The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries would like to welcome the women of our great state to learn more about our recreational fishery.
That’s why we’ve set up fish and tagging workshops to give our women the confidence to get out on the water and keep up with the boys.
LDWF, in conjunction with the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana (CCA), hosts two daily workshops annually at Cabela’s in Gonzales – with a select few women chosen for a weekend-long workshop at our beautiful Fisheries Research Lab in Grand Isle.
The next workshop at Cabela’s is Saturday. Unfortunately, registration is closed. There is a limit of 30 women who may attend the workshop at Cabela’s. Then, 15 of the women at the workshop will be randomly selected to attend a weekend-long workshop in Grand Isle July 17-19. All workshops are free of charge, although there may be a small cost associated with attending the weekend-long workshop beginning next year. Women 18 years of age or older and girls 13 years of age or older with an accompanying parent or guardian are eligible to sign up.
LDWF Biologist Supervisor Heather David said these workshops are a wonderful opportunity for women interested in the outdoors to network and perfect their craft.
“Traditionally, recreational fishing has been more of a men’s field, but our women’s license sales are starting to increase, and I think if you give female anglers more confidence and more training, they will be more prone to buy a license, get out there and fish on their own and introduce their children to fishing,” David said.
Additionally, David said many ladies have become friends since attending the workshops.
“It’s a good community for the ladies to have. They come from all parts of the state so they’re getting to hear about other people’s fishing experiences and even join them,” David said. “A lot of these ladies have formed friendships that they probably would not have otherwise.”
The workshops are designed to give participants a little bit of everything they would encounter during a recreational fishing venture.
The Cabela’s workshop, lasting from about 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., introduces basic fishing tips like how to use a rod and reel and the baits and lines to use in different fishing situations.
“We go through everything one on one. They even rig out their own rod and reel combo that they get to bring home,” David said.
Participants then view presentations introducing ongoing LDWF projects, particularly our conventional tagging program, which solicits the help of volunteer anglers in the tag and release of fish.
“Hopefully we’ll recruit these women into our tagging program, or at least make them aware so if they’re out there fishing and they catch a tagged fish, they can report the catch,” David explained.
Participants then head outdoors for hands on instruction on how to tag and release redfish, and they are encouraged to take home a tagging kit.
The day winds down with fish cleaning lessons for commonly harvested species including redfish, catfish, speckled trout and bass, followed by a raffle.
Following the event, 15 of the Cabela’s workshop participants will be randomly selected to attend a weekend-long event at the Fisheries Research Lab in Grand Isle. Participants will find out about a week after the Cabela’s event if they were selected.
This trip includes two nights of “fishing under the lights” as well as two days out on the water inshore or offshore fishing (weather permitting).
Food is provided including a traditional Louisiana fish fry Saturday evening. Friday and Saturday meals are provided by National Wildlife Federation and Cabela’s. Plus, everyone gets to take home a few fish fillets.
Other lessons at the weekend workshop include how to throw a cast net and how to back a boat trailer down a boat ramp.
