SOWBUG ROUNDUP IS FINALLY HERE BY JOHN BERRY

After a year of anticipation, the Sowbug Roundup is finally here. This is a home grown event that began eighteen years ago with twenty fly tyers and one hundred and fifty attendees. It has flourished over the years and has become one of the most respected fly tying events in the United States. This year’s Sowbug Roundup will feature over a hundred fly tyers and welcome well over a thousand attendees. This is my kind of show and I live for it. This was created and is sponsored by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, our local fly fishing club. It is their primary fund raiser and they annually ear mark the first ten thousand dollars raised for scholarships. 

This year’s Sowbug Roundup will be held at the Baxter County Fair Grounds on March 26, 27 and 28. The admission for all three days is only $5.00. Children under twelve years of age are free. This is the perfect family event with wholesome fun for everyone. 

This is a fly fishing show and the main draw is the fly tyers. If you ever wanted to see some true artists, this is the place to be. You can learn something from every one of them. I can sit and watch these tyers for hours. There are some really nice people there and I always enjoy welcoming old friends and meeting new ones. If you are thinking about taking up fly tying, there are free fly tying classes every day. Be sure and sign up when you get there. 

A major change to this year’s Sowbug is a new food vendor. This is something that I am looking forward to. I spend all my time at the event and the prospect of good food without leaving the Fair Grounds really appeals to me. In addition to homemade desserts, they are going to have daily specials like Italian roast beef sandwiches, homemade chicken salad and pulled pork. For breakfast there is sausage biscuit, sausage gravy and biscuits and homemade muffins and sweet rolls. There are plenty of healthy choices like fresh fruit, yoghurt, granola bars and a fresh garden salad with homemade bread. I am interested in the homemade chili and Frito pie. 

There are a lot of quality vendors. All of the local fly shops, Dally’s Ozark Fly Fishers, Twin Rivers Fly Shop, Wishes and Fishes and the recently reopened Blue Ribbon Fly Shop. Duane Hada and Dave Whitlock will be there to show off their art. Shawnee will be there showing their boats and Ozark Mountain Trading Company will be there with a bunch of kayaks. My favorite vendors the Golden Rule Fly Shop and Harry Boyd, a custom bamboo rod maker, are scheduled to be there. There are several other vendors including me. 

There are a bunch of great seminars. Lori is doing one as am I. This year the new event is the Sowbug Roundup Shindig. This is a party for the tyers, volunteers and attendees. Anyone can attend for a nominal fee of $10.00. Tyers and volunteers get in free. There is food, beverages and a great live auction. The winners of the Fly Tying Contest will be announced and the plaques will be awarded. 

If all of this sounds like something you would like to participate in, please join me at the Sowbug roundup. Stop by my booth and let me tie you a fly. 

John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.