COVID-19 Crisis Shutters 2020 IFTD Show in Denver

After a highly successful event last fall that drew record-sized crowds to Denver, the ongoing coronavirus crisis has forced American Fly Fishing Trade Association officials to postpone the 2020 version of the International Fly Tackle Dealer show scheduled for later this year.

April 08, 2020 By Lynn Burkhead

While the news wasn’t entirely unexpected, this week’s early cancellation of the 2020 International Fly Tackle Dealer show in Denver later this year still sent shock waves through an industry struggling to deal with the unprecedented shutdown and economic woes being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously scheduled to take place in Denver this fall from Oct. 7-9, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association announced the official postponement of the 2020 show on Wednesday, April 7, 2020 in the form of a letter sent to industry members by AFFTA president and CEO Ben Bulis.

After a record setting run in 2019 that saw more than 2,000+ industry professionals gather in Denver for the largest IFTD show in history, Bulis’ letter on Wednesday struck a somber note.

“Yesterday the AFFTA Board of Directors voted unanimously to postpone this year’s IFTD show,” said Bulis in his letter to the “industry family.”

“Comprised of guides, outfitters, manufacturers and retailers, the Board reflects a cross-section of the industry and are all experiencing a tremendous financial loss, just like all of you. In light of the completely unpredictable path of the COVID-19 virus and length of our industry’s—and nation’s—social and economic recovery, we have elected to take decisive action, protect our people and their businesses and continue to find ways to weather these times together.

“Make no mistake, this was an exceedingly difficult decision for the AFFTA Board. We are in completely uncharted waters, but we promise to be as diligent and responsive as possible in leading our industry through these tough times.”

According to Bulis’ letter, several factors played into the early cancellation of the 2020 IFTD show, including the safety of industry members, the unknown length of time that preventative measures will be in place, and the uncertain financial picture for the industry both now and in the future.

Bulis also noted that attendee expenditures for travel to the 2020 show also factored into the AFFTA’s early decision.

“With the economic loss you’re facing, we don’t want members to incur the cost of travel and lodging and time away from businesses to attend IFTD,” his letter noted.

The letter also indicated that the AFFTA is working on exhibitor deposits (already in hand for the 2020 show) as well as working with vendors, hotels, and the convention center in Denver. Other solutions being sought include developing resources useful for fly fishing businesses during the coronavirus outbreak, ways to keep communication lines open and current, and ideas to somehow bring the industry together by way of “alternative channels.”

As the AFFTA works on such issues and solutions, Bulis promised the fly fishing industry that it would hear from the organization in the coming days. He also noted that the organization has put together a website resource page with up-to-date information concerning federal, state, and local relief efforts for fly fishing guides and businesses.

“Things are changing on a daily basis,” noted Bulis, who asked for members of the fly fishing industry to stay safe, stay positive, and to take care of themselves and their families during this pandemic.

“We will share what we learn as soon as we have new information,” he added. “If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me directly. We ask for your patience as we work through this process. We understand that this is a difficult time and will do everything we can to take care of each and every one of you.”

In closing, Bulis added a note that nearly every member of the fly fishing industry can identify with during these uncertain times.

“I wish you well and hope to see each of you very soon on the river or enjoying a dinner together,” he said.

Few if any fly anglers will disagree with those sentiments as the world looks to defeat the coronavirus crisis, to get healthy, to get back to work, and when possible, to get back to some semblance of normal life.

Preferably with the sounds of rushing water and lapping waves in the background as the gentle whoosh of a fly line whispers overhead.

G. Loomis's “Feel Connected” Episode 2: "Rolled Up"

How-To/Techniques

G. Loomis's “Feel Connected” Episode 2: "Rolled Up"

Creating blanks with dialed technique-specific actions that perform under extreme load without failure doesn't just “happen.” Thousands of hours of R&D, materials planning, and precise manufacturing processes are wrapped into every rod that goes out G. Loomis's door. “Rolled Up”—the second episode in G. Loomis's “Feel Connected” video series—reveals each step of their blank-building process, from raw materials to inspection. Along the way, meet the individuals who handcraft these fishing tools daily in their Woodland, Washington manufacturing facility.

Gear

How to Tie Chicone's Magnum Mantis Fly

Gear

How to Tie Chicone's Magnum Mantis Fly

Saltwater flats fishing has come a long way in the past few decades, but one of the most peculiar things about that fact is that it seems the flies, for the most part, have remained straight outta the 70s. Check out this new take on an important flats prey item.

How-To/Techniques

Small Stream Hopper Fishing

How-To/Techniques

Small Stream Hopper Fishing

Aside from some of the big stonefly hatches, hopper season is often the most anticipated time on the Rocky Mountain angler's calendar. And while the big rivers offer some fantastic opportunities, fishing smaller streams and tributaries often provides faster fishing–sometimes with some surprisingly large trout. Check out our tantalizing tutorial on some of the most exciting fishing of the year.

How-To/Techniques

Fly Tier's Bench: How to Tie Egan's Poacher

How-To/Techniques

Fly Tier's Bench: How to Tie Egan's Poacher

Fly-fishing competition guys like Lance Egan and George Daniel figured out that you didn't always need to strip a streamer to draw a trout's attention. Sometimes a very slow, swinging and even hopping motion down deep was just what the fish were after. Egan has debuted his latest jig-hook streamer offering, and dubbed it the Poacher. It is not only a compelling fly to tie and fish, but the logic and thought process behind it are interesting as well.

Destinations/Species

The Tightest Line

Destinations/Species

The Tightest Line

A look back at Pandion Creative's film The Tightest Line that profiles several guides across the globe, after 10 years. Huge dry-fly browns, fly-eating sharks, Pacific Northwest steelhead, and a charming collective of thoughts and personalities on fly fishing.

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie Craven's Mr. Jones Dry Fly

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie Craven's Mr. Jones Dry Fly

The Mr. Jones, an adult cranefly pattern that skips, skates, and hops, has proved effective all summer long, especially during the hot afternoons and early mornings when these bugs are most active. I find myself often tying it on when things are slow just because it's so fun to fish, and more often than not, I end up smiling and laughing at the antics of aggressive fish making fools of themselves.

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie Craven's Mr. Jones Dry Fly

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie Craven's Mr. Jones Dry Fly

How-To/Techniques

How to Fight Trout Effectively and Get them in the Net Quickly

How-To/Techniques

How to Fight Trout Effectively and Get them in the Net Quickly

The battle between angler and trout is one of the most exciting and nerve-rattling experiences in fly fishing. In that intense moment it feels like time is standing still. The following tips will help calm your nerves, and allow you a chance to gain control. Whether you're fishing drys, nymphs, or streamers, battling a resident river trout or a lake monster, these techniques will tire the fish quickly, and successfully allow the trout a safe release to fight another day.

News

Patagonia Advocates for Dam Removal

News

Patagonia Advocates for Dam Removal

From Patagonia: “Each time we remove a dam, life comes rushing back in. For years, we've known that dams are lethal. Now we know they're methane factories. Today, the facts are impossible to ignore. Removing dams repairs our climate, restores lost landscapes, and unites communities. We now have a chance to return life to our rivers.”

Destinations/Species

Science in the Thorofare

Destinations/Species

Science in the Thorofare

Yellowstone National Park employees and Ph.D. students horse pack into the most remote location in the Lower 48 to research spawning-size Yellowstone cutthroats from Yellowstone Lake. The upper upper Yellowstone River drainage, also known as the Thorofare, has long been considered one of the world's greatest fly-fishing destinations.

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie the Picky Eater Perdigon

How-To/Techniques

How to Tie the Picky Eater Perdigon

Like it or not, competition angling is driving many of the advancements in our sport. And while I generally find Perdigons and their cousins to be pretty boring flies, Zach VanDeHey, a 39-year-old Oregonian, and his approach to his Picky Eater Perdigon gives me hope for the future. VanDeHey hatched the idea for his Picky Eater while feeling was that his conventional Perdigons were sinking too fast. Though the entire premise behind slender-bodied nymphs with big tungsten beads is to plummet through the water column to the bottom, these fish were feeding in the middle of the water column. VanDeHey got to work on the vise to design a fly that would sink more slowly and spawned the brilliant idea of not only downsizing the bead, but also adding a dubbing-loop CDC collar to function as a parachute and reduce the rate of descent. This flowing CDC collar adds tons of fluid motion to the fly, and creates enough drag and lift to keep the fly drifting mid-column. Follow along as I twist up this super-fishy fly.

Fly Fishing the Plunge Pools of Yosemite Falls

Ross Purnell and a crew of climber-anglers make a once-in-a-lifetime trip to “middle Earth” to fish for an isolated population of native rainbow trout. The Middle Cascades of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park is a next-to-impossible section of water to access that few have ever even seen, much less fished. It requires a dangerous climb, followed by rappelling into a gorge, then swimming to the fish. It would require careful planning, even more careful navigation, and a little luck. Follow along on this adventure of all adventures to see what they find, and how they deal with the numerous challenges, both foreseen and unforeseen, in Descent.