” Program Season” acts as the bridge in between the reflective silence of winter season connecting benches and the anticipation of spring hatches. This year, the circuit prepares to open its doors sustained by a market that saw record-breaking presence in 2025. The celebrations start with the Marlborough, Massachusetts, reveal ranging from January 16– 18, 2026, followed carefully by the flagship occasion in Edison, New Jersey, from January 23– 25, 2026.
The Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough will function as the launchpad for the 2026 season. As the very first occasion on the calendar, it sets the tone for the market, providing anglers their very first take a look at the latest rods, reels, waders, and technical garments launched for the brand-new year. Simply days later on, the caravan relocates to the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison.
Organizers are predicting heavy foot traffic, approximating over 500 customers per hour throughout peak times throughout the season’s places. This rise in presence shows a growing interest in the sport and the important function these expositions play in the neighborhood. For numerous, these programs are not simply retail chances; they are yearly reunions with fishing pals and possibilities to shake hands with the legends of the sport.
The 2026 circuit boasts an outstanding lineup of academic figures. Going back to the casting ponds and workshop spaces are titans of the market like Gary Borger, whose insights into fly style and discussion have actually formed generations of anglers. Joining him are George Daniel, renowned for his vibrant nymphing methods and academic expertise, and Landon Mayer, the master of sight-fishing for prize trout.
Beyond the workshops, the culture of the sport takes spotlight on Friday nights with the screening of the 2026 International Fly Fishing Movie Celebration (IF4). These screenings have actually ended up being a cherished custom, providing a high-energy collection of brief movies that carry audiences from the flats of the Seychelles to the covert creeks of the Rockies. It is the ideal method to top off a day of equipment screening and direction.
Participants this year will have a more direct voice in the market through the ‘Customer Option Awards.’ Ballot opens on January 16– accompanying the Marlborough opener– and goes through March 16. This effort enables daily anglers to promote their preferred equipment, lodges, and devices, supplying important feedback to producers.
The 2026 programs are leaning into their double identity as both customer expositions and service centers with the intro of the Market Theater. This brand-new venue-within-a-venue is developed for business-focused discussions, dealing with the guides, store owners, and brand name associates who keep the fly fishing economy turning. It highlights the program’s development into an extensive trade occasion that serves the expert environment as much as the leisure lover.
Nevertheless, the 2026 season is not without its obstacles. In an unexpected turn of occasions, the Atlanta show has been removed from the schedule. The occasion was slated to be a foundation for Southern anglers, however organizers were required to cancel after the Gas South Convention Center withdrawed their agreement.
The cancellation highlights the special logistical obstacles of hosting a leading fly fishing exposition. These occasions need particular facilities– most especially, the capability to host big indoor casting ponds. When the location took out, organizers were not able to protect an ideal replacement center in the area that might accommodate the essential casting lanes and display area in time for the 2026 season. This leaves a space in the schedule for the Southeast, though hopes stay high for a return in future years.
With the Marlborough doors opening in simply a couple of days, now is the time to settle strategies. Whether you are wanting to repair a trailing loop at a casting presentation, stock up on reduced hackle, or just take in the cumulative optimism of countless fellow anglers, the 2026 Fly Fishing Program is the location to be.
