Fly Fishing Show Special Events:
BACK AGAIN:
The International Fly Fishing Film Festival.
World premier of the IF4 film festival held here at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver! One night only, Friday, February 21 at 6:30. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 in advance. Click HERE for tickets.
The Denver Women’s Showcase:
a weekend program devoted to women-centered discussions, presentations, learning opportunities and networking. The Showcase is free with your entry to the Fly Fishing Show and will feature a diverse schedule of presentations.
Join us Sunday at noon in the Women’s Showcase area for our 3rd Fashion Show, seamlessly blending fashion and angling. Explore top brands such as Catchflo, Simms, Yellow Sally Fly Fishing, Fishewear, Miss Mayfly, and more. After the show, enjoy light refreshments from our sponsors and exclusive deals from participating brands.
Classes with the Experts:
*Sign-up for each class/clinic is limited
*Receive Individualized tips, techniques, and instruction
*Questions answered by your celebrity expert
*Improve your casting, tying, or techniques to catch more fish!
Click HERE for details and to register
Returning Special Musical Guest: Dave Blackburn:
Don’t miss our special musical guest Dave Blackburn. He will be playing a special mid day lunch set and for a feature “happy hour” act prior to the screening of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival. Dave Blackburn grew up in western PA where his home river was the Raystown Branch of the Juniata. He was introduced to fly-tying at age 9 by a sixth grade teacher. He was schooled by both Messiah College, along the Yellow Breeches Creek, and the Letort Run. He transferred to West Virginia University where he received his BS in Forest Resource Management while working seasonally for the USFS in the Cloud Peak Primitive Area of Wyoming as a wilderness guard. He took piano lessons as a child and later applied his ear for music to bluegrass banjo when he got his first banjo at age 17. His banjo mentors include Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, Pete Wernick and Bela Fleck. He achieved early notoriety in his banjo playing by earning several ribbons at banjo contests in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. His longtime WVU roommate inspired him to add singing to his repertoire, where they formed the group the Skeenes Brothers, later becoming part of the Trapper Canyon Stringbusters based in Greybull, Wyoming. He settled on the banks of the Kootenai River in NW Montana where he pioneered the area’s first fly fishing guide service in 1982. Kootenai Angler now includes 5 river-front log cabin rentals along with a fly shop, the River Bend restaurant and a large outdoor music venue where the Kootenai River “Runs Through It”. Dave travels throughout the country as a speaker where he entertains with his unique combination of fly-fishing and bluegrass music. His current band, the Sheldon Mountain Boys, recently released their first album entitled “Thirty Years on the Mountain”.
Bamboo Rod Building Demonstrations:
The origins of fly fishing began with fisherman using rods made only from what nature provided. Casting and catching a fish with a rod made from bamboo, “the lovely reed”, is something to be experienced! Visit the BAMBOO ROD DEMONSTRATION BOOTH to see how these rods are crafted. We might intrigue you to begin your own bamboo rod building journey!
Live Art Demonstration:
Come find out about Gyotaku, (魚拓, from gyo “fish” + taku “stone impression”) the traditional Japanese method 
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, Travis Krause. Demos will be in booth 268 at 1:30 and 3:00 daily.
Live Paintings with Fly Rods by Zach Otte:
On Friday and Saturday I will be painting with my fly-rod brushes, transforming in an hour and a half a blank canvas into a riverscape.
I have lived and guided around the world for two decades, and I will demonstrate how I combine my varied influences while painting with brush heads mounted to broken fly rods.
I will donate the finished pieces to Casting For Recovery and Project Healing Waters. River and scene suggestions are welcomed in advance. If I use your photo as a reference, I’ll give you a canvas print.
To submit an image, contact Zach through one of the below:
Insta: zach.otte
FB: Zach Otte Art
Web: zachotteart.com
email: zach@zachotteart.com
Live, from the Show Floor!
Fly Fishing Journeys, Rob Giannino will present live podcasts throughout the show. Come see interviews, ask questions and more in the Live Podcasting Booth.
The Gnomes Traveling Rod Show:
In 2023 The Gnomes travelling rod show will be celebrating its 22th anniversary and it is being done with a massive expansion that we have been working on for 5 years. The display has grown to 14 sets of shadow boxes from 10 sets and covers from the mid 1700’s up to the present. The evolution of the fly rod is shown in this display in a way that is not done anywhere else in the world. The “Gnomes Traveling Rod Show” is the first traveling museum dedicated to the fishing rod and it has traveled from Colorado to most parts of the US and has been a featured display at Museums across the country including the “Catskill Fly Fishing Heritage center” and the state museum of Idaho and the Museum of western history in Craig Colorado to name a few. It has traveled to TU and FFF conventions and fund raising efforts across the country, The display contains extremely rare rods showing the evolution of the tool over two hundred years and it contains some of the rarest most oddball rods ever made. The “GTRS” has been a part of the Fly Fishing Show family for a long time and we are extremely humbled to share the museum with our fellow anglers. A huge thanks to the Furimsky’s for helping in so many ways, please come by the museum and bring any old tackle you need appraised, it is a Free service of the Fly Fishing Show and Gnomish Rod Works.
Fly Fishing Show Learning Center:
Fly Fishers International (FFI) and the West Denver Trout Unlimited host The Fly Fishing Show Learning Center with fly tying, casting instruction and other fly fishing information and is free to show attendees. Fly tying focuses on young attendees, but all ages are welcome. Tying sessions begin every 30 minutes during periods of high demand; “when you get there” during periods of lighter attendance. Fly rods provided.
The FFI Learning Center will have expanded offerings this year. In addition to casting and fly tying education for all ages, instruction will be available for knot tying, rigging and choosing a fly. The FFI Learning Center is good place to advance the skills of all fly fishers. Stop by and get acquainted!
Curious about Tenkara?
Stop by Zen Tenkara’s booth where Karin Miller, Owner and Founder of Zen Tenkara will be offering “Quick & Dirty” demos at 11:00am each day at the Zen Tenkara booth.
Come by to learn and ask your questions!
More TBA!
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!
Live Net Building with Wayward Trading Post:
Fly Fishing Show Learning Center:
Antique Gear Evaluations with Hoagy Carmichael: 
