ATHENS, Feb. 11, 2012--Tie a fly. Cast a fly. Catch a fish.
 
That’s all there is to fly-fishing, and Fly Fish Texas is the place to learn it. The annual event takes place March 10 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.
 
Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Fly Fish Texas activities are free with regular paid admission to the center.
 
 Fly Fish Texas emphasizes hands-on learning and immediate application of newly acquired skills. Visitors can collect aquatic insects from the center’s streams, tie a fly to imitate one of those insects under the supervision of a skilled tier, learn to cast it from a casting instructor certified by the Federation of Fly Fishers, then use it to catch a rainbow trout, catfish or sunfish from one of TFFC’s stocked ponds or streams.
 
Throughout the day, experienced fly-tiers will be demonstrating and teaching fly-tying in the Anglers Pavilion on a one-on-one basis. In addition, group instruction in beginning fly-tying will be offered in the Hart-Morris Conservation Center. Both are offered on a walk-up basis.
 
Beginning casting instruction will take place all day in the Conservation Center parking lot, again on a walk-up basis. Other, scheduled sessions will teach single-hand and Spey rod casting.
 
Vendors will be displaying and selling fly-fishing gear, and seminars will brief visitors on where and how to fly-fish in Texas fresh and salt waters for a variety of species. The program will include presentations on fly-fishing locations such as the Llano River, Lakes Fork and Lewisville, the Texas Hill Country and tailwaters below dams. A session will also be offered on fly-fishing New Mexico.
 
While most activities at Fly Fish Texas are offered on a walk-up basis, others are scheduled. For a complete schedule of activities and seminars plus a video of the event, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc and click on the Fly Fish Texas link.
 
Food service will be available onsite, or attendees may bring a picnic.
 
Several sessions will be aimed at youths or those working with youths. Keith Miller of Waco, who has been catching a fish a day since April 1, 2011, will speak on his quest and also fish with participants. Steve Hall of Austin will speak on the national fly-fishing in schools program. Brad Newman of the Federation of Student Anglers will share insights into how to set up a school-based fishing club.
 
Event sponsors include Sabine River Authority, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites—Athens,  Dallas Fly Fishers, Temple Fork Outfitters, Red Hat Rentals, Best Western Royal Mountain Inn—Athens,  Friends of TFFC, Cripple Creek BBQ, Wulf Outdoor Sports, Cabela’s, First State Bank, Super 8—Athens and Orvis—Dallas.
 
Dallas Fly Fishers Basic Certification Classes
 
The Dallas Fly Fishers will teach morning and afternoon classes for beginning fly-fishers; pre-registration is required and is available by calling Craig Brooks at 903-670-2222. These classes are the only ones for which pre-registration is required, since class size is limited. There is no fee for these classes.
 
Instruction will lead to basic fly-fisher certification and will focus on fly-tying, learning about fly-fishing equipment, performing the basic four-part cast, sampling aquatic insects to see what fish eat, discussing freshwater ecology, tying useful fishing knots and learning about safety and ethics issues associated with fly-fishing.