ATHENS – Fly Fish Texas is back for the 17th year with a jam-packed day of activities, classes, demonstrations and vendors 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 11 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. And it’s all free with the cost of admission to the TFFC.

Fly Fish Texas 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 Llano River 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 1,000 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 casting pond, which features a dedicated fly-fishing pavilion.

“At Fly Fish Texas, everybody has the chance to catch their first trout on a fly rod,” said Walter McClendon, Fly Fish Texas co-coordinator. “The fish in the ponds are hungry and there are plenty in there. Giving people an opportunity to land their first catch is a really important part of the event.”

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, waterfowl, alligators and amphibians in recreated habitats.

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

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.

Fly Fish Texas is sponsored by the Dallas Fly Fishers, Temple Fork Outfitters, Orvis – Dallas, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites – Athens, Friends of TFFC, Danny’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, First State Bank and Red Hat Rentals.