The Iowa State Fair will be held August 11 through August 21, 2022.  We will be holding the Fly Tying competition once again this year.  I am sure everyone has practiced tying their favorite flies and are willing to enter them in the state contest.

The Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association will again be sponsoring the Fly-Tying competition at this year’s Iowa State Fair.  The competition is supported by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa State Fair.  The goal is to provide an opportunity for the public to view the art of fly tying and to promote fly fishing in Iowa.

This year’s fair will be held from August 11th through the 21st.  The fly-tying display will be in the DNR Building on the Fairgrounds during the fair.  The judging is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 10h at 1:00 p.m. in the DNR Building.

Fly entries need to be received at the Fair Administration post box by July 31, 2022. 

There are three divisions

• Adult division is for anyone 17 years of age and older.
• Junior division is for anyone 16 years and younger.
• Expert division for tiers who have sold flies.

There are four categories for each division.  The categories are the following:

• Dry Fly
• Wet Fly/Soft Hackle/Nymph
• Streamers
• Open Class

You may enter in each of the categories, but only one fly for each category.  No flies smaller than size #18.  No flies larger than size #2.  To enter, please provide the fly tiers name, the division to be entered, the category to be entered and the name of the fly.

You must be an Iowa resident to enter or a member of the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association.  If you have ever tied flies commercially or sold the flies that you have tied, you must enter the Expert Division.  If you won a blue ribbon for one of the categories last year, you are not permitted to enter the same category this year.

The Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association will provide judges for the competition.  Ribbons will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.  Each fly will be judged in its category.  In our contest, a panel of judges will choose the places in each category and division.  The visitors to the state fair will see the flies displayed in the DNR Building

Flies must be sent to the Iowa State Fair Administration Office, P.O. Box 57130, Des Moines, IA 50317 and received by July 31, 2022.  Each fly entered must have the Fly Tiers name, address, telephone number, name of the fly, division to be entered and the category.  Junior division entries must state the age of the fly tier.