{"id":12683,"date":"2019-01-09T19:00:02","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flyfishing-blog.com\/flyfishing-blog.com\/?p=12683"},"modified":"2019-01-08T17:38:39","modified_gmt":"2019-01-08T16:38:39","slug":"2019-virginia-fly-fishing-wine-festival-near-richmond-january-12-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flyfishing-blog.com\/flyfishing-blog.com\/2019\/01\/09\/2019-virginia-fly-fishing-wine-festival-near-richmond-january-12-13\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival near Richmond, January 12-13"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On January 12-13, 2019, the 19th Annual <\/strong>Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival<\/strong><\/a> will draw anglers from throughout Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, New York, and even Vermont. Held at the Meadow Event Park, just 15 miles north of Richmond on the site of the state fairgrounds, the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival is the first event of its kind to combine fly fishing and wine tasting. Fly fishing manufacturers, lodges, guides, tourism agencies, wineries, and specialty food companies are among the more than 100 vendors who hail from all over the country.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This year\u2019s festival sponsors include the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, Temple Fork Outfitters, Green Top, American Angler<\/em>, Steam Bell Beer Works, Harman\u2019s North Fork Cottages, Virginia Sportsman<\/em>, Gray\u2019s Sporting Journal, Fly Tyer, Alaska Magazine,<\/em> Mid Valley Press, Blue Ridge Outdoors<\/em>, and newcomers Fish Partner and Virginia-based Reilly Rod Crafters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2019 festival will feature several of the industry\u2019s most prominent anglers and authors. Noted speakers and fly tyers include Jason Randall, Ed Jaworowski, Matt Supinski, Joe Mahler, Walt Cary, Debbie Hanson, Dusty Wissmath, Peter Stitcher, Chuck Kraft, and Brad Buzzi. Attendees will also enjoy hearing from popular regional guides and speakers Dale Collins, Matt Miles, Al Alborn, Matt Reilly, and Colby Trow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to hearing from fly fishing experts, Festivalgoers may enter to win a fabulous Grand Prize drawing: five days of guided fishing (including accommodations) in otherworldly Iceland, compliments of Fish Partner<\/a>. Attendees may also proceed to the Trout Unlimited booth where they can meet TU CEO Chris Wood and enter to win a drawing for a free annual membership as well as other prizes worth up to $1,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe work hard to demystify fly fishing,\u201d says Festival Director Beau Beasley. \u201cMany are simply too intimidated by fly fishing and fly tying to even give them a try. We believe that the quiet sport is for everyone, so we find casting and tying experts who make it simple and fun. Because of our unique approach, our event draws, on average, several times more women than similar sporting events.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Virginia Fly & Wine also warmly welcomes children: Last year\u2019s festival offered casting classes specifically designed for children and drew Boy Scouts from as far away as New Jersey who came to earn their fly fishing merit badge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite\nthe festival\u2019s focus on bringing new folks into the sport, advanced\nanglers needn\u2019t worry: \u201cWe\u2019re launching a series of new\nspecialty classes geared towards more experienced anglers this year,\u201d\ncontinues Beasley. These classes include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Freestone\nFirst Aid, taught by Nationally Registered Paramedic Mike Tayloe of\nFinns West<\/a>.\nThis class prepares professional guides and ordinary anglers in case\nsomething goes wrong on the stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Advanced\nFly Casting and Understanding Advanced Techniques, taught by\nguide\/author and Master Certified Casting Instructor Mac\nBrown<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–Advanced Techniques for Fishing Tailwaters and Landing Giant Browns, taught by guide\/ author Matt Supinski.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nMany of the new specialty classes will\nbe taught on Friday so that attendees can still take in the festival.\nAnother new class, Peter\nStitcher\u2019s<\/a> May Flies & Micro Brews, will be held over the\nfestival weekend. Stitcher\u2019s lucky students will learn how to\nidentify bugs and receive a complimentary beer (students age 21 and\nover) to go with the class. All specialty\nclasses<\/a> have a limited amount of space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shannon\nHorton of Horton Vineyards will impart essential wine knowledge to\nattendees in the new Wine and Food Pairing 101 class, and Matt\nSupinski will be teaching a seafood cooking class complete with\nrecipes from his latest book the Salmon-Brown\nTrout Nexus<\/em>. Both of these\nclasses are included in the general admission fee and are open to all\nattendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning\nthis year is a Streamer Tactics class taught by author George Daniel\nand an Advanced Nymph Fishing Tactics class taught by well-known\nangler and author Jason Randall. All paid specially classes are first\ncome, first served and include general admission to the festival for\nthe day of the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also returning this year are Family Fly Fishing Classes (3FC) sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. Children 12 to 16 years old will learn the basics of fly fishing and fly casting with Paul Kearney of Trout Unlimited\u2019s Tri-State Conservation Camp. All 3FC classes and materials will be provided at no cost to festival attendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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