From www.internationalflytyingsymposium.com:
Amateur and professional fly tiers will celebrate the 25th anniversary edition of the International Fly Tying Symposium at the Garden State Exhibit Center, Somerset, NJ, Nov. 21-22, with a new wrinkle.
Instead of flies for the competition being entered in advance, an open tying contest will be held live in the show’s lobby. The tying contest will begin at 4 p.m. on Sat.
Competition fly tying vises will be provided by Regal, with all tying materials provided free to competitors by Keough Hackle, Wapsi Fly Tying Products, and Partridge of Redditch hooks. All participants will keep their materials, valued at approximately $50. Overall competition winner will be awarded a $250 value Regal vise.
“Some details such as time limits and other restrictions have yet to be established, but will be defined by our panel of judges and listed on the event’s website, www.internationalflytyingsymposium.com,” said the symposium’s founder and director Chuck Furimsky.
Competition judges include Bob Clouser, Enrico Pugisi, Steve Silverio, Bob Popovics, and Gary Borger.
More than 100 fly tiers and 50 exhibitors will present and demonstrate everything in fly tying during the two day homage to the art. “Tiny flies for trout, large and smallmouth bass, northern pike, carp, tarpon, tuna, dorado, sailfish, Atlantic salmon, bonefish and both Atlantic and Pacific stripers all get equal billing during the event; with both natural and artificial tying materials, furs, feathers, hooks, books, videos and gadgets on sale” said Furimsky.
But the International Fly Tying Symposium will be more than just a potpourri of hooks and hackle. Steinway’s demonstration pianist Joe Augustine, from the University of Akron, will return to entertain during the Sat. night banquet and awards ceremony.
Furimsky promises the largest symposium since the annual event was begun in 1990. “Tackle and fly-tying product manufacturer Marc Pettijean, who is also celebrating his 25th anniversary, is coming from Switzerland; Wapsi Fly Tying Products, Mountain Home, Ark., celebrating their 70th anniversary; Regal Vises, Orange, Mass.; Keough Hackle, Mendon Michigan; and hook manufacturer Partridge of Redditch, England are all co-sponsors or participating in a variety of ways,” he acknowledged.
For information about exhibitor space, the tying competition, hotel reservations, or banquet tickets, contact the International Fly Tying Symposium at [email protected] or phone (814) 443-3638.
