Every year I kick off fly tying season by enjoying a weekend of fly tying and camaraderie at the International Fly Tying Symposium. The International Fly Tying Symposium is the world’s largest show dedicated to the art of fly tying. This year there will be over 75 fly tiers in attendance and scores of vendors selling fly tying materials and fly fishing gear. If you are a fly tier or fly fisher (even if you don’t tie flies) this is a show you will not want to miss!

This year the show returns to its old haunts at the Doubletree Hotel in Somerset, New Jersey. For regular attendees of this show this location is by far our favorite. There is great lodging, food and drink on site and plenty of free parking. In addition to the fly tiers demonstrating their skills, there are classes available with celebrity tiers from around the globe. Items for sale include hundreds of fly tying books available at the Angling Book Store booth along with many of the authors to sign them; thousands of necks and stacks of feathers; and a selection of hooks by Ahrex from Denmark along with special sample packs. In addition many of the tiers have flies and materials for sale that you won’t find anywhere else.

All weekend, I will be at the show, tying up some panfish bugs and warm water flies. If you are attending the show, stop by my table and say hello I would love to meet you and swap some fly fishing lies. I will also be opening up the order books and accepting fly orders for the upcoming season.