Registration now open for the 2026 Classic

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Registration is now live for our 4th annual Gulf Coast Classic to be held May 1st and 2nd at the Learning Campus in Gulf State Park. This event continues to grow in popularity, featuring some of the nation’s top fly tiers, regional fishing experts, educational workshops, as well as a slew of fun activities such as a Mixed Bag fishing contest, a Big Gun contest, Youth activities, a Fly Fishing Film Tour showing, and a large raffle with many one-of-a-kind items.

Located in Gulf Shores, Alabama, the campus and park offer state-of-the-art theatre area, meeting rooms, outside facilities, dormitory lodging, a casual restaurant, easy access to a 600-acre brackish lake and to beaches, hiking and biking trails, and much more.

Complete information is available on the Classic website at www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com

Currently, tickets for the Classic and tickets for the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) showing are available for advance purchase. You do -NOT- need to be registered or attend the Classic to purchase tickets for the F3T Showing.

Attendees can register for the Classic for one or both days. There’s also a family registration discount.

Registration for workshops – as well as available dormitory lodging ($175 for 3 nights) is separate and will be available April 1st. You must be registered for the Classic to register for the workshops and any available on-campus lodging.

For complete details, go to www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com.

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Hook up with an FFI Casting Instructor

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Whether you’re wanting to learn to fly cast, or take your casting to the next level, Fly Fishers International (FFI) Certified Casting Instructors are there to help with a global network of more than 1,000 CCIs, Mentors, or Examiners across 32 countries.

The online FFI Casting Instructor Locator is a searchable directory available to everyone, designed to help you find qualified instruction close to home or wherever your travels take you.   CLICK HERE

Here in the Gulf Coast Council, a list of CCIs in the geographic area of our council can be found on the “Casting” menu item.   There are also several events across the GCC during the calendar year where one or more CCIs are available. We strongly advise those looking for instruction to attend one of these events as it gives a more organized approach, and the maximum amount of assistance with fewer time restrictions.

For Spring 2026, these events include:

Don’t let poor casting skills keep you from enjoying the wonder of fly fishing!

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Mark your calendar for an FFI Town Hall

Posted on January 26, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Fly Fishers International has been developing a Strategic Plan and now wishes to share with members. And with the help of our members, shape what comes next for our organization. The work to date has focused on setting a strong foundation. The next step is to expand the conversation to include voices from across the organization. This is an important opportunity to influence the direction of FFI.

During these sessions, we will review:

  • How This Phase Began
  • The Work Happening Now
  • What’s Next

Member Input Matters

Our members are the backbone of FFI. This is an opportunity for each of you to help shape the direction of FFI. We will review the 4 priorities that have been identified through the planning process. We are seeking input on:

  • Which of these four are most important to you—and why?
  • Where do you see the greatest opportunity within each area?
  • What is missing, unclear, or misaligned with your experience?
  • How should these priorities show up in the work you do locally?

Town Hall Schedule

While the schedule is based on your region, you’re welcome to attend any session you are available.

  • January 28 @ 7pm ET – Chesapeake, Eastern Waters, North Eastern Councils
  • February 3 @ 6pm CT – Gulf Coast, Florida, Southeastern Councils
  • February 5 @ 7pm ET – Great Lakes, Ohio, Upper Midwest Councils
  • February 18 @ 7pm CT – Southern, Texas Councils
  • February 25 @ 7pm PT – Oregon, Washington Councils
  • March 4 @ 7pm MT – Eastern Rocky Mtn, Western Rocky Mtn Councils
  • March 11 @ 7pm PT – Northern California, Southwest Councils

How to Join

If you are an active member of FFI, you should have received an email with registration info. If not, first check your spam folder. Next, contact the FFI Operations office and let them know. Make sure you are currently active in FFI and that your email address is correct.

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Take action now to preserve our marine fisheries!

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Catch Cormier

An urgent reminder that this Friday is the deadline for responses to the proposed Notice of Intent (NOI) to reduce the buffer zone for industrial harvest of menhaden (pogies) from 1/2 mile to 1/4 mile.  Please read the following summary, then email your thoughts to: jadriance@wlf.la.gov

What’s at stake

While menhaden harvest has been around in Louisiana for many decades, in the past 20 years the harvest numbers have increased by over 40 percent. Louisiana is the ONLY Gulf state that doesn’t have harvest quotas or bans, and a buffer zone of less than one mile. In fact, Louisiana accounts for nearly 90 percent of the nation’s menhaden harvest!  This has resulted in a decline of offshore menhaden both in numbers and average size. Despite the industry’s claims that “pogies are overrated as a forage species”, the truth is that, for numerous species, menhaden is their prime forage. We’ve seen a serious decline in the numbers of king mackeral, Spanish mackeral and other pelagic fish that depend on menhaden.

The industry claims that the “science” shows that the bycatch of breeding size red drum (over 30,000 killed each year) and mature speckled trout (240,000 killed each year), will not increase if the current buffer zone is moved inland from a measly 1/2 mile to a 1/4 mile. That’s not necessarily true either – it depends on the water depth.  Regardless, it will NOT decrease the amount of bycatch – which is what our objective is.

* The official position of Fly Fishers International and the FFI Gulf Coast Council is that there needs to be a harvest quota of menhaden for Louisiana, much less than the current 1.3 billion pounds per year.   This would protect the forage base as well as greatly reduce the amount of bycatch. *

In the meantime, this NOI must be defeated or we’ll have even higher numbers of redfish and speckled trout killed in sets.

What you can do

  • Ask the Commission to OPPOSE this NOI to reduce the harvest buffer zone. Send the comments to jadriance@wlf.la.gov.   If you submitted comments prior to January 5th, you must resubmit them again.
  • Please contact your state legislators, and/or the members of the Legislative Natural Resources Committee. Here is a directory to contact legislators.
    https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Bios.aspx?cid=H
  • If possible, attend the February 5th LWF Commission meeting at LDWF Headquarters in Baton Rouge.

Thank you kindly for your patience and persistence in protecting our marine fisheries!

Posted in Conservation | Comments Off on Take action now to preserve our marine fisheries!

Get the latest on the Gulf Coast Classic

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Catch Cormier

Our 4th annual Gulf Coast Classic is still four months away, but excitement is building!  We’ve once again procured many of the great fly tiers from last year, while adding some new renown tiers.  We’re also excited to announce that our Conservation Keynote speaker will be Dr. Aaron Adams, one of the premier marine scientists in the nation as well as a fly fishing expert and author.

While much of the information about sponsors, speakers, tiers, schedule is still being finalized and (mostly) not yet posted on the Classic website, you can still learn all the exciting news about tier and speaker commitments, activities, and more by going to any of these online resources:

We anticipate registration kicking off sometime early February, followed by registration of workshops on March 1st.  And yes, you can do each separately.

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Meet and greet Fly Hair Co on Jan. 17th

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Catch Cormier

No Wake Outfitters and the FFI Gulf Coast Council will be hosting a special event on Saturday, January 17th featuring Jeff Preddy, owner of Fly Hair Company.  Time is 12pm to 5pm. Location is the No Wake Warehouse on 1926 Airline Dr in Metairie, LA.  There will be a food vendor onsite as well as beverages.

Jeff Preddy will be displaying his fly-tying materials and will be presenting on all things fly-tying fur related, from procurement to curing to application.  He will also be demonstrating some fly patterns using his materials.

Fly Hair Co. has quickly gained a reputation among some of the nations top tiers as a source for premium materials.  Jeff has been a sponsor and exhibitor for the Gulf Coast Classic fly fishing festival, and will be returning for this year’s Classic May 1st and 2nd at Gulf shores.

This will be an opportunity for you to see – and purchase – some really unique and top-quality natural fly-tying materials. Jeff will be offering a 20% discount on any materials purchased at the festival as well as online through January 24th.

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Catch Cormier

Here’s wishing our members and friends, and all of their families, a most blessed Christmas.  Hope Santa brings that one fishing gift you really need… a new fly rod, a new fly line, or perhaps a ruler to measure those 24-inch speckled trout you claim to catch!

While Christmas is a season of festivity, let’s not forget the reason for the season. Please be giving to those in need, and pray for those who are less fortunate, for those in suffering, and for those away from their families this season – especially our service men and women.

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Winter 2025 Gulf Streamer now online

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Catch Cormier

The Winter 2025 edition of The Gulf Streamer, the newsletter of the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International, is now available to the public online.

CLICK HERE to download (2.6mb, PDF format).

This issue was initially sent out to all GCC members via email on December 13th. If you are an FFI member in good standing and did not receive that email, please check with the FFI Office to insure your email address on file is correct.

In this issue:

  • Exciting changes for the Suncatch Challenge
  • Visit with The Spoon Man
  • Sunny Day Rainbows
  • Special Guest coming to the Classic
  • Masked Misfits Ride Again!
  • How to Seaduce a Water Wolf
  • Member Spotlight
  • Spring time is festival time

and more!

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