The Gulf Coast Council (GCC) of Fly Fishers International (FFI) is proud to present our 3rd annual Gulf Coast Classic fly fishing festival, to be held Friday-Saturday, May 2-3, 2025, at the Learning Campus of Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
This unique facility offers state-of-the-art theatre area, several meeting rooms, outside facilities, and much more. The adjacent state park offers miles of hiking trails, bike paths, a large brackish lake with both freshwater and inshore species, bike and kayak rentals, and white sand beaches. Gulf Shores offers something for all!
Among the activities:
- Seminars on fishing locations, tactics, and species
- Exhibitors and vendors
- Fly tying demonstrations
- Conservation programs
- Keynote speaker presentation
- Beginner fly casting instruction (free with admission)
- Beginner fly tying instruction (free with admission)
- Fly tying workshops (registration required, cost $20-$50)
- Casting workshops (registration required, cost $0-$20)
- Fishing Tournament (free with admission, kicks off Thursday a.m.)
- Film Festival (ticket purchase required, limited seating)
- Raffles & silent auction, offering many one-of-a-kind items
This event will be focused on activities and education in the form of fly tying, casting, various methods for catching species on the fly, fly fishing destinations, and conservation. Many of the region’s top fly tyers will be on hand demonstrating their favorite patterns. We’ll have a large raffle and silent auction with many unique items. Along with a fly fishing film festival, and other cool happenings.
We’ll once again have our Mixed Bag Challenge – a fishing contest where size doesn’t matter, but diversity does. After all, Gulf State Park is a very unique location for fly fishing enthusiasts, with 600-acre Lake Shelby within the park offering a wide variety of both fresh and brackish species. The clear Gulf waters along the park’s beach are home to pompano, spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, and numerous other marine species. There is no entry fee… it’s free with admission to the Classic.
In addition to fishing, the park also offers numerous other activities for the entire family. The 6,000-acre park has three-and-a-half miles of beach for swimming, collecting shells, or sunbathing.
The backcountry trail has 28 miles of paved trail to hike or bike. Visitors can explore using the bike share program, which is free for the first 3 hours. With over 50 bikes available. Or bring your own. There’s kayaking on Lake Shelby, the closest freshwater lake to the Gulf of Mexico. Kayaks can be rented at the Rental Center. Then there’s also the park’s Interpretive Center.
A short 38 minute drive from the park is Pensacola with many more things to see and do. One that should be on everyone’s list is the Naval Air Museum.
Of course, back at the Learning Center, fly anglers will find no shortage of activities taking place. Here, the Gulf Coast Council will have a wide variety of seminars, instruction, tying demonstrations, and more across the campus. There’s an on-site restaurant with a special seating area for Classic attendees.
On Saturday evening, we’ll hold our film festival. A collection of short films featuring a variety of locations, species, and topics. It’s been a major hit at our previous Classics. In addition to the numerous door prizes, our showing ONLY will have special guests, and a chance at a very special attendance prize!
For volunteers, presenters, fly tyers, vendors and exhibitors, the Gulf Coast Council has procured the on-campus dormitories for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. This extraordinary facility comes complete with linens, wi-fi, and more.
Registration for these beds will begin March 1st for those who have accepted our invitation as a volunteer, presenter, fly tyer, etc. Cost will be $50 per night, a bargain compared to hotel rates in the area. On April 1st, any open beds will be extended to any attendees who have registered for the event (first-come, first-serve).
Great opportunities exist for Gulf Coast Classic Sponsors and Donors, Demonstration Fly Tyers, and Volunteers. We hope you will participate through one or more of these opportunities.
** NOTE: smoking is not allowed anywhere in the state park, either indoors or outdoors. We can suggest walking-distance places to smoke if the need arises **
