SVATU and Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop co-host an annual Fly Tying Expo that features expert tyers from Northern Colorado and throughout the state. This Expo offers the opportunity for one-on-one interaction with the tyers where attendees can chat and learn their patterns, tips, and pointers. With more than 30 tyers demonstrating an astounding variety of flies, attending the Expo is a crash course in upping your tying skills.

The Fly Tying Expo is a fundraiser to support the Chapter’s work and outreach. Flies tied at the event are donated by the tyers for bucket draws. The event also features a silent auction including trips and fishing related items. Fundraising proceeds go to:

• Youth programming that introduces kids to fly fishing and healthy watersheds; 

• St. Vrain Creek habitat improvement and restoration; and

• Educating our community on the value of healthy streams and trout habitat.

I’m honored to be a fly tyer for the International Sportsman’s Expo in 2026!

I’ll be there several days so you’ll have several opportunities to come by and watch me tie some of my most successful CDC patterns for Colorado.

I’ll be demonstrating the use of CDC feathers in tying patterns that have performed well for me on the Colorado waters I fish like the South Platte, Eagle and Arkansas rivers.

The presentation provides an overview of CDC feathers, highlighting their natural buoyancy and lifelike motion which makes them ideal for productive flies. It compares CDC to other materials, then details Colorado's key insect groups and matching CDC fly patterns. The content includes step-by-step tying demos with CDC-specific techniques, and fishing tips emphasizing natural presentation and seasonal adjustments. Practical advice on CDC handling is given, closing with resources and encouragement for experimentation. All this is aimed at helping anglers tie realistic and effective flies for Colorado waters.

About the show:

Welcome to the 2026 Expo! See what's new with LATEST and GREATEST below!

Of course, the expo spotlights gear galore! See new products for the first time--including double the RVs and campers we had last time, plus--new this year--fishing, hunting and pontoon boats! Also new for 2026 is the Eagle Claw Tackle Store, filled with unbeatable prices!

No event in the region comes even close to providing visitors the opportunity to plan their nearby or bucket-list trips. Meet guides and lodges from Colorado, the West, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. Plus two dozen groups specializing in African hunts and photo safaris. Truly, an unprecedended opportunity to choose your adventure!

And if you are new to Colorado or are looking for hard-to-find answers, you'll find the best and latest information at the Outdoors Pavilion, hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Talk with your state's outdoor experts! Returning Pavilion favorites for youth include the free catch-and-release trout pond, live birds from the Raptor Education Foundation, and Stay the Trail's RC off-road test track.

We'll also celebrate youth and families in the outdoors on Sunday at The Adventure Theater. Join host Terry Wickstrom for Family Day seminars and prizes, thanks to Eagle Claw, Ruger, Nathan Zelinsky and Terry Wickstrom Outdoors radio.

Tying Productive Patterns for Colorado Using CDC

Front Range Anglers Winter Fly Tying Seminars

Join me on December 13th from 10-noon for a presentation and fly tying demonstration at Antonio Rodrigues’ fly shop, Front Range Anglers in Boulder, CO. I’ll be presenting on the use of CDC feathers in tying patterns that have performed well for me on the Colorado waters I fish like the South Platte, Eagle and Arkansas rivers.

The presentation provides an overview of CDC feathers, highlighting their natural buoyancy and lifelike motion which makes them ideal for productive flies. It compares CDC to other materials, then details Colorado's key insect groups and matching CDC fly patterns. The content includes step-by-step tying demos with CDC-specific techniques, and fishing tips emphasizing natural presentation and seasonal adjustments. Practical advice on CDC handling is given, closing with resources and encouragement for experimentation. All this is aimed at helping anglers tie realistic and effective flies for Colorado waters.

Join me at the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Parker, CO for another stop on the fly tying demo circuit! I’m accompanied by some amazing fly tiers and we’ll be there from 10AM to 3PM. Drop by and say ‘Hi!’

Join me and a veritable who’s who of the Colorado Fly Tying community at the Orvis Park Meadows store on Saturday, October 18th, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

This year’s event promises to be the biggest yet, featuring 35 world-class fly tyers, including industry legends like Pat Dorsey, Rim Chung, Phil Iwane, Richard Pilatzke, Jon Easdon, Daryl Eakins, and many more (like me, Mike Myers!).

But here’s what makes this event truly historic:

We are honored to host Rim Chung’s final public fly-tying appearance.

Yes—the creator of the iconic RS2 fly will join us for one last demonstration and a special tribute to his extraordinary contributions to Colorado fly fishing. From 12:00 to 1:00 PM, Rim will tie the RS2 one final time, sharing stories and insights from over five decades in the sport.

This is an unmissable moment for the angling community—and a rare opportunity for your team to capture a living legend in action.

In addition to the fly tying lineup:

• Enjoy and vote in our crowd-favorite Chili Cook-Off

• Enter to win raffle prizes from top fly tying brands

• Support conservation efforts through Trout Unlimited Cutthroat Chapter (all proceeds benefit the Gill Trail restoration project)

The Fly Tying Fanatics Fest is more than an event—it’s a celebration of passion, craft, and community. I hope you’ll drop by and say hello!

Use the QR code below to sign up to attend (helps in providing food and drinks, so please sign up).