MONDAY
EARTH DAY
RED STICK FLY FISHERS FLY TYING: 7 p.m., Orvis Shop, Bluebonnet Boulevard. Website: rsff.org
TUESDAY
GULF COUNCIL REEF FISH PANEL MEETING: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., 4107 West Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida. Top items: Red Snapper Research Track Assessment; recreational red grouper and gag grouper landings. Public comment accepted. Website: gulfcouncil.org.
TUESDAY-THURSDAY
COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSE/BOAT REGISTRATION RENEWAL: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., LDWF district office, 468 Texas Gulf Rd., Bourg; also April 29-30, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., LDWF district office, 1025 Tom Watson Road, Lake Charles; and, May 1-2, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., LDWF district office, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette. Call LDWF Licensing (225) 765-2898.
THURSDAY
ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack & Paddle Outpost, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Fly tying. Email “Catch” Cormier: catch@laflyfish.com. Website: packpaddle.com
SATURDAY
CENLA FLY FISHING 101: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Booker-Fowler Hatchery, 10 Joan Stokes Rd., Forest Hill. Open to public. Fee free. Preregistration required. Hands-on casting, tackle setup & fly selection instruction. Refreshments provided. Kisatchie Fly Fishers event. Website: kisatchiefly.org. Email: Mike Carlin: jmcdatt@gmail.com
FLY FISHING 101: 9-11 a.m., Orvis Shop, Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge. No fee. Basics of casting, rigging, fly selection. Equipment furnished. All ages,15-and-younger must be accompanied by an adult. Preregistration required. Also May 4, May 11 & 3-5 p.m., May 26. Call Shop (225) 757-7286.
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY: Biking/hiking celecration of Rails to Trails Program. Local events website: RailstoTrails.org/CelebrateTrails
HUNTING
TURKEY: Area A: through May 5. Area B: through April 28. Area C: through April 21. Note: Tunica Hills WMA closed except for turkey hunters.
AROUND THE CORNER
APRIL 28—SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course, Prone Match & special GSMM Match. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free)& Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP). Call (337) 380-8120. Email Mike Burke: SouthLaHighPower@hotmail.com
MAY 1—LA. SHRIMP TASK FORCE MEETING: 1 p.m., state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.
MAY 2—LA. WILDLIFE & FISHERIES COMMISSION MEETING: 3 p.m., Joe Herring Room, state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.
MAY 2-4—ST. CROIX BASSMASTER OPEN/DIVISION 2: Lake Logan Martin, Lincoln, Alabama. Website: bassmaster.com
MAY 3-4—GULF COAST CLASSIC FLY FISHING FESTIVAL: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Seminars, casting clinics, fly tying & Fly Fishing Film Festival. Fly Fishers International event. Website: ffigulfcoastclassic.org
MAY 3-5—LA. HIGH SCHOOL/JUNIOR BASSMASTER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Calcasieu River, Moss Bluff. Call Tommy Abbott (504) 722-6638. Website: louisianahighschoolbassnation.com
MAY 4—SLU BASS FISHING TEAM BENEFIT TOURNAMENT: Safe daylight-3 p.m.. Doiron’s Landing, Stephensville. Entry fee $150, 4:30 a.m. registration. Call Cayden Reily (225) 405-0706.
FISHING/SHRIMPING
SPECKLED TROUT: New regulations in effect, 15 per day measuring 13-20 inches with 2 trout more than 20 inches allowed in daily catch.
OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Recreational & state for-hire red snapper; Southern flounder; gray triggerfish; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for gag, red, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.
CLOSED SEASONS: recreational (opens May 1) & commercial greater amberjack; gag, red, goliath & Nassau grouper in state/federal waters. Federal for-hire, red snapper permit holders.
SHRIMP: Fall Inshore season closed except for double-rig line in Breton and Chandeleur sounds. All state outside waters open. Map website: wlf.louisiana.gov
LDWF UPDATES
- All public oyster areas closed except Calcasieu Lake public take areas.
- Closed: Main road at Ruby Road station (Russell Sage WMA, flooding); Rice Field & Signo roads (Thistlethwaite WMA); Blackhawk Road/trail/boat launch, Lincecum Road/trail & Dobbs Bay Road (Richard Yancey WMA, flooding), Island Road fishing pier (Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA, parking lot repairs), Tram ATV Trail (Tunica Hills WMA, repairs), & Hope Canal Road/boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction).
Email: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com