Back on Feb. 8, the 9 Annual Iron Fly Competition convened at the Tipsy Trout in Basalt and resulted in new reigning youth and adult champions for 2025. Fly tyers from across the Roaring Fork Valley bring their vises, tools and knowledge, and the Roaring Fork Valley Fly Fishing Club (RFVFFC) and Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) provide the ingredients for each fly to be tied. All proceeds raised go towards fishing outreach programs for local youth and veterans.
Congratulations are in order for the winners, with youth champions Carson (first place), Liam (second place), and Elijah (third place). Adult champions were Brian Furderer (first place and new to the Roaring Fork Valley), Taylor Creek's Brandon Soucie (second place) and Matthias Bellack-Fuell (third place).
The competition was fierce, and the flies created were as diverse as the curve-ball ingredients. Speaking of diverse ingredients, the third round called for a phone-charging cord to be incorporated into the fly!
This ever-popular event would not be possible without the generosity of the Tipsy Trout in Basalt, the hard work of the RFVFFC and RFC, plus generous sponsors including Alpine Angling, Alpine Bank, Bajio Sunglasses, Bank of Colorado, Bristlecone Mountain Sports, Cheeky Fly Fishing, Colorado Mountain College, Crawford Properties LLC, Crystal Fly Shop, Fin River Gear, Fishpond USA, Flylords, Frying Pan Anglers, Harcourt Fly Fishing, Hookers, Kayla Lockhart, Montgomery Bentz, Obermeyer, Roaring Fork Anglers, Roaring Fork Fishing Guide Alliance, Taylor Creek Fly Shop, Umpqua Feather Merchants, and the Willits General Store.
A special thank you goes to RFVFFC President Tom Skutley, plus RFC Director of Community Outreach Christina Medved and RFC Executive Director Rick Lofaro, who co-emcee the event and put in a lot of hard work, as well as to Basalt Regional Library Executive Director Amy Shipley.
If you are a fly tyer and want to spread a few of your creations around the community, check out the Fly-braries (a cork board leave-a-fly, take-a-fly concept) prominently displayed at the Tipsy Trout, Two Rivers Café, Westbound and Down, Mountain Heart Brewing, the Basalt Regional Library, and the Basalt Mountain Inn.