2025 Schedule

January 31- February 1, 2025

All events take place in the Main Exhibit Hall at Expo Idaho

5610 N Glenwood St, Garden City, Idaho 83714

Friday, Jan 31:  11:00 AM - 7:00 PM | Saturday, February 1:  9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Entrance Cash Only - $15/adult, $10/Student, Under 12 Free

Ada County ordinance prohibits all dogs and comfort animals, except properly identified service animals on Expo Idaho premises.

2025 Schedule

Friday, January 31st

Western Town:   Salmon Room Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM Stephen Pfeiffer After Lower Snake River Dam Removal: Envisioning What a Restored River and Recovering Salmon Runs Will Mean to Idaho. This presentation outlines why Lower Snake River dam removal is becoming increasingly likely, and what a restored Lower Snake will mean for salmon runs and the ecosystems and people that depend on them. Our not so distant past, prior to the four dams, tells us that Idaho's world-class river habitat is still capable of supporting healthy and harvestable salmon runs now. As we modify our energy generation and infrastructure in the face of climate change, Lower Snake dam removal offers a rare win-win where we place healthy salmon runs alongside resilient communities and a reliable, clean electrical grid as benefits to the region.
Friday - 01:30 PM Austin Orr So You’ve Booked a Big Trip - suggestions from a casting instructor on how to meaningfully prepare Booking a big trip is thrilling… and also a commitment of time and money. How do we arrive on location ready to give our best effort from Day 1? Plenty of discussion as well as drills and training suggestions in this one.
Friday - 03:30 PM Nate Brumley Dry Fly Essentials Explore the intricacies of reading fishing water for large trout, specific delivery techniques, and essential dry flies for all fishing seasons of the year. This presentation takes you inside river structure and pinpoints the “hot zones” where you should keep your dry fly. It also illustrates how to make precise deliveries. Owning great flies is essential, but knowing how to deliver them is equally important!
Friday - 05:30 PM George Daniel Devil Fishes Mono: Mono Rigs for Streamers, nymphs, and Dry Fly Breakdown of George’s favorite mono rigs for dry fly, streamer, and nymph tactics.
Western Town:  Trout Room Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM Bob Wagner Lake Superior Steelhead on Minnesota's North Shore Yes, Minnesota has Steelhead! Important tips and suggestions on when, where, including flies and how to be successful fly fishing any one of twenty plus rivers that flow into Lake Superior along 130 mile stretch of Minnesota's north shore . Lake Superior is the world's largest lake by area, 31,700 square miles. Largest, coldest and deepest of all the Great Lakes and I believe the most wild and beautiful that compliments this spectacular fish, the Steelhead.
Friday - 01:30 PM Daniel Ritz How To Spey Your Trout (and Char) The editor of Swing The Fly magazine shares how to spey cast and swing flies for Idaho’s trout and char. Learn how to use two hands to match the hatch or play with the cats. Covers equipment, flies, and species-specific techniques.
Friday - 03:30 PM Chris Gerono Steelhead Fishing- There behavior and fishing techniques to catch them. In this presentation Chris Gerono owner of Boise River Guides will talk about Steelhead behavior and the various techniques to catch them.
Friday - 05:30 PM Tim Parrish The Dogs Days of summer on CJ Strike Tim will be covering the tactics and techniques for fishing CJ Strike during those 100 plus degree days. If you like throwing big flies for big fish you won’t want to miss it.
Central Hall:  Golden Trout Theater Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM Dave Reisch Salmon River Middle Fork Salmon River: Idaho's Finest Gem
Friday - 01:30 PM Kirk Handley What We Have learned Monitoring Trout Populations the Lower Owyhee River The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife has been monitoring population trends on the Lower Owyhee River since Brown Trout were introduced in the early 1990’s. This population of Brown Trout offers some great angling opportunities for quality Brown Trout and has some of the highest trout densities found in Oregon. This fishery is very popular with residents from the Treasure Valley and has attracted anglers from around the region. We are working to understand what is limiting fish densities in the lower portion of this fishery and how we can maintain and improve the angling experience on the Lower Owyhee River.
Friday - 03:30 PM R. Chad Chorney Fishing Around the Wood River Valley Explore the diverse fishing opportunities of Idaho's Wood River Valley, from world-famous dryfly-fishing on Silver Creek to drift-boating the wild and scenic Salmon River.
Friday - 05:30 PM Shane Brownell Fly Fishing the Duck Valley Reservation This presentation will discuss the in and outs of fly fishing the Duck Valley Reservation. Locations, Lodging Hatches, Seasons and access points will all be covered.
Central Hall:  Education Theater Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM Eric Moncada Rods, Reels, Fly Lines, Leaders and Tippet The basics of rods, reels, lines, leaders and tippet, putting it all together.
Friday - 01:30 PM 5B Anglers Fishing Knots Practical Fishing Knots; hands on, learning when to use them and how to tie them. Spend time with us, practicing and perfecting some essential fly fishing knots: improved clinch, triple surgeons, blood knot, nail knot and nonslip mono knot (loop knot). No experience required!
Friday - 03:30 PM Troy Pearse Entomology (and imitative flies) Entomology (about the bugs and organisms fish eat) and flies that imitate the bugs or organisms. Come see and learn about what bugs which are in our local rivers! When they hatch, and what flies to use.
Friday - 05:30 PM Tom Governale How to Fly Fish Finding Fish, hooking fish, fighting, landing and releasing fish (Best Practices), and streamside/pondside etiquette.
Side Wall - Casting Pond Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM Chuck Iossi Casting Lesson with Chuck Iossi Signup for a 10 to 15 minute one-on-one casting lesson with a Certified Casting Instructor, available for casters of all skill levels on a first come first serve basis.
Friday - 01:30 PM to 03:00 PM Michael Elsden Casting Lesson with Michael Elsden Signup for a 10 to 15 minute one-on-one casting lesson with a Certified Casting Instructor, available for casters of all skill levels on a first come first serve basis.
Friday - 04:00 PM Michael Elsden Improving your Roll Cast The Roll Cast is an essential tool in the fly casting arsenal, yet it often is more frustrating that it is fun. Through demonstration and introduction of casting exercises, this presentation will help unlock some of those techniques that provide greater efficiency resulting in more distance, accuracy and hopefully fun!
Friday - 05:30 PM Chris Gerono Roll Cast and Advanced Casting Techniques Learn how to cast in tight quarters and how to cast some non-traditional styles in difficult drift situations.
Middle - Casting Pond Presenter Title Description
Friday - 11:30 AM Steven Abbott Quit wasting time on the river & What about the Next Generation We have created a system that allows all experience levels to enjoy and participate in Fly Fishing. More often than not Fly Fishermen don't change bait simply due to the time and effort that goes into changing bait. For many of us with bad eyesight and waning dexterity the task of changing bait drives us from the thing we love and eventually we take up say bingo. And for the younger anglers they simply struggle with the physical difficulties and learning curve behind Fly Fishing. I will be demonstrating how the system works with traditional fly fishing equipment along with how it can be adapted for short fishing poles using a spinning reel.
Friday - 01:30 PM Justin Karnopp Single Handed Spey A tutorial on Spey casting techniques using the single-handed fly rod/line you already own.
Friday - 03:30 PM George Daniel Back to the Basics Designed for beginner, intermediate or even advanced fly casters wanting to polish up on fly casting fundamentals.
Friday - 05:00 PM Austin Orr The Saltwater Quick-cast - ready from the bow It’s no secret that serious saltwater anglers are fast and precise with their casting. We’ll discuss some of the ways I train anglers to bring their very best to the pointy end of the skiff.

Saturday, February 1st

Western Town:   Salmon Room Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM Rick Williams Managed Extinction: The decline and loss of wild salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest My presentation will describe the decline, loss, and potential imminent extinction of wild salmon and steelhead in Idaho unless immediate actions are taken to restore the Lower Snake River by removing the four Lower Snake River dams. These dam removals are simply the first and necessary step in moving salmon management and recovery actions away from a reliance on hatchery mitigation and refocusing them on wild fish, habitat restoration and reconnection.
Saturday - 11:30 AM Austin Orr Sight Casting Redfish - skills and tactics to help prepare for your trip. Redfish are an incredibly popular gamefish with fly anglers for good reason. They’re found in super shallow water, and they love to eat flies. This talk will help lay out what to expect and what to practice before you go.
Saturday - 01:30 PM Nate Brumley Dry Fly Approaches Introduces you to the art of “Approaches”, or how to set up to perfectly deliver a fly to a fish’s feeding position. There’s a reason why a small group of dry fly fishermen continue to catch a ton of fish. They’ve mastered the art of approaches and understand an alarmed fish cannot be hooked. This presentation is a lesson in stealth, a road map to being a master fish hunter, and an illustration of how to approach a fish in every feeding position. Join us on the river as we illustrate the skills to be a master “Trout Hunter”.
Saturday - 03:30 PM George Daniel Seductive Streamer Strategies George discusses rigging, casting, and presenting streamers. Floating lines, Sink Tips and Full Sinking Tactics discussed.
Western Town:  Trout Room Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM Matt Thornton Understanding Trout Fishing in Alaska Learn about the why, how’s and who’s of planning your trip to Alaska. Whether you are doing it yourself or planning on doing a guided trip, this educational talk can help you understand how to get you what you want out of your trip.
Saturday - 11:30 AM Bob Wagner Northern Pike on the Fly Pike (Esox) "the Water Wolf" an amazing Apex predator, physiologically superior fish that loves to eat flies. We will discuss its physiology, habitat, diet and niche, the why, where, when and how to catch more and bigger Pike. The Powerpoint includes other species that eat big Pike flies and suggestions on best flies.
Saturday - 01:30 PM Daniel Ritz Trout Spey On The Forks Of The Boise River Spey Your Trout! Finding year-round success on the swing in the mainstem, Middle Fork, and South Fork Boise River.
Saturday - 03:30 PM Kelly Palmer The Last Best Place in the Last Best Place: Kootenai Country Most of Montana has been "discovered" by the fly fishing community. The Kootenai River is an exception. A designated "Blue Ribbon Trout Stream," this exceptional fishery offers something most other rivers do not: the untrammeled experience. Come and learn more about this unique ecosystem where trout are abundant but fishermen are relatively few.
Central Hall:  Golden Trout Theater Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM John Wolter Fly Fishing 101 Interested in fly fishing but do not know where to start? Come learn from this local expert everything you will need to know to begin your hobby in the beautiful art for fly fishing!
Saturday - 11:30 AM Dave Reisch American Falls American Falls Idaho: Snake River Fish Factory
Saturday - 01:30 PM Scott Marchant Angling in Southwest and Central Idaho Join Boise-based hiking guidebook author, Scott Marchant, for a presentation and slideshow highlighting outstanding angling hikes from his five Idaho guidebooks. Scott will share fishing destinations in the Salmon River Mountains near McCall, the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains near Stanley, and the Pioneer, Smoky, and Boulder Mountains near Ketchum. He will also share a few angling spots in the Boise National Forest and a few trails from his upcoming new guidebook for the Seven Devils Mountains and Hells Canyon. Scott’s presentation this year will be completely new destinations from those he spoke about at the 2023 Expo. After the slideshow, you will know—where to go and how to get there.
Saturday - 03:30 PM Zachary Nemelka Float Trips in Alaska Pros and Cons of float trips. Species that you can target on a float trip in the Bristol Bay region. What your basic raft set up looks like in Alaska. Bear safety while in the bush of Alaska.
Central Hall:  Education Theater Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM Eric Moncada Rods, Reels, Fly Lines, Leaders and Tippet The basics of rods, reels, lines, leaders and tippet, putting it all together.
Saturday - 11:30 AM 5B Anglers Fishing Knots Practical Fishing Knots; hands on, learning when to use them and how to tie them. Spend time with us, practicing and perfecting some essential fly fishing knots: improved clinch, triple surgeons, blood knot, nail knot and nonslip mono knot (loop knot). No experience required!
Saturday - 01:30 PM Troy Pearse Entomology (and imitative flies) Entomology (about the bugs and organisms fish eat) and flies that imitate the bugs or organisms. Come see and learn about what bugs which are in our local rivers! When they hatch, and what flies to use.
Saturday - 03:30 PM Tom Governale How to Fly Fish Finding Fish, hooking fish, fighting, landing and releasing fish (Best Practices), and streamside/pondside etiquette.
Side Wall - Casting Pond Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM to 11:00 AM Michael Elsden Casting Lesson with Michael Elsden Signup for a 10 to 15 minute one-on-one casting lesson with a Certified Casting Instructor, available for casters of all skill levels on a first come first serve basis.
Saturday - 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM Chuck Iossi Casting Lesson with Chuck Iossi Signup for a 10 to 15 minute one-on-one casting lesson with a Certified Casting Instructor, available for casters of all skill levels on a first come first serve basis.
Saturday - 02:00 PM Michael Elsden Improving your Roll Cast The Roll Cast is an essential tool in the fly casting arsenal, yet it often is more frustrating that it is fun. Through demonstration and introduction of casting exercises, this presentation will help unlock some of those techniques that provide greater efficiency resulting in more distance, accuracy and hopefully fun!
Saturday - 03:30 PM Chris Gerono Roll Cast and Advanced Casting Techniques Learn how to cast in tight quarters and how to cast some non-traditional styles in difficult drift situations.
Middle - Casting Pond Presenter Title Description
Saturday - 09:30 AM Justin Karnopp Single Handed Spey A tutorial on Spey casting techniques using the single-handed fly rod/line you already own.
Saturday - 11:00 AM Chris Gerono The Mechanics of Casting a Single Handed Rod Overhead Shadow Casting….just kidding, the mechanics of the overhand cast. Learn the mechanics of the overhand cast so you can understand what you’re doing right and how to fix what you’re doing wrong.
Saturday - 12:30 PM George Daniel Casts that Catch Designed for the intermediate to advanced fly caster wanting to look at casts specific to dry fly, streamer, and dry fly tactics. Loop control, distance, casting under brush, along with other advanced concepts are discussed.
Saturday - 02:00 PM Austin Orr The Saltwater Quick-cast - ready from the bow It’s no secret that serious saltwater anglers are fast and precise with their casting. We’ll discuss some of the ways I train anglers to bring their very best to the pointy end of the skiff.
Saturday - 03:30 PM to 05:00 PM Idaho2Fly Idaho2Fly Fundraising Casting Competition Join the fun and test your fly casting skill level in this fund raiser event for the men's cancer group Idaho2Fly. Cost TBD with all proceeds going to Idaho2Fly.

NEW FREE Casting Sessions


Casting Lesson with Chuck Lossi or Michael Elsden

  • Available for casters of all skill levels on a first come first serve basis.

  • 10-15 minutes sessions

  • Small groups of 6 to 9 students

  • One-on-one casting lesson with a Certified Casting Instructor

All events take place in the Main Exhibit Hall at Expo Idaho

5610 N Glenwood St, Garden City, Idaho 83714

Ada County ordinance prohibits all dogs and comfort animals, except properly identified service animals on Expo Idaho premises.