2026 Hungry Trout Fly Shop - Fly Tying Tour ALBANY

Hungry Trout Fly Tying Tour 2026: Overview and Contest Rules

Welcome to the 2026 Hungry Trout Fly Tying Tour! This exciting event brings together our fly shop team and guides, and the local fly fishing community to to get pumped for the upcoming fishing season. The tour pops up at breweries across the Northeast to hang out ,introduce new anglers to the sport, hone fly tying skills, and build excitement for another great year of fishing.

Come and hang for free -OR- register to join our FTT One- Fly comp and enter to win a grand prize at the Ausable River Two Fly Tournament and claim the 2nd ever FTT tour Champion. See below for How it works! Whether you’re a seasoned fly tier or just starting out, there’s something for everyone on this tour. Join us for a fun and (barely) competitive experience, and get pumped for this season!

STOP 1: March 31st - Stay Tuned!

STOP 2: May 15th - Ausable River Two Fly Tournament, Hungry Trout Restaurant -

• What: The Hungry Trout Fly Tying Tour
• When: Tuesday, March 31st 2026
• Who: Open to the public—bring your own vice or use one of ours! Join the awesome One Fly Tie Off and have a blast!
• Why: Kick off the 2026 fly fishing season, showcase and witness skilled fly tyers, have fun, enjoy the breweries - compete for prizes and the ultimate title of Fly Tying Champion!

At each stop, a specific fly pattern will be chosen. Participants will be provided with six fully decked-out fly tying stations from Regal Vise and Loon Outdoors, complete with all the tools and materials needed to tie the fly. Here’s how the contest unfolds:

1. Fly Pattern Announcement:Each brewery will feature a unique fly pattern to tie. Each Patterns will be revealed at the start of the event. Materials will be provided to each registrant.
2. Tying Time: All Participants will have Equal Time to tie their fly using the provided tools and materials.
3. Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged on the following.Creativity: Unique and innovative touches. Technical Savviness: Demonstration of skill and technique. Proportion: Correct dimensions and balance of the fly. Use of Materials: Effective and efficient use of the provided materials. Winner Selection: A winner will be declared at each stop, receiving recognition, local praise and some shwag!
4. Grand Champion:At the final stop, coinciding with the NEW Ausable River Two Fly Tournament, a winner will be chosen and Fly Tying Tour Champion will receive a GRAND PRIZE for best fly of the season. The tour champion will be crowned based on their flies overall performance and crowd fanfare across the tour.

• What to Bring:You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own vice and tools. You may tie whatever you like and come hang. If you DO partake in the contest, your tool assortment must match that of the organizers.
• Who Can Participate: Open to all skill levels. Whether you’re tying your first fly or your thousandth, this event is for you.
• How to Sign Up: To enter the running you can sign up for the add-on Tying comp. Some, but limited, on-site entries available.

STOP 1: March 31st Common Roots Albanty - Stay Tuned

STOP 2: May 15th - Ausable River Two Fly Tournament, Hungry Trout Restaurant - Final Stop !

Don’t miss this chance to connect with the fly fishing community, share in the excitement of the upcoming season, and compete for the 2nd annual coveted title of Fly Tying Tour Champ. Whether you’re here to tie, learn, or simply enjoy the camaraderie, its going to be a great hang.

Info: This is a simple fly tying competition designed to showcase the different possibilities and processes one can tie with a given set of materials. Each tyer will receive an identical set of tying materials and tying tools. All participants tie whatever fly they can come up with with given materials. There is no time limit. When the last tyer is through, the flies will be lined up and a winner declared by the host. Creativity, use of materials, does it fish? Will be taken into consideration. Winner gets prize and entered into the running for Tour Champ!

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Hungry Trout Fly Shop