Fly Fishing Fest May 5-6 at Learning Center at Gulf State Park
Fly Fishing Fest May 5-6 at Learning Center at Gulf State Park
The Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International will present the 1st Annual Gulf Coast Classic Fly Fishing Festival May 5-6 at the Learning Campus of Gulf State Park. More info: ffigulfcoastclassic.com.
A first-of-its-kind event for the Gulf Coast region, the Classic is open to the public and will offer a wide range of fly fishing related activities to attendees including: Seminars on fishing locations, tactics, and multiple species; Exhibitors and vendors; Fly tying demonstrations; Conservation programs; Beginner fly casting instruction (free with admission); Beginner fly tying instruction (free with admission); Fly tying workshops (registration required, cost $20-$50); Casting workshops (registration required, cost $0-$20); Mixed Bag Fishing Tournament (free with admission); Fly Fishing Film Tour-F3T (ticket purchase required, limited seating). Raffles & silent auctions will include items such as Orvis & Sage fly rods, hand-tied flies, a Nucanoe Kayak and other one-of-a-kind items
ocal experts Captain Chip Smith (By Land and By Sea Charters) and Peter Jordan (Lost Angler Fly Shop) will offer seminars with a focus on fly fishing education and conservation in the Gulf Coast region.
A number of renowned regional fly tyers will also be in attendance with over 20 serving as demonstration tyers in the exhibitor’s hall (above). Boxes tied by many of them will find their way to the raffle table, offering attendees the opportunity to head home with remarkable creations.
Aseries of of paid fly tying workshops will offer attendees the opportunity to work hand in hand with renowned tyers Fred Hannie (Tying an Imitative Shrimp) and Ed Lash (Advanced Deerhair Techniques).
Our tournament, the Mixed Bag, will serve to highlight the diversity of the park and region as anglers are challenged to focus on diversity, not size. Free to all Classic attendees, the Mixed Bag will challenge fly anglers (adult & youth) to catch, photo, release (CPR) as many of the 25 selected species as possible over the course of the festival.
Each entry, whether bluegill or tarpon, will count the same with the angler who lands the most qualifying species being declared the winner on Saturday afternoon. Prizes include an Orvis Recon 8wt Fly Rod and Bajio Sunglasses. The Mixed Bag should be on the radar of everyone attending the Classic.
For those still looking for more after two days of festivities, the Classic will culminate Saturday evening with a showing of the 2023 Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T). This, too, will be a first for the region, and tickets are going fast with only 200 to be sold.
Featuring films on a variety of topics, the event spans roughly 3-hours with a brief intermission halfway through. Tickets for the showing are only $25 and enter the purchaser in a raffle for great prizes including Costa Sunglasses, a Yeti cooler and a Sage Salt R8 Fly Rod ($1100 MSRP). While the films alone are worth the price of admission a 1-in-200 chance at winning an $1100 fly rod should certainly sweeten the pot.
This is a can’t-miss event for the Gulf Coast fly fishing community. Whether you’re a novice, a seasoned pro, or just someone who loves fishing in general, this is the event for you.