The Heartland Fly Fishing Festival 2026
The 2026 season starts off with this great event.
Tight lines!
The Heartland Fly Fishing Festival 2026
The 2026 season starts off with this great event.
Tight lines!
Get the season started off right again in 2026.
The Heartland Fly Fishing Festival is a singular place to engage with great fly fishing guides, exhibitors, presenters, and fly fishing friends, try on and try out new gear for the upcoming season, enjoy demonstrations and seminars, study the techniques of acclaimed fly tyers, fly cast on an indoor casting pond, fly tying and fly casting for kids, and so much more.
These great fly fishers/speakers share their knowledge.
Kevin Feenstra
Owner, USCG Captain, Guide
Kevin Feenstra started Feenstra Guide Service LLC in 1997. He has spent countless hours on the Muskegon River, and still fishes the river system and surrounding waterways every chance he can. His passion is swinging flies for steelhead, but loves to fish for any predator fish that is willing to eat a fly. Year after year, Kevin guides the Muskegon River for hundreds of days and still loves it. He is a licensed USCG captain.
In addition to guiding, Kevin is an active writer and fly tier. His most recent project is a book, Matching Baitfish, which was published in November 2020. He has also published several fly fishing DVDS, including Searching for Steelhead, Striking Steel,and Big Appetite, Small mouth. Kevin has authored many magazine articles, and his flies are published in fly tying manuals and magazines. Kevin’s passion for outdoor photography captures the beauty and majesty of West Michigan both above and below the water.
Josh Miller
Josh Miller recently released his first book, a comprehensive volume titled, Euro Nymphing. Tips, Tactics and Techniques through Stackpole. He was a member of the Fly Fishing Team USA from 2016 through 2020, and as head coach of the USA Fly Fishing Youth Team as they won 2 consecutive team gold medals in the 2023 (Bosnia) and 2024 (Czechia) World YFF Championships. Miller is a full-time guide and traveling instructor and is a signature tier. He lives with his wife, Sarah, and son, Jonah, in western Pennsylvania. Josh is eager to share his experiences and knowledge gained while fishing with some of the world’s best anglers.
George Daniel
George Daniel is a member of Fly Fishing TEAMUSA, and a two time Fly Fishing U.S. National Champion. [2] He has competed in four World Fly Fishing Championships, sponsored by Fédération Internationale de Peche Sportive Mouche(International Sport Flyfishing Federation). In 2006, competing in a field of 110 in the world championships held in Portugal, he finished in fifth place, the second best result ever by a competitor from North America. He also competed in the 2007 world championships in Finland, the 2008 world championships in New Zealand and the 2009 world championships in Scotland. Daniels lectures across the country on fly fishing, and his favorite technique, "dynamic nymphing". His book on dynamic nymphing was published in 2011. George has written for multiple fly fishing publications. And through his teaching continues to inspire fly fishers young and old..
Jeff Liskay
Great Lakes Fly Fishing is owned and operated by Captain Jeff Liskay, one of the fishiest, respected and likable anglers around. Jeff is a busy guy. In addition to being a family man; he is a hard working guide, instructor and Ambassador. When he's not taking someone fishing, you can find Jeff all over the Great Lakes devoting his time promoting the region, supporting its fly shops and working with the local fishing community. Jeff is also a passionate advocate for fish handling and Great Lakes preservation.When not guiding he is always pushing the boundaries of fly fishing by leading the charge with thinking outside the box techniques and flies to match. Jeff will be presenting again in 2025 at the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival.
Son Tao
Son Tao is an Army veteran and award-winning fly tyer whose patterns have been published in books by Pat Dorsey and featured in Field & Stream magazine. He has also been a guest on the MeatEater podcast. With a background shaped by his military service and years of fly fishing across the globe, Son brings a unique perspective to the sport—blending discipline, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the connections forged on the water.
Joe Clark
Joe Clark is a great fly fishing guide for Trout Yeah roster and is the northeast coach for the United States youth fly fishing team. His background is in competitive fly fishing and specializes in modern and Euro Nymphing techniques for trout. He is a structured fly casting instructor and enjoys teaching the sport. He has an easygoing nature and admittedly is genuinely "living the dream” traveling from stream to stream in a camper van truly immersing himself in the sport and lifestyle of fly fishing. Joe will be on the casting pond doing casting demos and instructing.
Detailed Presentation schedule for show available January 2026.
Detailed 2026 schedule coming soon.
A very special event on Friday!
Get to know and tie along with the fly fishing Pros!
Register online (host payment processor) at Moving Waters Outfitters
https://www.mwoutfitters.com/heartland-fly-fishing-festival/
or in person at the shop.
$50.00 per session.
Register for any two sessions (Choose two $100.) and get one free admission ($15. savings) to the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival on Saturday 17th January. Class limited to 18-20 tyers. Materials provided. BYO vise and tools, light. Power will be provided.
Class schedule: (run concurrent)
Classroom A
Kevin Feenstra 12:30 pm-2:30 pm
Josh Miller 3:00-5:00 pm
Classroom B
Son Tao 12:30 pm-2:30 pm
George Daniel 3:00-5:00 pm
Flies range from smallmouth strategies, euro nymphing, Steelhead flies, targeting predator species and their favorites.
Engage with so many great fellow fly fishers.
Many of these (2025) speakers, guides, exhibitors, clubs, and pro tyers are returning in 2026.
Kevin Feenstra, FEENSTRA GUIDE SERVICE
George Daniel, LIVIN' THE DREAM
Son Tao, THE TAO OF FLIES
Jeff Liskay, GREAT LAKES FLY FISHING
MOVING WATER OUTFITTERS, Mike Exl
BAMBOO RESTORATION, Ron Scott and Ned Newhardt
Patrick Robinson, STEELHEAD ALLEY OUTFITTERS
Josh Miller, TROUT YEAH!
Glen Blackwood, GREAT LAKES FLY FISHING COMPANY
FAR BANK, Ben Hunting (Midwest)
ORVIS, Jason Sandlewick and Eric Helton
KNEE DEEP EXPEDITIONS, Josh Franklin
Joe Clark, TROUT YEAH!
WALTON RODS, Brad Smith
NuCanoe
ALTAR FLY FISHING, Steve Ebling
TWO FORKS GUIDE SERVICE, Kyle Schmedake
DRIFTWOOD ANGLERS, Rob Peddie
INDEPENDENT ANGLER, Larry Eastwick (Boundary Waters)
INDIANA FLY FISHING GUIDES, Jeff Conrad,
PROJECT HEALING WATERS FLY FISHING, (USA)
CENTRAL INDIANA TROUT UNLIMITED
INDIANAPOLIS FLY CASTERS
FLY FISHERS INTERNATIONAL
Mike Beachy, LITTLE ELKHART TROUT UNLIMITED
FRIENDS OF THE WHITE RIVER
CASTING FOR RECOVERY
KAYAK COFFEE
ANADROMOUS FLY COMPANY, Herb Theodore
INDIANA SMALLMOUTH ALLIANCE
FLY FISHING CLUBS and organizations from around the midwest.
SILENT AUCTION of float trips, fly fishing gear, art and swag.
PRO TYERS include Sgt. Bassfisher, Joe Jackson, Matt Zudweg, Jack Harford,
Amran Ahmad, Junior Burke and other midwest tyers.
Interact with these Pro Tyers
Schedule for the tyers corner in 2026
GUEST FLY TYERS SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY JAN. 17, 2026 COMING SOON
INTERACT WITH THESE GREAT TYERS AT THEIR TABLES AND IN THE TYERS CORNER THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Watch this space for Tyers schedule as we get closer.
Join us in 2026.
Heartland Fly Fishing Festival Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds Lebanon, IN Witham Pavilion
Conveniently located just 15 minute north of Indianapolis off I-65
Ample parking and it's free.
Hours: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm
Admission: $15.00. Under 12 admitted free.
Military and retired military, no charge.
Hosted by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
Indianapolis Program
Service animals only.
January 172026
