23rd Annual Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival

Includes wine tasting for those 21 and over with valid ID

New Friday Class: The hands-on, intermediate-to-advanced-level Complete NearNuff Fly-Tying School teaches students to expertly tie and fish Dave Whitlock’s incomparable NearNuff Sculpin and NearNuff Crayfish patterns. 

NearNuff Instructor Allen Rupp was a close friend of the late Dave Whitlock for many years. To ensure his legacy and keep his innovations alive, Dave passed his NearNuff skills to Allen over many years. Now Allen is prepared to pass the baton again to the next generation of experienced fly tyers.   

Students will learn how and why Dave Whitlock tied his NearNuff flies and what materials he used. They will delve into the realm of stream-bottom fish and crustaceans, focusing on the main species that these flies imitate: darters, mad toms, sculpins, stone cats, and crayfish. Insights into the characteristics and habitats of these food forms will help students understand when and where the NearNuff Sculpin and NearNuff Crayfish patterns can be most effectively fished. 

This limited-seating course, with space for only 12 students, will be held on FRIDAY, January 12, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, the day before the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival weekend, in a classroom at the Fairfield Inn & Suites (11625 Lakeridge Parkway, Ashland, VA 23005). Students may reserve hotel rooms at the special, reduced Virginia Fly & Wine rate if they are staying for the festival.

●        Meet and Greet

●        NearNuff Sculpin Tying Instruction

o   Allen Rupp fly-tying demo

o   Student fly-tying session with step-by-step assistance from Allen Rupp

o   Student independent fly-tying session

 ●        How, Why, and Where to Fish the NearNuff Series

●        Lunch Break

●        NearNuff Crayfish Tying Instruction

o   Allen Rupp fly-tying demo

o   Student fly-tying session with step-by-step assistance from Allen Rupp

o   Student independent fly-tying session

 Students will need to bring their own tying tools: vise, small file or emery board, bobbin, scissors, small flat nose pliers, bodkin, Velcro dubbing brush, and rotating hackle pliers. All other tying materials will be provided.

 Each NearNuff School student will receive:

●        One NearNuff Sculpin and one NearNuff Crayfish personally tied by Allen Rupp to take home as a reference.

●        A bottle of Zap-A-Gap to keep.

●        A one-year membership to Trout Unlimited (students who are already TU memberswill have their memberships extended for one year).

 These perks have a combined retail value of $75.

 NearNuff School students will also receive a $10-off coupon for $35 spent on fly-tying materials purchased from Precision Fly & Tackle at the 2024 Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival. (Please present your class registration letter upon checkout at the Precision booth.)

 Please note: Registration in the Complete Near Nuff Fly-Tying School does not include admission to the festival. 

Includes wine tasting for those 21 and over with valid ID

Includes wine tasting for those 21 and over with valid ID

Back by popular demand!   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)

Limited to 12. Class held: 2:00 -3:30 PM Sunday Only. Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.      

Beyond the Cast Women's Fly Fishing Symposium is suitable for both fresh and saltwater anglers and will feature numerous national and regional instructors and special guests throughout the weekend.

Your Symposium fee includes:
     * Friday evening Symposium Meet & Greet mixer
     * All Symposium events, courses, and materials
     * Virginia Fly & Wine entrance fee
     * A boxed lunch on Saturday for our "working lunch"
     * A one-year new membership subscription to Trout Unlimited


We hope to see you Beyond!

PLEASE NOTE:
(1) Because one of our primary goals is to develop a tight-knit community of outdoorswomen, seating for Beyond the Cast is limited to 35 female students, ages 16 and over.
(2) Please consider your participation carefully, because your ticket is nonrefundable.
(3) Finally, please print out your receipt and bring it with you to Beyond the Cast to smooth our check-in process. Thank you!

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.

Class held: 9:20 AM-11:50 PM Saturday & 11:00-12:25 PM Sunday.  Check for class location once on festival grounds. This class is held indoors.

This class does does not include admission.

Join author and nationally recognized fly fishing expert Tom Rosenbauer for this informative class. 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.

Please print out your receipt and bring it to the festival.

This class does does not include admission.

Class held: 3:00 PM-4:30 PM Saturday Only This class is held indoors.

Beginners Fly Tying Class! Tying your own flies is very rewarding—and lots of fun! The question is, Where do you start? What kind of vise do you need? What materials should you use? If you’re looking for answers to questions like these, look no further: We’ve got answers.

Jim Bensinger, Program Lead for Project Healing Waters at Marine Corps Base Quantico and Norvise National Fly Tying Pro-Staffer, will lead our 2024 beginner fly tying class. A demonstration tyer at events across the country, Bensinger has taught fly tying to many hundreds of students and excels at helping fly tyers develop competence at the vise.

This class covers all the basics, including thread selection, tools needed, setting up your vise, and other tying considerations and techniques. Tyers may bring their own vises and tools; however, class sponsor Norvise will provide vises and materials.

The class has limited seating; once purchased, no refunds will be offered. Please print out your receipt and bring it with you to the festival. This class does not include admission to the festival.

Only 12 spots are available. Class held: 9:30-10:50 AM Saturday.