Classes with the Experts:
Thursday 9:00-5:00
Advanced Fly Casting Class with Gary Borger & Mac Brown: The advanced fly casting class is for those who wish to improve their “game” when fly fishing. The class is a full 8 hours long and limited to 8 people. Necessary gear includes a 6 to 8-weight rod with a bright colored long belly fly line (such as the Scientific Anglers Expert Distance). The leader should be 7 ½’ to 8’ long. A notepad for taking notes is encouraged to get the most out of the class. You will receive fly casting media such as book, DVD, and first class instruction. Class registration is $625. Where else can you take a class with fly fishing educators with a combined 81 years of teaching experience?
Learn the concepts by understanding the practical and comprehensive casting instruction to take you to the next level. Master a relaxed delivery, throw all types of loops, and increase your distance casts. The presentation fishing casts will enable you to master the concepts as well as the execution of multiple types of layout casts. These are the ones that help you catch more fish!
Dr. Borger is one of the world’s foremost fly fishing educators. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has been a fly fisher since 1955, and has taught classes and lectured internationally on all aspects of fly fishing for trout and salmon since 1972. He has written 10 best-selling books on fly fishing. Gary pioneered fly fishing video instruction with his release of “Nymphing” in 1982. Since then, he has appeared in four videos for the 3M Company; and in cooperation with the of Fly Fishers International, produced the environmental video “Where The Trout Are.” His video production company has produced an additional 17, internationally acclaimed videos in the “Skills of Fly Fishing Series.”
Mac Brown is the owner of Mac Brown Fly Fish and Fly Fishing Guide School in Western NC. Mac created the first full-time fly fishing guide service in Western North Carolina in 1987. The first Delayed Harvest on the Upper Nantahala River in early 1993 was also a result of his efforts. Mac was an Associate Professor at Western Carolina University, teaching the Fly Fishing Program at the collegiate level. Mac Brown is the author of “Casting Angles”, a fly casting handbook for those on the journey of understanding the mechanics of the cast. Mac is a member of many conservation organizations.
They are both active participates in Fly Fishing Shows, FFI Conclaves, and clubs around the globe doing presentations on casting, fly tying, or fishing tactics. As professional instructors and educators, they have helped tens of thousands of beginners through advanced anglers. Learn to become more proficient in the art of fly casting and fly fishing through building a strong foundation of understanding basic concepts.
The class’s objective is to facilitate and share drills, tips, and most importantly share the understanding of modern fly casting. Everyone’s personal journey constantly is enhanced by viewing things over time. Tradition has many gems to take into the future. Evolution is pushing it ahead by conveying what has been introduced in defiance of tradition.
Gain an understanding and appreciation for various rod loading along with the concept of “less is more” in regards to loop efficiency. Once this becomes clearer, there is a light-bulb moment for the student. This equates to greater efficiency for making fly casts while on the stream. Advanced. You MUST register in advance. Click HERE to register. For more information call 814-443-3638.
Friday 2:00-4:30pm
Next Level Casting with Sheila Hassan: This class is geared toward those with some casting and fishing experience, looking to improve their overall casting techniques. Topics covered include loop control, accuracy, handling the wind, and learning or improving the double haul.
Presentation Fly Casting for Fishing with Mac Brown: Presentation fly casting for fishing covers the important fly casts used when fishing for all types of fish species. All levels.
The Art of Nymph Fishing with Jason Randall: With the focus on presentation, this hands-on class emphasizes a systematic approach to the different methods of nymph fishing, showing when, where and how to best use each. All levels.
Secrets for Hunting Large Trout 101 with Landon Mayer: This exciting new class with Mayer is designed for anglers of all skill levels and covers how to find fish by reading water and sight fishing rivers and still waters. Don’t miss out on the closet thing to a guided trip as this class will fill up fast. All levels.
Stillwater Essentials with Phil Rowley: Stillwater Essentials introduces you to the charms stillwater fly fishing offers while removing the mystery and misconceptions many associate with stillwater fly fishing. This comprehensive workshop will teach you what rods, lines and reels you need and why. We will also cover retrieves, fly selection, which fly styles to choose for different situations, entomology, watercraft options and much more. All levels.
Tying and Fishing Wet Flies with Steve Culton: Watch Steve tie classic North Country spiders, winged, and wingless wet flies that trout can’t resist, and learn how to rig and fish them. The course also covers basics like leader construction, fly selection, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them. All levels.
Spring Creeks – Flies and Techniques for Success with Jake Villwock: Join Jake Villwock as he walks you through being successful while fishing a spring creek. Jake will share some of his key tips on how he became successful fishing these technical creeks. He will go over everything from correct approach, fly section, fish behavior, lines and terminal tackle and much more. All levels.
Saturday 8:30-11:00 and 2:00-4:30
Comprehensive Euronymphing With Jason Randall and Josh Miller: If you’re relatively new to Euronymphing, welcome to this fun and effective method. You’ll love catching more fish! If you’re a more seasoned euronympher, you’ll be excited for the opportunities to raise your game. All levels.
Saturday 8:30-11:00am
Casting Strategies with Gary Borger: This demo/clinic focuses on the skills of casting as a means of delivering the fly at all distances with rods of all flexes and weights. Intermediate.
Women Only Casting with Sheila Hassan: One of our most popular classes. This very special class will be limited to eight lucky women. Beginner to intermediate.
Practical Nymphing with Ed Engle: Learn foundation techniques that are crucial to success in a variety of nymphing situations. Always filled–Register Early! Revised and updated in 2021. All levels.
Stillwater Strategies and Tactics for Eastern Stillwater with Phil Rowley: In this workshop, you will learn how eastern lakes differ from those in the west. Specific rod recommendations and line choices. How to target fish located in deep water. Presentation tactics, leader setups, including droppers. How and when to use attractors. Covering water using loch-style techniques to cover water, along with common food sources and recommended fly selections. All levels.
Secrets for Hunting Large Trout 101 with Landon Mayer: This exciting new class with Mayer is designed for anglers of all skill levels and covers how to find fish by reading water and sight fishing rivers and still waters. Landon leaves no stone unturned in his teaching passion to give back on and off the water.
Tying Euro Nymphs and Other Competition Favorites with Tim Cammisa: These are the flies competitive fly fishers are using now, so you’ll learn how to tie them, plus the reasoning behind why they work. After breaking down the tying steps, fishing and rigging tips will be discussed, allowing you to
leave the class with a better understanding of how and why these flies outproduce others. Basic tying experience required.
The Ultimate Saltwater Fly Fishing Clinic with Capt. Bruce Chard: Gain from an in-depth breakdown of all things salt in this valuable saltwater fly fishing “how to” seminar. Hosted by one of the top salt water fly fishing instructors in the industry, FFI Master Certified Casting Instructor Capt Bruce Chard will host you on a journey deep into the world of technical saltwater fly fishing. All levels.
Saturday 2:00-4:30pm
An In-Depth Review of Basic Casting Mechanics to Help You Catch More Fish with Dusty Wissmath: In this class, we will review both basic and advanced casting mechanics. All Levels.
Increase Your Distance with Mac Brown: Increase your overall fly casting efficiency with greater distances with ease. This class will help you to define what is exactly needed for accomplishing greater distances with ease. All skill levels.
Fly Fisher’s Evolution with George Daniel: George explains his favorite tactics and rigging for nymphing, streamer, and dry fly approaches. All Levels.
Beyond Cast & Strip: Presentation Flies for Stripers with Steve Culton: Learn how to tie presentation flies – flies that create the illusion of life even when at rest – and how and where to present them. Intermediate.
Reading the Waters with Alice Owsley: In this technical presentation, Montana guide, Alice Owsley will cover topics on where fish live with changing temperatures, water levels and seasons. All Levels.
Mastering Small Waters: Advanced Methods with Frank Burr: This presentation/class will introduce you to Advanced Methods to use when fishing Small Waters. All levels.
Cutting Edge Fly Fishing: Contemporary Advancements in Dry Fly and Nymph Fishing with Devin Olsen: Description coming soon. All levels.
Sunday 8:30-11:00am
The Perfect Cast with Gary Borger: Casting and mending are essential skills for the fly fisher, and in this class they are covered in clear and concise detail. All Levels.
Perfecting Drift & Presentation with Aerial Mends by Mac Brown: Learn aerial mends for greater line control on the stream. An aerial mend is the first step getting comfortable with rod movement after the casting stroke. It greatly will enhance your overall presentation on the stream. This class is tailored for all skill levels and requires you to bring your fly rod.
Fly Fisher’s Evolution with George Daniel: George explains his favorite tactics and rigging for nymphing, streamer, and dry fly approaches. All Levels.
Tying and Fishing Flies for Eastern Stillwaters with Phil Rowley: Do you fly fish lakes in eastern North America? Join Phil as he shows you how to tie some of his top fly patterns for eastern stillwaters. As you tie alongside Phil, you will learn how to tie a cross-section of his proven patterns and, perhaps most importantly, how to fish them. What lines to use and when, retrieves and presentation, when to fish them, what leader setups, and other tips and tricks Phil uses whenever he fishes lakes across North America. Students will receive pattern recipes and images along with specific leader formulas. Students must have basic fly-tying knowledge is required. Please bring your vise, basic tools (scissors, bobbin, whip finisher etc.) and a dubbing twister if you have one. Phil provides everything else, including hooks and materials.
Fly Tying with Joe Cordeiro: Learn all tying techniques to design the flat wing flies and other striper patterns. Joe is the man with flat wing and one of the most entertaining fly tying instructors. Intermediate.
Advanced Tactics for Smallmouth with Jake Villwock: Sit down with Jake as he talked about all the finer details on becoming a successful smallmouth bass angler. He will teach you everything from correct leader set ups, to when and why to choose flies, seasonal strategies, and how to look behind the season for reasons why. All levels.
Flies for the Underhatch with Bob Lindquist: This course will teach you to read riseforms and choose the proper presentation and tie the pattern to up both your catch rate and size. Bob, author and Delaware River guide, will follow up a segment on reading riseforms. Intermediate and up.
Knots & Rigging for Trout with Tim Flagler: This class will cover many of the knots needed as well as different rigs used for dry fly, dry dropper fishing, indicator nymphing, Euro-nymphing, and streamer fishing. This class is a must to help you rig quicker and more effectively! All levels.
Sunday 2:00-4:30pm
Casting with Alice Owsley: An advanced casting class for men and women where Alice, a professional guide and instructor, will help you learn the casting techniques that will improve your long and short fly presentations. Intermediate
Single handed Spey Casting with Christopher Rownes: Open up New Water with Ease with Single handed Spey casting. In this class I will guide you towards single handed Spey casting with changes in direction enabling to reach fish that others cant. Intermediate.
The Art of Nymph Fishing with Jason Randall: With the focus on presentation, this hands-on class emphasizes a systematic approach to the different methods of nymph fishing, showing when, where and how to best use each. All levels.
Euro Nymphing from A-to-Z with Tim Cammisa: During this interactive class, Tim discusses his approach to fishing with nymphs, the stage in which most trout feed the most. All Levels.
Vertical Presentation and Sink Rates for Nymphing with Frank Burr: This presentation/class will cover sink rates for different types of beads and other weights for Nymphing. Learn techniques, methods and how to apply them to maximize you nymphing success!! All levels.
Note: Most tying classes require some tying experience and others may require more. Ask us when you call. Beginners are welcome, but be prepared for more than basics. All students must bring their own tying vise, tools, lamp if needed, and a sampling of materials. Most classes will provide adequate materials for the patterns being taught. If a class is canceled, you will be notified 5 days prior to the show and permitted to switch or receive a refund.
All classes will be held indoors.
Casting Classes: Bring your own rod, reel & line.
Fly Tying Classes: Bring your own lamp, vise, tools & a basic selection of materials. To insure quality instruction class size is limited. Call us for more class descriptions or availability. Classes will fill and close, so register early. The tuition charge of $85 includes admission to the show for that day. There are no refunds unless the class is canceled. You MUST register in advance. Click HERE for more info or to register. For more information call 814-443-3638.
A Note from the Director:
Fly Fishing Show Learning Center:
Fly Fishing Show Learning Center:
Curious about Tenkara? 
Antique Gear Evaluations with Hoagy Carmichael: 
Belize River Lodge
Returning Special Musical Guest: Dave Blackburn:
of printing fish and capturing the story of their catch. This practice dates back to the mid-1800s and is fabled to have settled the timeless debate about catching the biggest fish between samurai. A limited number of attendees with be able to learn about and create their very own Gyotaku fish print with renowned artist, 
Live Paintings with Fly Rods by Zach Otte:
To submit an image, contact Zach through one of the below:
The Gnomes Traveling Rod Show: 
FLY FISHING TREASURES DISPLAY AND TACKLE EVALUATION:
Steve has written a number of articles related to antique fly tackle collecting for magazines and journals such as AntiqueWeek, Classic Angling, Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors, and the Yale Anglers’ Journal. Steve has also written a regular “Cast From The Past” column for Moldy Chum, as well as articles for Hatch, MidCurrent, Dun Magazine, and others. More information at: www.flyfishingtreasures.com
FFly Fishing Show Learning Center: Fly Fishers International (FFI) hosts the Fly Fishing Learning Center with fly tying, casting instruction and other fly fishing information and is free to show attendees. The FFI Learning Center is a good place for a beginner or to advance the skills of all fly fishers. Stop by and get acquainted!
