ATHENS – The Fly Fish Texas Expo is back for the 18th year with a jam-packed day of activities, classes, demonstrations and vendors 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. And it’s all free with the cost of admission to the TFFC.

Fly Fish Texas Expo will feature more than a dozen classes and demonstrations geared toward everyone from the beginner fly-fisher to the experienced angler, all taught by professional guides, instructors and competitors. For those just getting started in the art of fly-fishing, classes include fly-fishing 101, all-day casting instruction, beginning fly-tying classes and caring for fly-fishing equipment.

For more experienced anglers, instructors will be teaching classes on how to fly-fish the Texas hill country and Lake Athens, how to cast for common carp, and how to do single and double hand spey casting.

Loaner equipment will be available for anglers to test their fly-fishing skills and cast for rainbow trout all day in several stocked ponds and streams at the TFFC. More than 2,000 rainbow trout will be stocked on-site for the event in Lake Zebco, the 1.2 acre fishing pond; in the ponds located along the 0.8 mile wetlands trail; and in the 1.5 acre fly fishing pond, which features a dedicated fly-fishing pavilion.

After learning to tie a fly, cast a fly, and catch a fish anglers can check out the rest of the fun and educational features the TFFC has to offer, including the daily dive show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., a tram tour of the hatchery, and over 300,000 gallons of indoor and outdoor aquariums displaying dozens of species of native fish and reptiles in recreated habitats.

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens is located about an hour drive from Tyler and Dallas and less than two hours from Fort Worth and Waco.

To sign-up for beginner’s classes with the Dallas Fly Fishers, and for maps, admission information, and a complete schedule of the day’s activities visit TFFC online. For updates, photos and instructor information, follow TFFC on Facebook and TPWD Fishing on Twitter.

Concessions will be available from Danny’s Smokehouse BBQ.

Fly Fish Texas Expo is sponsored by the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites – Athens, First State Bank – Athens, Friends of TFFC, and Red Hat Rentals.