January 6, 2003--The country’s major fly-fishing trade association has begun a broad-reaching recruitment program to attract more people to the sport. The “Discover Fly-Fishing” campaign launched by the 400-member American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) based in Kelso, Washington, will feature fly-fishing demos and free literature at 2003 consumer sports expositions across the country. Other aspects of the Discover Fly-Fishing program include a mentoring program and a web site devoted exclusively to fly-fishing beginners at www.discoverflyfishing.com.

The Discover Fly-Fishing program, which begins this month at the Greater Philadelphia Sport, Travel and Outdoor Show (Jan. 15-20) held at the Fort Washington Expo Center, will target the friends and families of the over 13 million fly angler participants across America, plus the estimated 34.1 freshwater and saltwater anglers as well as the 150 million Americans who participate in some form of human powered activity.

“The Discover Fly Fishing program’s main goal is to introduce fly-fishing to those who already have an interest and love for the outdoors and fishing, said Jim Bartschi, President of Scott Fly Rod Company and Marketing Committee Chair for AFFTA. “It’s a natural step for someone to give fly-fishing a try if they already have that basic understanding of getting outdoors and enjoying themselves,” added Bartschi.

AFFTA representatives will travel to consumer sports expositions throughout the year to distribute free materials, conduct casting demos, and provide referrals to schools, guides and fly-fishing clubs and organizations. In addition to the Greater Philadelphia show, the current Discover Fly Fishing schedule includes the following consumer shows:

• IntÂ’l SportsmenÂ’s Expo, Denver, CO, January 23-26
• IntÂ’l SportsmenÂ’s Expo, San Mateo, CA, January 29-February 2
• SportsmenÂ’s Show in Portland, OR, February 5-9
• Dodge Truck Fishing & Hunting Expo, Hartford, CT, February 14-17
• Bass Pro, Atlanta, GA, February 20-23
• Fred Hall Long Beach Show, Long Beach, California, March 5-9
• SportsmenÂ’s Show in Seattle, Washington, March 13-16
• Bass Pro, Springfield, MO, March 20-23
• Florida Sportsmen, Miami, FL, September 27-28
• Florida Sportsmen, Orlando, FL, October 18-19

Other 2003 Discover Fly Fishing activities will include: Discover Fly-Fishing events at AFFTA-member dealerships, a national print advertising campaign to create top-of-mind awareness for the sport and encourage current fly anglers to take a friend or loved one fishing and on-going distribution of the 48-page “Fly-Fishing Tactics” guide, an AFFTA publication that covers the sport from selecting rods and understanding leaders, to learning what fish eat and how to cast.

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association is based in Kelso, Washington and represents over 400 fly-fishing manufacturers, sales representatives, retailers, outfitters and specialty media. AFFTA exclusively endorses the industryÂ’s largest fly-fishing trade show, the FLY-FISHING RETAILER World Trade Expo, scheduled for September 4-6, 2003 in Denver, Colorado.

For more information on AFFTA, media should contact Lori Crabtree at Stanwood & Partners Public Relations at lcrabtree@wyoming.com or 307.733.11514. For information on becoming an AFFTA member please contact Rori Corward, AFFTA's Managing Director at info@affta.com or 360.636.0708.