Freshwater Fishing News

Fly Fish Texas is an event for Texas fly fishing enthusiasts as well as novice anglers. The annual event takes place March 12 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

Show hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center.
“Fly Fish Texas is a great show and the only event of its kind,” said Walter McLendon of Lufkin, who has organized the show since its beginning. “Other shows cater to people who are already fly-fishers, but we try to introduce people to fly-fishing.”

Fly Fish Texas emphasizes hands-on learning and immediate application of newly acquired skills. Visitors can collect aquatic insects from the center’s streams, tie a fly to imitate one of those insects under the supervision of a skilled tier, learn to cast it from a certified fly-casting instructor, then use it to catch a rainbow trout from one of TFFC’s stocked ponds or streams.

Vendors will be displaying and selling fly-fishing gear, and seminars will brief visitors on where and how to fly-fish in Texas fresh and salt waters for a variety of species. The program will include presentations on fly-fishing locations such as the Devils River, the Texas Hill Country, tailwaters below dams and urban waters.

Speakers will also detail where fish are and how to fish for them in both salt and fresh water. In addition, instruction will be available on rigging a kayak for fly-fishing, leader making and Spey rod casting.

For a complete schedule of activities and seminars plus a video of the event, visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/ and click on the Fly Fish Texas link.

The Dallas Fly Fishers will teach classes for beginning fly-fishers; pre-registration is required and is available by calling Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222. Instruction will lead to basic fly-fisher certification by TPWD and will focus onlearning about fly-fishing equipment, performing the basic four-part cast, sampling aquatic insects to see what fish eat, discussing freshwater ecology, how to tie useful fishing knots, learning about safety and ethics issues associated with fly-fishing and fly-tying.

source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The Second Annual Kansas Hunting and Fishing Expo will bring the outdoors inside the Flinthills Mall, 1656 Industrial Road in Emporia, on April 2 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and April 3 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Although targeted for youth, the event is open to anyone interested in a fun-filled weekend designed to promote the great outdoors and inspire youth to carry on traditions that sportsmen and women from across the nation currently enjoy.

“We want to make this show bigger and better than last year,” says event organizer Tonya Carson. “We will be offering numerous events for children, including a wild turkey shoot, an archery competition, Laser Shot and jet ski simulators provided by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, wildlife photos provided by Walgreens, a kids craft corner, the National Rifle Association’s Eddie Eagle program, and much more. Adult guests can enjoy seminars throughout Saturday and Sunday.”

Seminars include a grilling demonstration, a concealed carry class offered during expo hours ($100 per person), and certified Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young scorers showing how to score big game and turkey mounts. “Anyone may bring a mount to display,” Carson explains, “and the public will have a chance to guess scores and earn prizes.”

Four door prizes will be given away, including a grill from Sears, a youth camouflage Matthews bow from JC Construction, a tent from Budweiser, and a gun from the Kansas Hunting and Fishing Expo. Throughout the day, there will be drawings for more donated prizes.

To learn more about this event,  phone Carson at 785-366-3565 or email tstroda@hotmail.com, or go to Facebook and look under Southeastern Kansas Hunting and Fishing Expo.

source: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

Discover WILD New Hampshire Day will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department at 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, N.H. Admission is free.

The event will feature live animals, fish displays, retrievers, trained falcons and other wildlife.  Other exhibits will feature environmental, conservation and outdoor organizations from around the state.

Perennial favorites are the hands-on activities, including wildlife crafts, archery,  casting, hybrid vehicle displays and other green-living, environmentally-friendly exhibits.

New for 2011 will be the “Wonders of Watersheds” exhibit from the Silvio Conte National Wildlife Refuge.

Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is co-sponsored by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, with support from the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire.

For details, visit: www.wildnh.com

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) is inviting anglers and the general public to a special evening seminar on January 24 featuring professional ice fishing anglers from the North East Ice Tour. The seminar will be held at the PFBC headquarters from 7-9 p.m. in conjunction with the agency’s quarterly business meeting.

“Ice Fishing: The Basics and Beyond” will feature pro anglers Bob Griffith, Mike Kuna and Byron Eckardt. They will discuss ice safety, apparel, equipment and tools, and tips and tricks, and they will share their experiences as professional anglers. Griffith and Kuna topped the points race to be named Team of the Year in 2010 in the North East Ice Tour, a series of professional level tournaments held throughout the Northeast US. The event will also feature pro Byron Eckardt, who operates the NE tour.

The event is free and no registration is required. There is plenty of parking at the PFBC headquarters, located at 1601 Elmerton Avenue in Harrisburg.

Bob Griffith is a resident of Vandergrift, Pa., and has been fishing since he was six-years-old. He extended his open water season to include ice fishing in 1992 and fell in love with the sport. He quickly progressed from pure fun fishing to successfully competing in tournaments for the last eight years. He has fished from Vermont to Minnesota, from Lake Erie to Maryland. He and his partner Mike have had multiple top 10 placements in tournaments as well as two first place wins. They topped the points race to be named Team of the Year in 2010 in the North East Ice Tour. Bob is a Pro Staffer for Clam corporation, Maki Plastics, Jason Mitchell fishing rods and Charlie Brewer slider grubs.

Mike Kuna resides in Pittsburgh, Pa., and has been an avid ice fisherman for seven years. Along with his cousin and fishing partner, Mike has fished in ice fishing tournaments throughout the ice belt and the Northeast. As a team Mike and Bob have won ice fishing tournaments and are the current anglers of the year for the North East Ice Fishing Tour. Mike is a Pro Staffer for Clam corporation, Maki Plastics, Jason Mitchell fishing rods and Charlie Brewer slider grubs. Mike and Bob are also the cofounders of The Keystone Crappie Association in PA.

Byron Eckardt resides in Halifax, Pa., and has been ice fishing the lakes of central Pennsylvania for over 30 years. In addition to being an avid ice angler, Byron operates the North East Ice Tour. Byron is also a Pro Staffer for Jiffy Ice Drills and publishes The North East Ice Fisherman.

source: PA Fish and Boat Commission

The 27th Annual Fishing Expo & Boat Show begins Maryland’s outdoor show season with a huge display of freshwater, saltwater and offshore fishing tackle, boats, motors, trailers, marine accessories and many other fishing businesses and organizations.

With nearly 100,000 square feet of fishing equipment, the emphasis this year will be on fishing tackle. In addition to tackle from all the major tackle manufacturers, exotic, foreign, custom and hard to find tackle from more than 50 manufacturers (most tailored specifically for this region) will be available.

The boat section will include more than 70,000 square feet of fishing boats, including saltwater and freshwater fishing boats.

Seminars will be presented by a lineup of 24 nationally known fishermen, local and regional fishing guides, experts and guest speakers.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the Fishing Expo & Boat Show is a good way to get out and see what is new in Maryland saltwater and freshwater fishing.