The Billfish Foundation will host multiple partner events at ICAST 2026, including live painting by Jorge Martinez at the Simms booth, happy hours with Simms, Okuma, and Columbia, exclusive merchandise, and raffle opportunities supporting conservation initiatives like The Skillie Project and Project Gulf.
Bass Pro Shops will celebrate its sixth Colorado location opening in Loveland on July 22 with an Evening for Conservation featuring celebrity appearances by Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Edwin Evers, Jim and Eva Shockey, Nate Zelinsky, and Kevin VanDam. The company will donate 15% of sales to local conservation organizations during the event.
Outdoor Sportsman Group will celebrate at ICAST 2026 in Orlando, Florida, July 15-17, hosting a Happy Hour on Wednesday and sponsoring "ICASTLive!" on Thursday. The event will feature OSG's fishing brands, networks including Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, and World Fishing Network, plus product launches and expert panels.
The American Museum of Fly Fishing hosts an Open House Festival on October 17 in Manchester, Vermont, celebrating fly fishing history and culture. The event features the grand opening of "Foundations in Flow: The Four Pillars of Fly Fishing," with workshops, fly tying, casting activities, and free museum admission.
The Angling Trades Association will host its first-ever UK Angling Summit on November 19th, 2026, at the Arden Hotel in Birmingham. The event will unveil ATA's five-year growth plan focused on sustainable recreational angling and feature industry experts discussing key topics impacting UK trade.
Tampa Bay Watch, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Pinellas County Environmental Management, invites volunteers to participate in the 31st Annual Great Bay Scallop Search on August 1, 2026. Participants will help monitor bay scallop populations and support marine science data collection in Tampa Bay.
The Scottsboro Dragon Boat Race and Festival returns August 8, 2026, at Goose Pond Colony Marina and Resort, featuring 46-foot dragon boats with teams of 20 rowers competing for prizes. The free public event benefits Highlands Hospital Foundation and Nourish One Child, with food trucks, music, and kids' activities throughout the day.
The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis are hosting a free, wheelchair-accessible Let's Go Fishing event for people with disabilities on June 20 at Forest Park hatchery lakes. All equipment and bait will be provided, and advanced registration is required through the Recreation Council.
The annual Elkhead Reservoir Fishing Classic runs June 20-28, 2026, at Elkhead Reservoir State Park with nearly $10,000 in cash prizes for northern pike and smallmouth bass. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is implementing a new all-cash prize structure, including $2,000 for tagged fish and daily category prizes.
National Fishing and Boating Week runs June 6-14, celebrating 57 million anglers generating $230 billion in economic output. ASA launched the Million Pound Challenge to clean 1 million pounds of trash from waterways, while many states offer free fishing opportunities and workshops.
The fifth-annual Bassmaster High School Combine presented by Skeeter returns to Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Alabama, September 11-13, 2026. One hundred young anglers will compete in skills challenges and network with 25 college fishing programs offering scholarships. Registration opens June 8 at 9 a.m. CT for $750.
The Michigan DNR hosts a Free Family Fishing Derby on June 13 at Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area in Lapeer County, where participants of all ages can compete to catch the biggest fish in Lake Minnawanna. No fishing license required during this rain-or-shine event.
Great Falls Family Fishing Day returns June 6 at Wadsworth Pond Park, featuring educational stations on fish identification, knot tying, and casting. The event, supported by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Walleyes Unlimited, Montana Trout Unlimited, and other partners, offers free fishing tackle to youth completing all stations.
Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources invites the public to the 14th annual Free Fun Weekend on June 6-7, 2026, with waived state park admissions, fishing licenses, and trail passes. The event offers opportunities to explore 50 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, and thousands of lakes and rivers, with free fishing clinics available for beginners.
MassWildlife instructors invite anglers ages 15+ to a hike and fish event at Wachusett Reservoir Gate 35. Participants will hike approximately 1.5 miles to fish from shore, with equipment available to borrow. Contact Astrid Huseby at astrid.huseby@mass.gov for questions.
The Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza hosts its annual Youth Day on July 25 at Port Harbor Marine in South Portland, Maine. The free event features hands-on activities led by University of Maine's Pelagic Fisheries Lab, fish printing demonstrations by Nate Garrett of Big Fish Gyotaku, green crab fishing tournaments, and free lunch provided by Cabela's.
The Kids Fishing Day Team celebrates its 33rd anniversary on June 13 at Michigan DNR Pocket Park in Escanaba. The free event for youth ages 16 and younger features bluegill fishing, archery, pellet gun ranges, and activities like minnow races and face painting, with support from Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sports Fishermen, Inc., Michigan DNR, and U.S. Forest Service's Hiawatha National Forest.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and First Baptist Church of Waldport will host the 27th annual family fishing event at Eckman Lake on May 16, featuring 1400 rainbow trout for youth ages 17 and younger. A carnival with games, food, and activities will run simultaneously across the street.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) will host hands-on demo rides featuring Garmin's new Spy Pole and GT360UHD transducer during the ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship at Pickwick Lake, May 19-20, 2026. Garmin Pros Beau Browning and Cody Huff will conduct 20-minute product demonstrations, with the first 50 anglers each day receiving $25 Bass Pro Shops gift cards.
Maryland's department is hosting an in-person Coastal Recreational Fisheries Forum on May 18, 2026, featuring open discussions and updates from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and NOAA at Worcester County Library in Berlin, Maryland.