In a normal year, thousands of people from across the country and around the world head to Idaho Falls to attend the annual Eastern Idaho Fly Tying Expo in the beginning of April. However, due to the global pandemic, the Expo was canceled for the second year in a row.
Snake River Cutthroats Fly Fishing Club, a nonprofit organization, has over 400 members that cover fly fishing opportunities and events in eastern Idaho, including sponsoring the Expo, which is one of the largest fly fishing expos in the nation.
This year would have been the 27th Expo to showcase fly fishing talent. It normally hosts fly tying, fly fishing and fly casting workshops, a fly tying theatre, a banquet, youth programs and destination programs.
According to the Cutthroats’ Club Facebook page, their goals include expanding fly fishing and fly tying interests, maintaining clean water systems to improve fisheries, providing educational opportunities for new and experienced fly fishers, and creating a meeting place to share a passion for wild fish and waters.
Scott Long, co-chair of the Expo, explained that the Expo helps fundraise money for the Snake River Cutthroats for conservation education projects.
“Folks travel here from all over the world to fish for trout,” Long said. “The Snake River, both the Henry’s Fork and the South Fork, is one of many renowned travel fisheries in the country, if not the world.”
Even though the Expo was canceled, the Cutthroats Club continues to encourage fly fishing in eastern Idaho.
Long described the whole South Fork, from the Palisades Dam to Henry’s Fork, as a great location for fishing. In mid-April, the rainbow trout will start their spawning run up towards the dam, making it an incredible spot to fish.
World Cast Anglers describes the South Fork as “the top cutthroat stream in the West” and says it has the “reputation for the best dry fly fishing in the world.”
Rexburg is a prime location for fly fishers as it is near many famous rivers such as the Snake River, Teton River and Warm River. BYU-Idaho students can take advantage of these world-renowned waters and head out to the river on the weekends.
“It’s not about catching; it’s the solitude, focus and experience of being out on the water,” Long said. “Catching is always a part of fishing, but it’s not the primary part.”
Students at BYU-I wanting to take up fishing can visit local fly shops for information, join the Cutthroats Club Facebook page or look for opportunities on campus. BYU-I currently teaches a fly tying course (RM 224A) to help students tie their own flies and learn when and where to fish.
The Snake River Cutthroats will host their next event on April 14 over Zoom and give updates on the South Fork, Henry’s Fork and Henry’s Lake. The Zoom code is posted on their website for students who want to learn more about the art of fly fishing.
Credit: Source link
