Alabama State Parks celebrated the dedication of the new 32-room Lodge at Cheaha State Park on October 16. The $28 million facility features mass timber construction with Alabama-sourced southern yellow pine and offers panoramic views of Talladega National Forest. Reservations open in late November.
The International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference opened in Tampa with show director Mary Velline welcoming 1,000 industry members. NMMA president Frank Hugelmeyer delivered a state-of-the-industry update highlighting industry pressures and recent successes, including a White House executive order on recreational boating and fishing. Bill Yeargin received the NMMA Hall of Fame Award, and Mark Reedenauer was presented the Mel Barr Award.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources invites the public to free open house events on October 10 at the Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility in Kewaunee and Root River Steelhead Facility in Racine. Volunteers from Salmon Unlimited, Milwaukee Great Lakes Sport Fishermen, and Southeast Wisconsin Trout Unlimited will offer guided tours, fly casting clinics, and educational demonstrations about Lake Michigan's trout and salmon fishery.
The American Museum of Fly Fishing hosts its Open House Festival Weekend in Manchester, Vermont, on October 16-17, featuring the grand opening of "Foundations in Flow: The Four Pillars of Fly Fishing" exhibition. Saturday includes free admission, fly tying demonstrations, workshops with Steve Woit and Matt Smythe, and fishing opportunities on the Battenkill in partnership with Southwestern Vermont Trout Unlimited and the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance.
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) 2026 Global Online Auction is live through October 4, featuring fishing trips across 15+ countries, gear from YETI, Costa, Shimano, PENN, Hardy, and other partners, with all proceeds supporting IGFA's conservation and youth education initiatives.
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame annual 'Celebrate Bass Fishing Week' online auction ends Sept. 24. The auction benefits the Hall's mission to celebrate, promote, and preserve bass fishing through conservation, scholarships, and other initiatives. Notable items include custom crankbaits honoring 2026 inductee Mike Whitaker and fishing trips with Major League Fishing and B.A.S.S. competitors like Brandon Palaniuk and Skeet Reese.
Louisiana's National Hunting and Fishing Day will be held Sept. 26 at four locations across the state, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and sponsored by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. The free family event features shooting ranges, fishing ponds, boating activities, live animal demonstrations, and exhibits from Ducks Unlimited, Safari Club, and Coastal Conservation Association.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will host a free open house at the Governor Tommy G. Thompson Fish Hatchery in Spooner on September 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring guided tours, fish demonstrations, and family activities showcasing musky and walleye.
Idaho Fish and Game and partners host the free North Idaho Bear Fair on Sept. 26 at Boundary County Fairgrounds, featuring bear spray training with a remote-controlled grizzly, electric fencing demonstrations, and a community cider press to help residents prepare for fall bear season.
The 20th Annual Fly Fishing Film Tour, presented by AZ Fly Shop, comes to the Desert Botanical Garden on Sept. 20. Net proceeds from the AZ Fly Shop Charity Auction benefit Wildlife for Tomorrow, supporting Arizona Game and Fish Department hatchery improvements and conservation projects.
The BoatUS Foundation announced speakers for its 2026 Turning the Tide Summit (Dec. 6-9, New Orleans), featuring Noah Lirette, Paul Salach, Capt. Rob Butler, Vince Bowhers, Kelsey Bonham Bailey, Trey Sherard, Roy Brown, Brigitte Berry, and Rusty Batey discussing abandoned and derelict vessel removal and disposal solutions.
The Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers will hold their next meeting on September 23, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Sarasota Garden Club in Sarasota, Florida. The event will feature casting and fly-tying demonstrations, and guests are welcome to attend.
The American Sportfishing Association's 2026 Sportfishing Summit, October 20–23 in Point Clear, Alabama, features keynote speakers Chris Stirewalt and Kyle Scheele, plus panel discussions on the modern angler and marketing trends to engage today's fishing audience.
FlyFest 2026, presented by The Fly Shop and hosted by Fly Fishers International, is coming to Redding September 24–26. The three-day event welcomes fly-fishing enthusiasts of all skill levels with presentations, demonstrations, hands-on learning, and an expo featuring leading instructors and brands.
The Conservation Angler, a 2026 grantee of The Flyfisher Foundation, invites attendees to the Flyfishers' Club of Oregon Annual Auction on September 26 in Portland. TCA Senior Scientist Nick Chambers will present on the organization's Klamath River steelhead research project, with auction proceeds supporting wild fish conservation.
Oaklawn Hot Springs is sponsoring the free Oaklawn Outdoor Show at the 2026 Bass World Championship, October 1-3 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. The event features vendors, appearances by Charlie Evans and PAW Patrol characters, and runs concurrent with over 20 nations competing for Bass World Championship medals on Lake Hamilton.
Fishing's Future announced that the inaugural National Take a Friend Fishing Month™ in June 2026 inspired 35,000 anglers to introduce 22,000 new anglers to fishing, resulting in 85,000 fishing trips and $2.7 million in local economic impact. The campaign was championed by 18 legendary anglers including Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, and Kevin VanDam, with support from industry partners like Bass Pro Shops, Zebco, and Rapala.
The Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Conference will be held October 11-15, 2026, at Niagara Crossing hotel in Niagara, New York. Major sponsors include Whitetails Unlimited, Safari Club International, Delta Defense, Spypoint, OnX Fishing, OnX Hunt, Pulsar, NSSF, and American Sportfishing Association. The conference features fishing tournaments, seminars, awards ceremonies, and networking opportunities for outdoor content creators.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and University of Maine 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Bryant Pond are hosting a Women's Spring Outdoor Skills Weekend August 29-30 for women 18+ of all experience levels. Participants can choose hands-on sessions including campfire cooking, waterfowl hunting, fly tying, and wall climbing.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is hosting free September programs at Cape Girardeau Nature Center, including Fly Casting 101 on September 5 and Open Archery for Beginners on September 8, offering outdoor skills training for all ages and experience levels.