CARLISLE — After spending the last five months honing their craft on streams and rivers, as well as in basements and dens, fly fishermen and fly tiers can test themselves against the best at the Carlisle Fairgrounds Sports and Outdoor Nationals Show on Friday-Sunday, Sept. 5-7.
Organized by the Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Pennsylvania Fly Casting Championship and Pennsylvania State Fly Tying Championship will be held Saturday, Sept. 6. This event is held with the support of the Chesapeake Council of the International Federation of Fly Fishers and the Antietam Fly Anglers.
“Our goal is to attract the ‘best of the best’ fly casters, and contestants will cast simulated flies from a casting box at 30-inch targets between 20-65 feet away,” Mike Klimkos of the Cumberland Valley Chapter said. “Contestants will then move to the distance range where they will attempt to place their flies within a narrow 10-foot wide lane as far as they can cast.
“Adult men and women are invited to compete in expert and intermediate categories; boys and girls may compete in the youth category. Plaques will be awarded to the top three competitors in each category.
“Fly tying contestants will compete in one of three divisions — youth, amateur and open — for trophies to the top three in each category. In addition, the winning contestant in the Open Division will receive a minimum cash prize of $100 from our chapter, and prizes for the youth and amateur divisions are being provided by Bass Pro Shops of Harrisburg.”
Preregistration is required for each division, and entrants are required to submit three flies along with their application to be pre-judged. The top five contestants in each category will be selected to attend the final event at the show. Entrants for the Open Division are also required to submit a $20 non-refundable fee mailed to CVTU Fly Tying Contest, Box 520, Carlisle, Pa. 17013.
The finalists will be required to tie three flies at the show, two of which they will know ahead of time and a third mystery fly. Contestants are required to provide their own tools and materials.
In addition to the hunting and fishing guides, outfitters and outdoors vendors returning for the second year of the Carlisle show, there will be seminars and hands-on events. Also, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association will hold its auction of outdoors-related merchandise and trips Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m., to raise funds for its grants to support educational outdoors events for youth and college scholarships.
Other attractions include celebrities from the Pursuit Channel show “World Went Dark Outdoors” program, a gun show by Eagle Arms Productions, big game scoring by Boone and Crockett Club, a display of exotic animals by Bwana Jim, calling competitions and a 3D fun shoot by the National Wild Turkey Federation, monster truck rides by Virginia Giant, knife and tomahawk throwing by the Pennsylvania Federation of Muzzleloaders, Pennsylvania Game Commission hunter-trapper education courses, Kids Casting Contest by Capital City Bassmasters and waterfowl calling by the Susquehanna Waterfowlers.
Among the highlights are seminars featuring dog training, antler shed retrievals, snake handling, a catch-and-release trout pond for kids, a vintage camper display, world champion Frisbee dogs with the Disc-Connected K9s, a swap meet for used and new gear and a corral for selling hobby-specific items like RVs, tractors, boats and ATVs. Both the Frisbee dogs and Bill Wheeler of the Keystone Reptile Club, who will present discussions on venomous and non-venomous snakes, including hands-on time for those who wish, are first-time attractions at the show.
“After year one, we have a better feel for what the event is all about and we hope those who missed out last year will find time to experience it this year in September,” event manager Scott Amig said. “Our planned activities, guests and hands-on options for everyone make this show one of the most interactive of its type anywhere, and it’s certainly the type of show that must be experienced firsthand to be fully appreciated.”
Information on the Carlisle Fairgrounds Sports and Outdoor Nationals Show is available by accessing the website at
www.CarlisleSportsOutdoor.com or calling (717) 243-7855.