Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Sip
I’m not going to run down the “Big Show” this weekend in Mesquite, Texas, but I did promise to give readers the rundown on the Fourth Annual Texas Fly Fishing & Brewfest. And since that event starts this lovely day, why not give them a spotlight.
MY DESCRIPTION: An event for those who are interested in seeing many of the same people and products they find at these kinds of events, and NOW slightly more integrated with local fly businesses and personnel from those businesses. I think of it this way: Someone, not from Texas, comes to Texas and shows Texans what they think Texans want to see. That said, this event is better looking than it has been in years past. DON’T BE A SUPERSPREADER though! WEAR A MASK, OR BE A MORON.
First, The Cost:
To get in the door? That will be $30-dollars for the weekend (two days) or $20-dollars each day. Includes your beer-band to sample the five different breweries represented. Let us know how big those samples are!
Schedule of Events: Saturday
Specialty Instruction Class
- 10-12 Pat Dorsey Master Class: Fishing Tailwaters [FEE]
- 12:30-1:50 Durmont/Cole Bourbon & Bass Bugs [FEE]
- 2-3:25 Landon Mayer The Hunt for Giant Trout [FEE]
Brazos River
- 9:30-10:50 Chris Johnson Texas Native: Fly Fishing for Rio Grande Cichlids [FEE]
- 11-12:30 Karlie Roland Women Only: Becoming an Independent Angler [FEE]
- 1-1:50 Tim O’Neill Carp on the Fly
- 2-2:50 Peter Boettcher Beer Making 101
- 3-3:50 Karlie Roland Taking on Idaho’s Henry’s Fork
Guadalupe River
- 10-10:50 Landon Mayer 80/20: Mastering the Short Game
- 11-11:50 Mike DeRosa Trophy Brown Trout, Steelhead, and Salmon
- 12-12:50 Landon Rowlett The 1% Rule: A Mindset to Catch More Fish
- 1-1:50 Scarborough/Penick Women and the Future of Fly Fishing
- 2-2:50 Chris Johnson Fly Fishing the Republic of Texas
- 3-3:50 Pat Dorsey Fishing Colorado’s South Platte
Devil’s River
- 10-10:50 Tadd Fore Fly Fishing Arkansas’s White River
- 11-11:50 Jerry & Patty Hamon Becoming an Outdoor Grandparent
- 12-12:50 Greg Welander Fly Fishing the Texas Hill Country
- 1-1:50 Wayne McGee Alaska’s Best Pacific Salmon and Trout Waters
- 2-2:50 Tim Urtiaga All About Pike on the Fly
- 3-3:50 Jerry Hamon A Man, a Kayak, and a Fly Rod
Featured Fly Tyers
- 9:30-10:30 Steve Maldonado Big Streamers for Trout
- 10:30-11:30 Tim O’Neill Tying Carp Flies
- 11:30-12:30 Allen Rupp Stealth Bomber
- 12:30-1:30 Chris Johnson Mimic Hopper
- 2:30-3:30 Jim Bensinger Tying Classic Wet Flies
- 3:30-4:30 Landon Mayer Mayer’s Mini Leech Series
Main Casting Pool
- 11:15 -12:15 Landon Mayer Casting Demo
- 2-3 Karlie Roland Casting Demo
Casting Classes [FEE]: Meet at Class Registration Booth 10 minutes before class
- 9:30-11 Rex Walker Beginner Casting Instruction
- 1-2:30 Rex Walker Beginner Casting Instruction
Free Casting Classes: Meet at Class Registration Booth 10 minutes before class
- 11 AM & 2 PM Texas Council FFI Walk-Up Casting Classes*
- (Certified Casting Instructors)
Schedule of Events: Sunday
Specialty Instruction Class
- 10-12 Pat Dorsey Master Class: Fishing Tailwaters [FEE]
- 12:30-1:50 Durmont/Cole Bourbon & Bass Bugs [FEE]
- 2-3:25 Landon Mayer The Hunt for Giant Trout [FEE]
Brazos River
- 9:30-10:50 Chris Johnson Fly Fishing Southern Colorado [FEE]
- 11-12:30 Karlie Roland Women Only: Becoming an Independent Angler [FEE]
- 1-2:50 Tim O’Neill Carp on the Fly
- 2-2:50 Jerry Hamon A Man, a Kayak, and a Fly Rod
- 3-3:50 Karlie Roland Taking on Idaho’s Henry’s Fork
Guadalupe River
- 10-10:50 Landon Mayer 80/20: Mastering the Short Game
- 11-11:50 Tim Urtiaga Insider’s Guide to Lakes and Stillwater
- 12-12:50 Jon Bonnell Gourmet Redfish Cooking Demo
- 1-1:50 Scarborough/Penick Women and the Future of Fly Fishing
- 2-2:50 Chris Johnson Fly Fishing the Guadalupe River
- 3-3:50 Pat Dorsey Fishing Colorado’s South Platte
Devil’s River
- 10-10:50 Jerry Hamon A Man, a Kayak, and a Fly Rod
- 11-11:50 Landon Rowlett The 1% Rule: A Mindset to Catch More Fish
- 12-12:50 Wayne McGee Alaska’s Best Pacific Salmon and Trout Waters
- 1-1:50 Mike DeRosa Trophy Brown Trout, Steelhead, and Salmon
- 2-2:50 Tadd Fore Fly Fishing Arkansas’s White River
- 3-3:50 Greg Welander Fly Fishing the Texas Hill Country
Featured Fly Tyers
- 9:30-10:30 Phil Iwane No Mercy Midge
- 10:30-11:30 Braden Miller Killer Bass Bugs
- 11:30-12:30 Chris Johnson Rio Bandito
- 12:30-1:30 Allen Rupp Flatwing Sculpin
- 2:30-3:30 Tim O’Neill Tying Carp Flies
- 3:30-4:30 Landon Mayer Mayer’s Mini Leech Series
Main Casting Pool
- 11:15 -12:15 Landon Mayer Casting Demo
- 2-3 Karlie Roland Casting Demo
Casting Classes [FEE]: Meet at Class Registration Booth 10 minutes before class
- 9:30-11 Rex Walker Beginner Casting Instruction
- 1-2:30 Rex Walker Beginner Casting Instruction
Free Casting Classes: Meet at Class Registration Booth 10 minutes before class
11 AM & 2 PM Texas Council FFI Walk-Up Casting Classes *(Certified Casting Instructors)
* Families (including children 13 and over) can receive free casting lessons at the times referenced above compliments of the Texas Council of Fly Fishers International. Families with children can also try their hands at fly tying at the fly-tying tables staffed by festival volunteers.
LECTURE SERIES
Did you say you want to attend some of the LECTURES and meet the famou$? You can do that too! Here’s the rundown of exciting classes (copied from directly from their website):
Women Only-Becoming an Independent Angler with Karlie Roland (Limit 12)
New Class : Brand new to fly fishing? Somewhat experienced on the water but still hesitant to go it all alone? Karlie Roland hears you–and she’s here to help. In this women-only specialty class you will learn to maximize your independent angling potential! Learn how to adjust your own rig and tie specialty knots like the perfection loop, blood, double surgeon’s, and clinch. Roland covers leaders, tippets, nylon versus fluorocarbon, and how to make adjustments in each for maximum on-the-water efficiency. Students will learn what gear they need when they’re fishing alone. They’ll understand how to read a hatch chart and match the hatch. Her class is targeted first and foremost to new anglers, but Karlie Roland’s experience on the Henry’s Fork–among the West’s most technical trout rivers–has honed her fishing skills to a razor’s edge; so even advanced anglers will learn something new. This women-only class is suitable for both fresh and saltwater anglers. This class is held indoors. Seating is limited to 12 female students, ages 16 and over. Read more …
COST = $50 (in addition to admission)
Bourbon & Bass Bugs with Jamie Biel & Kristian Cole (Limit 16)
NEW CLASS! Did you know that all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon? Sponsored by Treaty Oak Distilling and Flymen Fishing Company ,our unique, two-part course is designed for adults 21 and over interested in how distilled spirits (and bourbon in particular) are made. The first part of this class is taught by Jamie Biel of Treat Oak Distillery. Students will learn about distilled spirits and taste three Texas bourbons during her lecture. The second part of this class will discuss a few specialty bass bugs that Southwestern … Only 16 spots are available. Class held: 12:30-1:50PM Saturday & Sunday. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival. Student must have alcohol ID bracelet prior to attending the class. This class is held indoors … read more
COST = $50 (in addition to admission)
NOTE: Remember Treaty Oak Distillery? – I reviewed their tasty special release in the Texas Books Texas Bourbons video –
Master’s Class: Fly Fishing Tailwaters instructor Pat Dorsey (Limit 16)
NEW CLASS! Master’s Class: Fishing Tailwaters (Limit 16) Tailwater fisheries provide anglers with a dependable four-season fishery that affords anglers with consistent flows, clear water, large populations of trout, and reliable hatches. Learn the tactics and techniques to successfully master these year-round waters. A detailed discussion on dams, tailwater benefits, entomology, matching the hatch, fly selection, rigging rods, reading the water, presentation and much more are included in this class. While this is a class designed for more experienced anglers, new fly anglers would also benefit. All materials for the course will be provided, and no fly casting is involved … read more https://tickets.txflyfishingfestival.org/e/texas-fly-fishing-brew-festival-2021/tickets
COST = $75.00 (In addition to admission)
Landon Mayer: The Hunt for Giant Trout (Limit 16)
New Class! This 90 minute small-group intensive is for anglers with a passion for catching large trout. While geared with trout anglers in mind, the information in this course can also be applied to many other species that wading anglers may encounter Guiding clients on trout water more than 200 days a year, Mayer knows every tip and trick … read more https://tickets.txflyfishingfestival.org/e/texas-fly-fishing-brew-festival-2021/tickets
COST = $75.00 (In addition to admission)
Texas Native: Fly Fishing for Cichlids with Chris Johnson-Saturday Limit 12
New Class: The United States has only one native species of cichlid and thankfully, it makes its home in Texas! Most fly anglers infrequently catch Rio Grande Cichlids while fishing for bass and sunfish. However, to catch them consistently, and on a year-round basis, requires an in-depth understanding of the species. Chris has caught Rio Grande Cichlids for well over 20 years, but for the last four years he has specifically targeted Rios on fly in an effort to demystify and celebrate one of Texas’ most unique native fish. This presentation is the culmination of years of study, countless days of fishing … read more
COST = $50.00 (In addition to admission)
NOTE: Be sure to ask Chris Johnson WHERE he finds the funky cichlid! I’m sure he will share his favorite Cichlid spots with you – and that’s worth the price of this one class!
So have a sip of beer from these participating microbreweries and carry on:
And if you have any money left? Here is your list of vendors:
Manufacturers
- Brook Fishing Equipment
- Dagon Apparel Company
- The Fly Hair Company
- Kermode Outdoors
- Mudfish Adventures
- Mystic Outdoors
- Norvise
- RexFly
- The Original Ty Rite
- Thomas & Thomas
Fly Shops
- Blue Quill Angler
- Dally’s Ozark Fly Fisher
- Eagles Nest Fly Shack & Lodge
- Grapevine Fly Fishing
- Sight Cast Fishing Company
- Tailwaters
Lodges, Guides and Travel/ Outfitters
- Alaska’s Bear Claw Lodge
- Alaska Trophy Adventures
- Angling Frontiers
- Beaver’s Bend Fly Fishing Guide Service
- The Boat Company
- Dave Fish Alaska, LLC
- Eagles Nest Fly Shack & Lodge
- Gangler’s North Seal River Lodge
- Milton Lake Lodge
- Naknek River Camp
- Nomadic Waters
- Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing
- Private Water Fishing
- Rio Grande Club & Resort
- Tarpon Caye Lodge
Boats/Paddle Sports
Artist/ Specialty Fly Tyers
Some information was left out due to space constraints! Go to their website if you want to know more. And have fun in Mesquite, Texas! Be sure to click on those names and businesses above – those are linked to them!
MORE ABOUT THE TEXAS FLY FISHING & BREWFEST
Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic weekend – WE NEED THIS RAIN for our fly fishing fun this spring of ’21 here in North Texas.
Category: Casting, Causes, Events, Fly Art, Fly Shops, Fly Tying, Industry, Literature, Store Merchandise, TECHNICAL, Texas Water Conservation
