New Home Base
In 2027, the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival (January 8-9, 2027, in Doswell at the Virginia state fairgrounds) will feature an updated Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium. We are in the process of adding new instructors, so check back for updates. Beyond the Cast participants will meet on festival grounds in The Meadow Hall Mansion--a historic and stately building we have secured for their exclusive use. The symposium will be held entirely inside on Friday, January 8th, from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
A New Kickoff Event
Beyond the Cast begins with a bang: The symposium kickoff event, “Women, Wine, & Fly Tying,” will be held Thursday, January 7, 2027, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Meadow Hall Mansion. Women, Wine, & Fly Tying guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, adult beverages, and fly tying with experts along with special guests of the festival. All interested women fly anglers are invited to the kickoff event which is open to the public. This event has become so popular that we are now allowing up 75 women to attend. This year we'll be partnering with Richmond Fly Women, and the Mayfly Project to raise funds for both organizations. with a private raffle that evening.
What is Beyond the Cast?
“Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium” was the first event of its kind, offering a wide variety of intermediate to advanced fly-fishing programming developed specifically for women and taught by experts from all over the country. “We’ve provided numerous introductory casting and ‘Fly Fishing 101’-style classes over the years,” says Festival Director Beau Beasley, “and those classes have been enormously successful. ‘Beyond the Cast’ is different. This is a program by and for women, with a focus on topics that women have told us they’re looking for and haven’t found elsewhere. Having said this, women fly anglers of any skill level are welcome to attend.
Schedule of Events
“Women told us that they don’t fish as often as they’d like to--and sometimes stop fishing altogether--because they can’t find fishing partners. They’re looking for like-minded outdoor women to connect with. So beyond teaching skills, we’re helping women establish networks and make connections--with potential fishing buddies, and with guides and outfitters. We have built the infrastructure that enables them to create their own community. Check back later to get updates on new classes and instructors for our 2027 Beyond the Cast.
