We have several upcoming speaking events with our staff and would love to see you at these events!

January 11, 2025:   Joni Murray will be giving a presentation at the Red Cedar Fly Fishers. 

January 18, 2025:   We will have a booth at the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival in Lebanon, Indiana.     Kevin Feenstra will be giving a presentation on Smallmouth Bass fishing, Matt Zudweg is a featured tier at this event. 

January 21, 2025:    Kevin Feenstra will be giving a fly tying demonstration at Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

February 1:   Some of our guides will be fly tying at the Bobbin the Hood event at Schultz Outfitters. 

February 4:  Matt Zudweg will be giving a fly tying demonstration at Nomad Anglers.

February 6:   Kodie Kowitz will be giving a fly tying demonstration at Nomad Anglers. 

February 8:    Kevin will be on hand at the Three Rivers Fly Fishing show near Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

February 20:   Drew Rosema will be demonstrating at Nomad Anglers. 

February 20:   Kevin will be giving a presentation at the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders. 

March 1:   Kevin will be presenting at the North Coast Fly Fishers Expo, near Cleveland, Ohio.   

March 5:  Kevin will be demonstrating at the Northern Angler in Traverse City, Michigan. 

March 8-9:   We will have booth space and Kevin will be presenting at the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo.   Additionally, Matt Zudweg will be a featured tier at that event. 

March 12:   Kevin will be presenting at the Indianapolis Fly Casters. 

March 15:   Kevin will be presenting at the Charles Fellows TU Chapter. 

The post Winter 2025 Fly Fishing Events appeared first on FEENSTRA GUIDE SERVICE.

This was a very unusual fall, as they all seem to be lately.   Many of the steelhead were initially small, and the water was very low and extremely clear.     We also had a ton of leaves this fall and a lot of sunshine.   These were a lot of challenges with the fishing conditions.  

For quite a few years, I have been using perch colored flashabou on sunny and leafy days.     For whatever reason, the perch flashabou, which is a combination of red, yellow, and green flash, was a top producer in these tough conditions long after the leaves were gone.  

This Perch and Orange is a simple fly pattern that is great way to utilize perch flashabou.   I really like the hot orange kraken dubbing used on the front of the fly.    

Perch and Orange Pattern:   

Shank:  Short, 25-35mm of your choice.  This fly can also be tied on a size 1 Daiichi 2461 if you prefer a traditional hook

Tail:   Damsel colored marabou or dark olive rabbit strip

Tail Flash:   (Optional)  A strand of red saltwater flashabou

Body:   Green and yellow dubbing of your choice

Flash:  1/69 orange holosheen

Flash 2:   Perch flashabou or magnum perch holographic flashabou

Flash 3:  Optional aqua polar flash or other green flash

Eyes:  Bead chain or lead eyes, tied 1/3 of the way back from the eye

Head:   Hot Pink and Hot orange Kraken dubbing.   I also have tied this fly in larger sizes with Hot orange and Hot Pink Marabou and that has also been successful. 

Usually when I find a good color combination, that works on a particular year, I convert it to the various formats of flies that I like to use, to suit the conditions.    This includes spey flies, sculpins, and baitfish profiles.   

If you would like to see more fly patterns, please see our fly page.   Also, if you are in Michigan on February 3 and 4, check out the Bobbin the Hood event at Schultz Outfitters.   At this event, you will get to see many of the best fly tiers in the region.   

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January 9, 2023: Kevin Feenstra will give a fly fishing presentation at the Grand River Fly Tiers. This will be a program and a fly tying event. It will include a slide show section on winter and early spring fishing, as well as a fly tying portion.  

January 17: Kevin will be giving a program at the Duneland Fly Fishers in Valparaiso, Indiana

January 18: Kevin will give a fly fishing presentations at the St. Joe River Valley Fly Fishers, in Elkhart, Indiana 

January 19: Kevin will be speaking at Kalamazoo Valley Trout Unlimited.

January 21 and 22: We will have a booth at the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival in Lebanon, Indiana 

January 25: Kevin will be tying flies at the Northern Angler in Traverse City, MI.  

January 26: Drew Rosema gives a fly tying demonstration for Nomad AnglersAdded: 

February 4, 2023: Kevin, Drew, and Matt will have fly tying demonstrations with Schultz Outfitters at the Bobbin the Hood event. This should be a very fun one to attend!  

February 10, 2023: Kevin will be doing a couple of fly fishing presentations at the Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited

February 11, 2023: We will have a booth at the 3 Rivers Fly Fishing Show in Ft. Wayne, Indiana 

February 16, 2023: Kevin will be presenting for the 3 Rivers Fly Fishing Club at their monthly meeting.

February 23, 2023: Kevin Feenstra will be speaking for the Ohio Central Basin Steelheader’s club.

February 27, 2023: Kevin will be speaking for the Grand Rapids Audubon club. This will be a program focused on birds and wildlife.

March 4, 2023: Kevin is a featured fly tier at the North Coast Fly Fishers Expo in the Cleveland area. 

March 11 &12: Feenstra Guide Service will have a booth at the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo.

May 20, 2023: Kevin will be teaching a fly tying class at the Newaygo Public Library

We hope to see you at one or more of our events! 

For more info on any of our guides, click here.

The post Upcoming Fly Fishing Presentations: appeared first on FEENSTRA GUIDE SERVICE.

January 17-18:   Speaking and Booth space Heartland Fly Fishing Festival, Lebanon, Indiana

January 19:   Speaking Grand River Fly Tyers, Grand Rapids, MI

January 22:  Drew Rosema will be tying flies at Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   

February 3:   Fly Tying presentation at the Northern Angler in Traverse City,   Michigan. 

February 6:   Hacklers in Pentwater, Michigan

February 12:  Fly Tying event at Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids

February 15:   Booth Space at the Three Rivers Fly Fishers

February 20:   Speaking event at the Three Rivers Fly Fishing
March 14, 15:   Speaking and booth space at the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Warren, Michigan

March 16:  Speaking at Schrem’s Trout Unlimited

The post 2020 Speaking Events appeared first on FEENSTRA GUIDE SERVICE.

Many of you have come to know our guides, this is a chance to get to know them a little better.

Here is a list of events that Feenstra Guide Service participates in:

-January 13&14:  We will have a booth and be giving presentations at the West Michigan Fly Show.  Kevin Feenstra will be giving a presentation on the Muskegon River.  In addition, Matt Zudweg will have a fly tying booth demonstrating some of his  great patterns.

-January 16:  Kevin Feenstra will be speaking at the Duneland Fly Fishers

-January 17:  Kevin Feenstra will be speaking at the St. Joe River Valley Fly Fishers

-January 20&21:  Feenstra Guide Service will have booth space at the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Kevin Feenstra will be giving presentations at this show.

-January 24:  Drew Rosema will be tying at the Muskegon River Fly Shop

-January 27:  Matt Zudweg will be giving a fly tying demonstration at the Cabelas in Dundee from 10AM-2PM

-January 27:  Kevin Feenstra will be giving a fly tying class in at the Croton Township Library in Croton, Michigan.   Inquire at the Croton Public Library for information

-February 3:   Kevin Feenstra will be doing a fly tying demonstration at Nomad Anglers

-February 8:  Kevin Feenstra is speaking at the Vanguard TU chapter

February 10:  Matt Zudweg will give a fly tying class at Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids, Michigan

-February 10:  Feenstra Guide Service will have booth at the 3RFF Fly Show in Ft. Wayne, Indiana

-February 15:  Drew Rosema will be giving a demonstration at the Kalamazoo Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter

-February 17:  Drew Rosema will be giving a fly tying seminar at the St. Joe River Valley Fly Fishers

-February 17:  Kevin Feenstra will be giving a fly tying demo at the Dundee Cabelas

-February 19:  Kevin Feenstra will be giving a fly tying demo at the Northern Angler in Traverse City, Michigan

-February 21:  Matt Zudweg will give a fly tying class at the Muskegon River Fly Shop

-February 24:  Matt Zudweg and Kevin Feenstra will be tying flies at the Fly Tying Celebration in Grand Rapids, Michigan

-March 10&11:  Feenstra Guide Service will have booth space at the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo.  Kevin Feenstra will be presenting

-March 17:  Kevin Feenstra will be at the Muskegon River Fly Shop

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West Michigan Fly Fishing Show this weekend!

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Come See Matt tying some flies on February 16 at Schmohz Brewery.

On February 16, Matt Zudweg will be tying flies at the Schmohz Brewery at an event put on by Nomad Anglers.     The event  will go from 6-9PM, and Matt will be primarily be tying bass flies.    The Address for this event is Schmohz Brewery, 2600 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI  49546.

Matt is a great fly tier and is passionate about bass flies.   This would be a great event for beginners and experienced fly tiers alike.     Contact Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids at 616.805.4393 for more information.

Events of interest are as follows:

February 13–Kevin Feenstra will be tying flies at Cabelas in Grandville, Michigan from 10AM until 3PM.

February 16–Matt Zudweg at Schmohz in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

February 20, 21–We will have booth space at the Great American Fly Fishing Expo in Indianapolis.

February 27–We will be tying flies at the Fly Tying Celebration in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

We would love to see you at any of these events!

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I will be speaking at Three Rivers Fly Fishers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, tonight at 7PM.     The talk will be about the different types of baitfish that we have in this region and how to imitate them.   It will feature a variety of images and underwater clips of bait fish and flies.

The address for this event is:

Classic Cafe, Inc.
4832 Hilegas Road
Fort Wayne, IN 46818

Hope to see you there!

Kevin

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Join Drew Rosema as he ties flies at Schultz Outfitters tonight!

Drew Rosema will be tying flies at an event arranged by Schultz Outfitters tonight!    To RSVP, call 734.544.1761 or email them at team@schultzoutfitters.com.     Drew has an array of fish catching flies he will tie at this event.

The post Drew Rosema at Schultz Outfitters January 13! appeared first on FEENSTRA GUIDE SERVICE.