Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival 2023

Includes beer tastings for those 21 and over with valid ID

Includes beer tasting for those 21 and over with valid ID

Includes beer tasting for those 21 and over with valid ID

New Festival After Party ! ($35 at the door if available) Make plans to attend this years Festival After Party. Sponsored by Shenk Capital Management, this fun filled evening will being at 5:30 PM directly after Saturday's festivities in one of the Mesquite Convention Centers main ballrooms and will conclude at 8:30. This special evening will include lots of good food, craft beers and fellowship with many of the festivals speakers and special guests including, but not limited to Tom Rosenbauer, Pat Dorsey, Tina Murray, Kirk Deeter, Kim Rannala, Grahame Jones, Festival Director Beau Beasley, Sara Holt, Steve Maldonado, Jerry Hamon and many others. This special event is still in the process of development, and more information will be made available shortly. 

 
This event is open to the general public, and is strictly first come, first service. Price includes heavy appetizers and one drink ticket. 

New Women's Fly Fishing Symposiums:So you’ve fished a few times? Maybe more than a few times but you’re still not sure what to do on the water without a guide or more experienced friend? No worries: this two day symposium has you covered.

Our Beyond the Cast Symposium will be offering a variety of classes for those female fly anglers that want to take their skills to the next level. The entire event is held in doors, and runs concurrently with the TX Fly Fishing & Brew Festival. Some topics covered will include:

Friday Evening-VIP Vendor/Instructor Reception
(This is an invitation only event held at the Mesquite Visitors Center from 6:00-8:00 BTC Symposium members are automatically invited to this welcome reception)

Sat
Fishing with Confidence-Tina Murray
Wader Selection and Safe Wading Practices - K. Rannla
Catered Lunch with Industry Leaders-Multiple Speakers
How to Not Be Stressed, In Stressed Out World-Dalton  
How to Interact with Wildlife-Julie Mattson 
Using a Kayak for Better Access -Jerry Hamon

Sun
Ask An Expert Anything- Tom Rosenbauer
What is Euro Nyphing and How To Do It -Julie Mattson  Staying Safe in the Outdoors -Jon Mozingo
Wrap-Up Evaluation
 
This women-only class is suitable for both fresh and saltwater anglers and will have multiple national and regional instructors and special guests through out the weekend. Seating is limited to 30 female students, ages 16 and over. One of the main goals of this symposium is to empower women to become more independent anglers, and to help build a sense of community. Lunch will be provided. 

All materials for the course will be provided, and no fly casting is involved. 

This class does include admission for the weekend of the festival and includes lunch on Saturday.  All teaching materials are provided and a complimentary one-year new membership subscription to Trout Unlimited is also included. When not in class, students are invited to visit and enjoy the festival exhibition hall. 

Registration begins at 9:00 AM on the festival grounds. 
 

Class held Saturday: 9:00 AM-3:00 PM  and Sunday 9:00 AM-1:00PM.

This class has limited seating, and once purchased, no refunds will be offered. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.

New Class. 

Join author and nationally recognized fly fishing expert Tom Rosenbauer for this new class offering. Knowing where the fish are and aren’t is the key to a successful day on the water. Many anglers see a rising fish and immediately jump to the conclusion that this is where they should place their first cast. Rosenbauer explains why this may not be the case. Students will go over basic dos and don’ts on their approach and be instructed on how to gauge what is going on in a particular body of water before making their first cast. They will learn to understand current movements as well as the effects of structure like rocks, logjams, and even shade on fishing.  Designed for more experienced anglers, new fly anglers will also benefit from this class. All materials for the course will be provided, and no fly casting is involved.

This class has limited seating, and once purchased, no refunds will be offered. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.

This class runs from 9:30AM -10:50 AM on Saturday and is held inside. 

Class price does not include admission and and has a max occupancy of 16 students. 

Specialty 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. Students will meet at the Specialty Instruction Lecture Area. This class has limited seating to ensure social distancing, and once purchased no refunds will be offered.  Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival. Only 16 spots are available. Class held: 11:00 AM-12:50PM Saturday & Sunday in the Specialty Lecture Room. This class is held indoors.

Refunds mist be requested in writing 30 days prior to the festival, after this time students will receive a full credit for the following festival. This class does does not include admission. 

NEW CLASS! Join author and nationally recognized fly fishing expert Tom Rosenbauer for this new class. If anglers consistently make one mistake, it believes that their favorite fly will work everywhere, and under all conditions. This is simply not the case, and Rosenbauer will explain why. Students will delve into common myths and mistakes and will learn how to assess their hatch strategy correctly. Let Tom teach you all his tricks of the trade so you spend more time fishing and less time wasted digging through your fly box. Designed for more experienced anglers, new fly anglers will also benefit from this class. All materials for the course will be provided, and no fly casting is involved.

This class has limited seating and once purchased, no refunds will be offered. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.

The class price doesn't include admission. 

Specialty CLASS! Adults will learn the basic techniques and skills of fly tying. No prior knowledge or fly tying experience is expected or required. Expert fly tyer Jim Bensinger owner of Fiber Flies and Prostaffer for Norvise, will teach this course and will provide everything students need to be successful. 

All fly flying vices and materials will be provided at no additional cost.

This specialty class does not include admission to the festival for the day of the class. Should the class sell out and you wish to be placed on a “wait list” send an e-mail to Fishutopia@comcast.net.

NEW CLASS! Join author and nationally recognized fly fishing expert Tom Rosenbauer for this new class. If anglers consistently make one mistake, it believes that their favorite fly will work everywhere, and under all conditions. This is simply not the case, and Rosenbauer will explain why. Students will delve into common myths and mistakes and will learn how to assess their hatch strategy correctly. Let Tom teach you all his tricks of the trade so you spend more time fishing and less time wasted digging through your fly box. Designed for more experienced anglers, new fly anglers will also benefit from this class. All materials for the course will be provided, and no fly casting is involved.

This class has limited seating and once purchased, no refunds will be offered. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.

 
This class runs from 1:30PM-3:00 PM and is held inside. 

The class price doesn't include admission. 

NEW CLASS !   Are you a saltwater fly angler who creates your own patterns? Still need a few pointers? Then you need Allen Rupp from Fly On The Water. Rupp will teach "Advanced Saltwater Fly Tying Techniques" at our 2023 festival. The objective of Rupp's class is to move fly tyers from average to advanced. Students will leave knowing the proper techniques for tailing, collars, dumbbell eyes, stick-on eyes, bead chain, mono eyes, and so much more. Learning how to properly tie your own flies is gratifying; reinforcing them so they are durable and can withstand strike after strike saves money and earns bragging rights. Please note that this is not a beginner fly tying class. This class is designed for intermediate fly tyers who hope to take their skills to the next level. 

Students must bring their own fly-tying vise, scissors, bodkin, bobbin, and mono nippers. All hooks and other materials will be provided.


All attendees will receive a Tuffleye Resin kit and a bottle of Brush-on Zap-a-Gap (retail value $115)

Special Note***  This class DOES INCLUDE admission to the festival. Students will also receive a complimentary tube of flex, core, and finish from Wet A Hook for taking the class.

 Limited to 12. Class held: 9:30-10:50 AM Sunday Only. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.     

This co-ed class taught by FFI Certified Casting Instructor Rex Walker focuses on the critical casting skills that make fly casting fun.  The featured skills include loop control and line shooting.  This class is appropriate for anyone that wants to become a better fly caster and it is perfect for someone just getting started in fly fishing.  Students will receive group and individual instruction and rods will be provided if needed.

This class cost $75, maximum of 8 students.Students should meet at the Casting Class Area on the festival grounds  which is inside the building. Refunds must be requested in writing 30 days prior to the festival, after this time students will receive a full credit for the following festival.

All classes will be held inside. Students can bring their own fly rods, or use gear provided by the instructor. If you need a rod, you must contact Fishutopia@comcast.net to make arrangements to borrow a rod. 

This class does not include admission.