FFI Gulf Coast Council

Saltwater Fly Fishing School
December 13 & 14, 2025
Port Fourchon, LA
hosted by Down The Bayou Charter / Colorado Cajun Fishing

featuring Jeff Ferguson, Casting Director for FFI Gulf Coast Council
& Capt. Owen Belknap

Price includes:
2 nights lodging and meals at Down the Bayou Charters lodge
Day 1, class room and lawn casting instructions
Day 2, guided day in Flats boat

Double Occupancy (2 anglers per boat)
$1250.00 per angler
Single Occupancy ( 1 angler per boat)
$1650.00

This syllabus outlines a comprehensive curriculum for a saltwater fly fishing school, designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful and ethical angling in marine environments.

Course objectives. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the unique characteristics of saltwater environments and their
impact on fly fishing.
• Select appropriate tackle, including rods, reels, lines, leaders, and flies, for
various saltwater species and conditions.
• Classroom work on the essential saltwater fly casting techniques, such as the
double haul, to achieve distance and accuracy, even in windy conditions.
• Tie common and effective knots for saltwater leaders and flies.
• Identify popular saltwater target species and select appropriate flies and
techniques for each.
• Practice responsible angling ethics and conservation principles to protect
marine resources and ecosystems.
• Demonstrate safe boating practices and handling of fishing equipment.
• Plan and execute a successful saltwater fly fishing trip.

Course modules
Module 1: Introduction to saltwater fly fishing
• Overview of saltwater fly fishing: history, equipment, and appeal.
• Fly Tying demonstration
• Understanding saltwater environments: tides, currents, and habitats.
• Selecting appropriate tackle: rods, reels, lines, leaders, and tippets.
• Essential saltwater fly patterns: crabs, shrimp, baitfish, etc.

Module 2: Knots and leader construction
• Essential saltwater knots: nail knot, blood knot, surgeon’s knot, perfection loop.
• Building tapered leaders for different species and conditions.
• Selecting tippet material and testing knot strength.

Module 3: Target species and techniques
• Identifying popular saltwater species: bonefish, permit, tarpon, redfish, snook, and more.
• Understanding fish behavior and feeding habits.
• Reading the water and locating fish in various habitats (flats, mangroves, beaches).
• Effective fly presentation and retrieve techniques.

Module 4: Responsible angling and conservation
• Catch and release best practices: minimizing handling, proper revival, and ethical release.
• Understanding and complying with fishing regulations and size limits.
• Protecting marine habitats and preventing the spread of invasive species.
• Safety in saltwater environments: boating, wading, and weather considerations.

Module 5: Casting techniques
• Review of basic fly casting fundamentals.
• Mastering the double haul: theory and practice.
• Casting in windy conditions: adjusting stance and angles.
• Accurate presentations and turning over the leader.
• Advanced casting techniques: roll casts, quick casts, and more.

Module 6: On-the-water experience (Practical sessions)
• Guided fishing trips with experienced instructors.
• Applying casting and presentation techniques in real-world scenarios.
• Identifying and targeting fish in various saltwater habitats.
• Practicing knot tying and leader adjustments on the water.
• Experiencing the thrill of hooking, fighting, and landing saltwater game fish.

For more info, contact Ivan at ivanperrin@gmail.com .

North Toledo Bend Rendezvous
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2, 2025
North Toledo Bend State Park, Zwolle, LA

Fall is finally here and that means it’s time for Rendezvous! This annual event is a casual gathering with no organized activities. Everyone is welcomed to come fish, tie flies, watch some of the region’s tying fly tiers, or do some casting on the lawn in front of the meeting hall. The overnight accomodations are CHEAP and there’s always lots of food!

For those unfamiliar with this event, it began 36 years ago when members of the Pineywoods Fly Fishers and North Louisiana Fly Fishers met at the state park to camp and fish. The following year, the clubs decided to rent the group facility. Since then, fly tiers and other fly fishing enthusiasts from across several states – along with their families – have gathered for a weekend of fly tying and fishing with only a minimal fee to cover lodging and meals. Some are members of clubs, some are not. Rendezvous is open to all!

The excellent facilities at North Toledo Bend State Park are ideal for a Fall weekend fly tying retreat. Activities take place at the park’s group facility, which features a commercial kitchen and dining hall, and lodging available for up to 150 people in 5 heated log bunkhouses (30 beds each). There’s also a heated central shower and restroom building with nice night lighting on all the sidewalks.

There are no organized activities. Everyone is welcome to come fish, tie flies, watch some of the region’s top fly tiers, or just partake the great scenery. You can come for the day or the entire weekend. If you come as a family, the rate for the entire weekend for the whole family or individual is just $40 which includes lodging. For one night lodging, the fee is $20 and for day only the fee is $10.

For complete details, go to the Toledo Bend Rendezvous website at flycasting.bravesites.com

We often think of late Winter and Spring as prime time for fly fishing events. But here in the South, Fall can be just as active. Here are some activities taking place in the next three months of interest to GCC members.

Sept. 20 – Flies & Pies Fly Tying Event, Natchitoches. Casual fly tying event hosted by the ArkLaTexOma Fly Tiers. It’s the same weekend as the world famous Meat Pie Festival so there’ll be plenty of activities for non-fishing person in your life (if they come along). For more info, go to www.arklatexomaflytyers.com.

Sept. 25 – 27 – FFI FlyFest, Grand Rapids MI. Fly Fishers International will hold their first in-person event since 2019, featuring seminars, workshops, vendors and exhibitors, and some of the top fly fishing experts and tiers from across the country. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged. For more info, go to  www.flyfishersinternational.org/FlyFest.

Sept. 27 – National Hunting and Fishing Day. NHFD is recognized by Congress as the last Saturday in September each year. Several states hold festivities, including Louisiana. LDWF holds celebrations at four venues statewide. Admission is free. There are hands-on activities for all ages, plus exhibits, food, and more. The Woodworth and Baton Rouge venues have fly fishing and fly tying supported by local clubs. For details, go to www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

Oct. 4 – Rio Grande Rumble. Hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers, it’s the oldest freshwater fly fishing tournament in the South. The target species is the rio grande perch, the only cichlid native to the United States, but an invasive to Louisiana. Pre-registration is now open, and onsite registration is available. Weigh-in and other activities will be held at No Wake Outfitters in Metairie. For details and to pre-register, visit the NOFFC website at www.neworleansflyfishers.com

Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 – Toledo Bend Rendezvous, North Toledo Bend State Park, Zwolle, LA. A tradition for over three decades, fly tiers and other fly fishing enthusiasts from across several states – along with their families – gather for a casual weekend of fly tying and fishing with only a minimal fee to cover lodging and meals. Some are members of clubs, some are not. Rendezvous is open to all!

There are no organized activities. Everyone is welcome to come fish, tie flies, watch some of the region’s top tiers, or tie themselves. You can come for the day or the entire weekend. If you come as a family, the rate for the entire weekend for the whole family or individual is just $40 which includes lodging. For one night lodging, the fee is $20 and for day only the fee is $10. For details, go to the Toledo Bend Rendezvous website at flycasting.bravesites.com.

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To keep up with all these events, please routinely check our Calendar Page, or follow us on Facebook. If your club has an event open to the public, send us the details and we’ll add to the Calendar and promote here.

16th Annual Rio Grande Rumble
Saturday, October 4th, 2025
Start: 7:00am (first light for pre-registered)
End: 12:30pm (weigh-in)
Event site: No Wake Outfitters
1926 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA
$25 entry fee, includes lunch and refreshments

Hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club, a charter club in the GCC, the Rio Grande Rumble is the longest running freshwater fly fishing tournament on the Gulf Coast. Target species is the Rio Grande cichlid. This native of south Texas has become widespread in extreme southeast Louisiana and is considered invasive. For fly anglers, it’s an opportunity to put their skills up against a wary species that “fights like a wet cat”.

All entry fish must be caught on flies and fly tackle. Categories are “Longest Rio” and “Most Rios Caught”. Net proceeds from the tournament go to Casting For Recovery.

The rodeo is open to all fly anglers. Registration deadline is 8:00am on October 4th. Both onsite registration and weigh-in will be at No Wake Outfitters in Metairie. There will also be a Zoom seminar on fishing for the Rio Grande Cichlid. Date and time of the online seminar will be announced shortly.

For complete details, including tournament rules, and to register online, go to the NOFFC website at www.neworleansflyfishers.com.