This month I want to talk about taking your dad flyfishing. I don’t get to see my dad as much as I would like to these days. He lives about 500 miles from me and with hectic schedules it makes getting together a challenge. So when he called in June and asked if he could bring my cousin and go fishing in July I jumped at the opportunity. The plan was to chase Tarpon and Redfish down in Venice on conventional gear. Normally this time of year the fishing is as hot as the weather down the river, this year was a different story however. High river levels have plagued the area for a lot of the summer making for challenging fishing at times. That being said, in this part of the country even when it’s bad it is still pretty darn good.

Over the course of 3 days we had a ton of action on giant bull redfish, trout, jacks, and red snapper. The tarpon I’m sure were there but due to the conditions we just never did nail them down. I’ve fished a lot of days this summer but fishing south Louisiana with my dad was by far the most memorable. I’ll be focused on a theme for the fall and that is going to be; take your dad fishing. I guarantee that a Louisiana fly fishing trip this fall will be one of the most memorable things you’ll ever have the chance to do with your dad.

Speaking of the fall redfish season so far I am mostly booked in November with just a few days around Thanksgiving left open. Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to be in New Orleans fly fishing. The weather makes for ideal fishing conditions and the redfish typically eat all day. I still have some open dates in December so if you are thinking of making a fishing trip give me a call. Flyfishing is stellar right now and will continue to get better as the weather cools. I’m really excited about the prospects for the fall season as a result of the freshwater influx from a high river this summer.

Lately I’ve building a new set of one piece fly rods for you to fish with this fall. After quite a bit of testing I’ve come up with a fly rod blank that is just perfect for chasing redfish in the marsh. These rods have a fast action that is really quick to load. The action makes them ideal for short shots at cruising fish, and fighting the wind when it’s blowing. If you like these rods on your trip, I’ll be happy to discuss building a custom fly rod for you.

Call your dad and schedule some time to come down and go flyfishing in Louisiana this fall with me, you won’t regret it. The tug is the drug, and I look forward to seeing you on the water. – John West

Fly Fishing Journal