3rd annual Gulf Coast Classic
a celebration of fly fishing
Friday-Saturday, May 2-3, 2025
Gulf State Park – Learning Campus
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Presented by the FFI Gulf Coast Council &
Cheeky Fishing x Rep Your Water
Complete event details, as well as registration links, can be found on the Classic website at www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com.
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 contests
- Fly tying workshops (registration required, cost $20-$50)
- Casting workshops (registration required, cost $0-$20)
- Mixed Bag Fishing Contest (free with admission)
- Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) (ticket purchase required, limited seating)
- Raffles & silent auction, offering many one-of-a-kind items
This event is 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. We are honored to have some of the region’s top fly tiers – and even several of the nation’s top tiers – on hand to demonstrate their favorite patterns. Some of our renown tiers will be giving workshops so attendees can learn a new fly, a new technique, or how to improve their tying.
And once again, we’ll have our Mixed Bag Challenge where the focus is on diversity, not size. How many different species can you catch on a fly rod during the Classic? We encourage everyone to try it out… we have some great prizes for contestants!
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.
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. There’s even an on-site restaurant with a special seating area for Classic attendees.
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. 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.
On Saturday evening, we’ll hold our annual film festival. The 2025 Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) comes to Gulf State Park on Saturday evening. You do -NOT- need to be registered for the Classic to attend the F3T. Our F3T is different than most others – we have special prizes and we often have special guests. Go to the Classic website to learn more and purchase F3T tickets.
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 is first offered to sponsors, tiers, presenters, and those who have accepted our invitation as a volunteer. After April 1st, any open beds are extended to any attendees who have registered for the event (first-come, first-serve). Cost is a great savings compared to hotel rates in the area.
For details on this and much more, go to the Gulf Coast Classic website at www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com.
** 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 **
