Fly Fishing Show 2025: What to Expect and How to Make the Most of It

Fly fishing for chum salmon in Alaska | photo provided by the Iliamna River Lodge

It’s almost here, I can feel it in the air. I’m spending more time out on the baseball field working on my casting, I’m watching a lot of fly fishing films and videos, and The Fly Fishing Show has begun its circuit.

What Is the Fly Fishing Show?

The Fly Fishing Show is an annual event that kicks off in January and travels to seven states across the U.S.. It brings together fly anglers, gear manufacturers, guides, lodges, professional fly tiers, and travel outfitters for a hands-on experience with the latest in the fly fishing world. The event is open to the public and is a fun warm up to the fly fishing season that is just around the corner.

A Gear-head's Dream

I attended the Atlanta event at the end of January. I'm a gear-head so a show like this feels the same as being a kid in a candy store. Seeing all the top manufacturers’ rods and reels in one place is unbeatable. You can go booth to booth, comparing a Hardy reel to an Orvis, checking out the latest rods from Sage, then hopping over to the Moonlit booth to cast one of their fiberglass rods.

Exceptional Deer Hair Work by Jeff Rowley

Fly Tying Demonstrations with the Experts

For the fly tiers in the audience, this event brings in some of the best tiers in the U.S. to tie and talk with attendees. Someone like Jeff Rowley, a master at packing deer hair, will demonstrate his technique and answer your questions. Allen Rupp was one of the featured tiers—he trained under Dave Whitlock and ties the Whitlock’s NearNuff Crayfish just like the original. If you don’t know this pattern, you should. It’s deadly on big trout and smallmouth bass.

The Whitlock NearNuff Crayfish tied by Allen Rupp | photo by Allen Rupp

At the Atlanta show, 22 fly tiers were set up to teach and talk—22 experts in one place! If you’re looking to improve your fly tying skills, this alone is worth the attendance.

Discovering New Fly Fishing Gear

One of my favorite parts of the show is discovering smaller, newer gear companies. It’s like a treasure hunt—finding gear that’s actually a good idea instead of just a gimmick. Lid Rig is a great example of a smaller company making functional gear with out-of-the-box designs. Their Stash Tray an Mag Band are great examples of this.

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Fly angling art exhibits are popular at the show

Testing Fly Rods and Getting Casting Tips

If you’re shopping for a new fly rod, this is the place to be. You can test a variety of rods at different price points and find what works best for your casting style—not just based on a sales person's pitch or someone else’s opinion.
While testing rods, you also get access to casting tips from some of the best fly casters in the U.S. In Atlanta, Bob Clouser was on hand to talk fly fishing and offer casting advice.

How to Get the Most Out of the Show

I’d recommend attending for two days. Here’s why:
• Day 1: Focus on seminars, casting instruction, special events, fly tying demos, and author meet-and-greets. The Fly Fishing Show’s website has a schedule of all the programs and classes for each location—stay away from the gear because all that bling and flash will pull you into a hole that is hard to climb out.
• Day 2: Explore the show floor. Once you get the learnin' out of the way, reward yourself with the toys and dream travel destinations. Talk with guides, gear experts, lodge owners, and well-known figures in the fly fishing world, like Brian O’Keefe. He runs the Eleven Angling booth and is worth a visit. O’Keefe is an accomplished photographer, fly casting tournament champion, writer, speaker, guide, and instructor who travels the world searching for new angling destinations. He's a wealth of information and easy to talk to.

Brian O’Keefe Chasing the Amazon Peacock Bass With a Fly Rod

Don’t Miss the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4)

One more thing you won’t want to miss—the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4). It’s a one-night event held during The Fly Fishing Show weekend. It features the best fly fishing films from around the world. These aren’t amateur home films—they’re professionally made, with top-tier cinematography, thrilling fishing adventures, and compelling storytelling. Think Eye-Candy with a message.

Check the Fly Fishing Show’s website to see if it’s coming to a city near you. It’s a great way to spend a weekend, immerse yourself in the fly fishing community, improve your casting, and maybe pick up a few new toys. KB

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  "The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover