SW Louisiana hosts Southeast Outdoor Press

Lookin' for redfish? This is a good place!

Let the Good Times Roll in Lake Charles

Thanks to Lake Charles for hosting the 2013 SouthEastern outdoor Press Association conference. This was the 49th year of SEOPA and a special 50th anniversary celebration is all set to go at the 2014 meeting. In fact, it was over a decade ago when Lake Charles first hosted a SEOPA conference. Since I joined as a member in 2006, I missed that first conference, and had never been to SouthWest Louisiana before. My visits to Louisiana before included a Houma duck hunt and a Lafitte saltwater fishing trip. This year I took advantage of a pre-conference trip to a saltwater fishing lodge with an eco-tour to immerse myself in the immense marshes and never-ending bayous in the area. Another day saw me in the Calcasieu Parish with a saltwater guide looking for trout. By the time the conference started at the Isle of Capri casino I was tanned and ready for a break from the salt and the sun. The conference agenda included many talks about how the world of publishing continues to see wholesale changes including Print ON Demand books. The world of news has changed from a top-down system where only a few highly placed newspaper editors determined the days news, to a new system where the public now talks about what they see as pertinent, thus establishing what is the new current events system. The Lake Charles CVB and the Louisiana seafood folks did a great job of serving up great cajun food, and I especially liked all the different ways I was served crawfish and shrimp. There was zydeco music and many references to alligators too. Thanks to the mayor for coming to address our crowd of writers and to all for sharing lots of warm hospitality down there in the bayou! Here's the Jan / Feb 2014 SEOPA newsletter, featuring my photography on the cover and more.

To view past blog entries from SEOPA click 2012, 2009.

Thanks to Hobie kayaks for attending SEOPA

Social media brand for the conference