May Newsletter
A Chattahoochee River brown trout. Photo courtesy of River Through Atlanta Guide Service.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
RIVER THROUGH ATLANTA GUIDE SERVICE
__________________________________________________________________________________________
With the advent of May, we are entering what is often a magical period for fly fishing. The full moon this month offers the peak of the year for targeting bluegill on the bed, black bass are active in the shallows of lakes and ponds, while trout are looking to the surface as aquatic insect hatches are quite prevalent. In coastal areas the fishing is equally enticing for redfish, snook, tarpon and farther south for bonefish.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
In the May edition of On The Fly South that will post at mid month, we will provide some options for tailwater trout action in Georgia. There also will be tales of chasing tarpon in the Caribbean and even more fly-casting options.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
http://gotchacoveredapparel.comGOTCHA COVERED APPAREL
___________________________________________________________________________________________
But for now, you will find information below covering what’s going on in the fly-fishing communities around the southland. To be sure you never miss any of our coverage, go to our landing page to sign up for a FREE subscription. You’ll get just two emails per month telling you when we post our newsletter and when we offer a new edition of the web journal. Also, tell a fishing buddy or two about On The Fly South to keep us growing. Finally, why not click a link or two to our sponsors to see the great deals they offer on gear and guided fishing trips? All of that helps us keep the information flowing.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Around The South
WKU Fly Fishing Program
“WKU Fly Fishing is part of the WKU Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration program. Fly fishing is one of my favorite outdoor activities and I am pleased to be involved with offering instructional and entertaining programs to our students and community members. These programs all have a common goal of helping you enjoy the great lifetime leisure pursuit of fly fishing,” according to Dr. Raymond Poff.
The fly-fishing programs are designed to serve university students and the community to “provide opportunities for people of the region to be educated, entertained, assisted, and inspired outside the classroom.”
The academic fly-fishing course is fun. It includes a variety of learning approaches in and out of the classroom including: lecture, discussion, skills instruction, online learning, reading and writing, skills assessments, and written exam. Students also learn from others and support each other in the process.
“Community members are invited to participate in the travel portion of the Fly Fishing Montana course. Over the years we’ve met many people who have shared in our experiences and become our friends including moms, dads, and grandparents fishing with their children or grandchildren,” Dr. Poff said.
Dr. Raymond Poff is the WKU Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration Program Coordinator and leader for WKU Fly Fishing. Beginning in 2005 he has worked to provide opportunities to teach and interact with students, families, and the community. He can be contacted at (270) 745-2498 or recreation@wku.edu.
For additional details visit the WKU Fly Fishing webpage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Escatawba Farms For Trout Fishing
Escatawba Farms is a carefully manicured, well-maintained fly-fishing haven with an abundance of heavy rainbow, brook and brown trout.
Located in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia, Escatawba is cradled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and heart of the George Washington National Forest. They offer a secluded Virginia trout-fishing experience on Dunlap Creek, a freestone stream that ambles its way through two miles of wooded mountains and fenced pastures.
To ensure peaceful, ideal angling, the farms limit the number of rods on the stream each day.
For novice anglers and stillwater enthusiasts, Escatawba Farms boasts three spring-fed ponds. So whether you fish the stream or the lakes, your Virginia trout-fishing experience will include dozens of big, cruising rainbows and brook trout, many of them citation size.
Escatawba Farms is located less than 30 minutes from The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia and from The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
For more details visit the Escatawba Farms website.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Arkansas Fly Fishers Events In May
Here’s what’s going on with the Arkansas Fly Fishers this month in The Natural State.
Sipping & Tying: Meet with them May 6th at the Heritage Grill in the lobby of the Little Rock Marriott, 3 Statehouse Plaza, Little Rock, for their social fly-tying night, which starts at 6 p.m. Bring your fly-tying vise (or use one of ours), tying materials and hooks, order some food and a beverage and then tie flies and trade fishing lies. They have a featured tier, who will have materials on hand to guide you through a new pattern each month. If you don’t tie (yet) and just want to see how it’s done, they’d love to see you. No experience necessary. Free valet parking will be validated when you purchase something from the bar or restaurant. There’s also public parking garages nearby and street parking is free after 6 p.m.
Monthly Meetings. The regular club meeting is May 20th at the Whole Hog Cafe, 2516 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, at 6 p.m. Besides the opportunity to meet and socialize with AFF members, monthly meetings typically feature a presentation from knowledgeable experts on fly fishing, fly tying, fisheries management, casting, or other topic of interest to fly fishers. This month’s program is Figuring Out Fly Fishing – Wit & Wisdom Of The Ages, presented by Drew Kelso.
Visitors are welcome at both of these family-friendly events.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Finding Your Georgia Trout Stream Destination
Headed down to Georgia this spring and summer? If so, you might want to sample the trout fishing action in the northern third of the Peach State. There are a couple of helpful ways to find your kind of water.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division’s website features and interactive map of the all of the state’s 4,200 miles of designated trout waters. You can scroll across the map to find names of the various streams, which are color coded to identify the regulations that apply on those waters. Those range from heavily-stocked creeks and rivers, to wild- trout water. Some of those latter ones also feature artificial-lure-only regulations. Additionally, you will see waters regulated for trophy-fishing and delayed harvest action.
Once you’ve identified a stream of interest, pick up a copy of Fly Fishing for Peach State Trout at one of the fly shops in the region or at the On The Fly South bookstore. The book provides directions to all the major streams and rivers on public land, tells you what they are like with regard size and access, as well as what types of trout you are going to find in them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Redfish Restocking Continues In Florida
The Coastal Conservation Association Florida, Duke Energy Mariculture Center and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are continuing to partner in efforts to restock redfish along the west coast of the Sunshine State.
CCA Florida, the state’s leading organization dedicated to marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy, joined the Duke Energy Mariculture Center and the FWC back on April 12 to released 50 hatchery-reared, adult redfish averaging 18 to 27 inches in length off the waters of Bay County. The effort to aid in combating the decreasing population along Florida’s West Coast took place in Panama City.
In recent years, the redfish population has drastically declined as a result of water quality issues and loss of habitat. To counteract these effects, CCA Florida and its partners have taken a proactive approach to habitat restoration, water quality initiatives, fisheries management and restocking efforts for one of the state’s most sought-after inshore fish.
“Every redfish released brings us another step closer to repopulating one of Florida’s most iconic fisheries,” CCA Florida Executive Director Brian Gorski said. “Together with our dedicated partners, we are proud to continue conserving and protecting Florida’s marine resources along the West Coast.”
The latest restocking efforts for the nonprofit-corporate partnership are part of a multifunctional and multiyear strategy to rebuild and maintain game fish stocks, and releasing adult, slot-sized redfish makes a quicker impact to the fishery as it significantly increases the chances for spawning.
“Duke Energy Florida has a long-standing relationship with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and CCA Florida. Together we’re making a powerful impact protecting the state’s natural resources,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We understand that environmental stewardship is vital to the success of local economies and critical to the communities we serve.”
In the past five years with support from FWC, CCA Florida and Duke Energy nearly 450,000 redfish and spotted seatrout (4 to 30 inches) have been released along Florida’s East and West Coasts to help provide abundant recreational fishing opportunities.
“We are proud to support the collaborative restocking efforts of our valued partners, CCA Florida and Duke Energy,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “Ensuring the sustainability of our redfish population is crucial for conserving this important species and allowing us to continue to enjoy Florida’s resources.”
