately aware of your problem.

In this issue:

  • Excitement building for our 4th annual Classic
  • The Mixed Bag returns to the Classic
  • Crappie conservation? Yes, all fish, all waters!
  • This shrimp pattern has LOTS of movement
  • The grass is always redder in the marsh
  • Updates on the GCC Suncatch Challenge
  • Whitlock’s famous fly deserves an award
  • The Safety Dance of Casting!

and more!  Enjoy!

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Enrollment for Classic workshops now open

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Attendees for our 4th annual Gulf Coast Classic can now enroll for one or more of the fly tying and casting workshops being offered at the event. We are thrilled to have some of the top fly tyers from across the country instructing their favorite patterns, ranging from coldwater trout to saltwater to bass and other warmwater species. Most workshops require a fee, and some are free.

Workshops at the Classic are a bargain!  Most of these are offered at shops and commercial shows for 50 to 100 percent more.  Our instructors are committed to the FFI mission to educate and promote fly fishing and fly tying.

To learn more about each workshop, go to the Classic website at www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com.   There you will have three options:

  • Workshops page.  Gives dates, times, and info on the workshop.
  • Click on the blue “workshop” button on the right sidebar.  This will take you to the Classic portal, where you can get more detailed info – AND register for the workshop.
  • Schedule page.   Click on the Friday or Saturday PDF listings.  This will give you a quick idea of the times and locations of workshops, seminars and other activities and help you plan your time at the Classic.

We strongly advise attendees to enroll as early as possible, as all our workshops have limited class sizes, and most fill up prior to the Classic.

All workshops require paid advanced admission to the Classic.  To learn more about the Classic, and/or to register in advance,  click on the Classic logo on the right sidebar.

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Time to take action on legislative bills!

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Catch Cormier

It’s that time of year. Bass and crappie are biting, bream about to bed, redfish moving into the shallows, speckled trout about to begin their spawning ritual. And state legislators heading to their respective capitols to take on legislation that impacts our fisheries and their habitats.

When a state legislative session kicks off, it’s high drama! This year will be particularly true for Louisiana, where an attempt to reduce the commercial menhaden buffer zone from 1/2-mile to 1/4-mile was sidelined by a legislative oversight committee. The result is that the issue of menhaden regulation in the state will be decided by a couple of bills in the 2026 session.

Outside of the Bayou State, the most interesting bills are in Alabama where legislators are attempting to curb the amount of spill dredged material into Mobile Bay, and a bill in Florida which would add an unusual requirement for some new members to the Wildlife Commission.

Here are the bills that FFI members and other conservationists need to be following:

LA SB186 – Sen. Michael Fesi – Introduced
Limits the total commercial menhaden reduction fishing catch within Louisiana territorial waters to 315 million pounds. (GCC SUPPORTS).

LA HB855 – Rep. Joseph Orgeron – Introduced.
Establishes depth requirements for the commercial use of purse seines to a minimum of 22 feet. At this depth and beyond, the bycatch of redfish by menhaden nets begins to decline. (GCC SUPPORTS).

LA SB249 – Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter – Introduced.
Constitutional amendment to add two members to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, to increase LWFC from 7 members to 9 members. We strongly SUPPORT this bill. Having only 7 members where 3 represent commercial interests grossly unrepresents hunters, anglers and other outdoor interests. It’s also one of the smallest commission sizes of any state. (GCC SUPPORTS).

LA HB688 – Rep. Joseph Orgeron – Introduced.
Adds Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater gamefish. Would allow the LA Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to set regulations for this valuable sportfish. (GCC SUPPORTS).

MS HB628 – Died on Calendar
Would have extended the prohibition of commercial taking of Menhaden to within One Mile Of The Southern Shoreline Of The Mississippi Coastal Barrier Islands;

AL HJR270 – Pending House Rules Committee
Authorizes an independent environmental assessment by the University of South Alabama of maintenance dredging operations in Mobile Bay.

AL SB119 – Pending Senate Committee
Dredging in coastal area, requires dredged material to be used beneficially when dredged certain amounts.

FL SJR1364 – Introduced  
Directs the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to to conserve and sustainably managed all wildlife resources for the benefit of all the people, and future generations. It also adds a requirement that at least three (3) commissioners have a postgraduate degree in the field of conservation, biology, or wildlife management, -and- experience in fish or wildlife management as a current or past occupation.

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GCFF club adds new contest for members

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Catch Cormier

As our sport continues to grow – especially among younger anglers – there’s been a shft in attitudes about competitive fly fishing.  A majority of fly anglers now readily embrace a fun contest. And what could be more fun than one based on variety rather than size?

Several clubs in the Gulf Coast Council currently have a contest where the objective is for members to catch as many different species on fly during the course of a year, or several months. These are modeled after the popular “Big Year” birdwatching contests.  They demonstrate that fly fishing is not just suitable for a few species, but for “all species, all waters”.

Add Gulf Coast Fly Fishers to that list of clubs. The coastal Mississippi club recently announced an “All Species, All Waters” tournament which is currently in full swing. All members are encouraged to participate.

According to GCFF President Bill Hancock, the tourney is managed through the Fishing Chaos app. The download is free and the tournament is free to all GCFF members. Folks can join GCFF for $40 a year and the membership includes everyone in the immediate family.

The rules are simple: take a photo of your catch with some evidence of caught on a fly, and one entry per species will be counted. The tourney runs until November 30, 2026. There will be one overall winner randomly chosen at the GCFF Annual Banquet.

For more info on Gulf Coast Fly Fishers, go to the GCFF Facebook Page CLICK HERE.

For more info on the All Species, All Waters tournament CLICK HERE.

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FFI raises membership dues

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Effective March 2nd, 2026, Fly Fishers International (FFI) raised its membership dues. This marks the first increase in base dues in over 15 years.

During that time, the cost of delivering programs, supporting our community, and operating the organization has steadily increased. After careful review and thoughtful discussion, the Board of Directors has approved a modest dues adjustment to ensure Fly Fishers International remains strong, sustainable, and well-positioned for the future.

Here’s what to expect:

  • Standard Memberships will now be $45.00 per year.
  • Youth, Senior, and Veteran Memberships will continue to receive discounted rates.
  • Youth memberships will be $25, while Senior and Veteran will be $35 per year, which still provides a deep discount off the standard rate.
  • Enhanced Membership Levels (Advocate, Patron, Sustainer) will remain unchanged.

Why are these increases necessary?

Back in 2009, when the last dues were approved, the cost of membership was marketed as “the cost of a budget fly line”. Which at the time, the budget Orvis Silver Label line was $35. According to the U.S. government’s Consumer Price Index, the cumulative rate of inflation from 2009 to 2026 has been a whopping 51.6%. So, a $35 fly line back then would cost $53 today. The current price of an Orvis Clearwater fly line is $49. So the increase is still in line with “the cost of a budget fly line”.

Sadly, it’s not just fly lines that have gotten more expensive. It’s everything else. And in addition, we now utilize technology that didn’t exist in 2009 but is now used to provide members and future fly fishers with all the tools they need to be successful. These include our monthly Zoom sessions on casting and fly tying, as well as our extensive video library. FFI member benefits are at an all-time high.

There’s no denying that if FFI were a larger organization, with more members and bigger sponsors, that we could forestall dues increases for a couple more years. Growing membership is a goal we are currently working on. In order for FFI to become a more powerful voice for conservation – as a large majority of fly anglers urge – we need to grow membership by a factor of 10 or more. To do this, we need to transform from a bottom-up organization (as most hobby NPOs) to a top-down organization. It won’t be an easy change, and it won’t happen quickly.

Meanwhile, these dues changes allow us to continue investing in the programs, education, and community connections that define FFI, while supporting long-term financial stability and our strategic vision.

We’re deeply grateful for the continued support and commitment from our members to the fly fishing community and to conservation. Thank you for being part of Fly Fishers International.

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GCC again raffling off Costa Rican trip

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Catch Cormier

The Gulf Coast Council (GCC) of Fly Fishers International (FFI) is raffling off a five-day adventure trip to beautiful Costa Rica, donated by our friends at 4 Corners Costa Rica.   Tickets are just $25 each and there is no limit to the total purchased.

Join us in paradise, fishing and staying at off-grid fishing lodges, high-altitude mountain cabins, beachfront bungalows on the Osa Peninsula, and a private beach paradise on a secluded Pacific cove.  Choose your own adventure.

Whether in a tropical jungle, along pristine mountain streams, volcanic lakes, rivers among the rainforests, in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean or along the picturesque Pacific coastline – the fishing adventure of your dreams awaits! Spend a week in one location or combine several with many amazing stops in between, there’s something everyone in the family will enjoy!

You do -NOT- need to register for the Classic to participate in this raffle.  Simply (1) click on the link below or on sidebar, (2) click on the 4Corners Raffle ticket, (3) select number of tickets and (4) check out.

The drawing will be held during the F3T Showing on Saturday, May 2nd. Winner does -NOT- need to be present to win.

The trip includes all transportation to and from the airport, all lodging and meals. It does not include airfare or alcohol. The attendees will be responsible for purchasing their own.

The trip is being offered by our friends at 4 Corners Costa Rica. Check out their website at www.4cornerscostarica.com.

To purchase raffle tickets – CLICK HERE

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