The 2026 Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival has come to a close, and what a weekend it was.
This year marked our biggest festival yet, with more than 240 anglers joining us over four unforgettable days around Hayling Island and Chichester Harbour. By bringing together our much-loved Beginners Weekend with the main competition for the first time, we created one festival for anyone with a passion for saltwater fly fishing, whether they were making their very first cast or returning to the coast.
A flying start
Thursday was all about our beginners. The day started with professional casting tuition before anglers headed out to fish some of our favourite local marks under the guidance of experienced instructors. We were also delighted to welcome Pete Kutzer, Endorsed Operations Manager and Fly Fishing Instructor at Orvis Adventures, who travelled over from Vermont to lead casting workshops throughout the festival. Pete shared his wealth of knowledge with anglers of all abilities, helping everyone from first-time casters to experienced fly fishers refine their technique.
Finishing off the day with a drinks social, the attendees were buzzing, setting the tone for an incredible weekend ahead.
Competition comes alive
By Friday, the competition was underway and anglers lined the shores around Hayling Island and Chichester Harbour in search of bass, mullet and a host of other species. Throughout the competition weekend, 49 measurable catches were recorded, with reports of trophy-sized bass and mullet keeping the leaderboard constantly evolving.
Community first
One of the things that makes the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival so special is the community that surrounds it.
Alongside impressive competition catches and personal bests, we watched newcomers grow in confidence, experienced anglers freely sharing knowledge and encouragement, and young anglers proving that the future of our sport is in safe hands. This year's Youth Competition was another festival highlight, bringing together the next generation of fly fishers, including a fantastic group from Angling Mentors. Seeing their enthusiasm, determination and enjoyment on the water was a reminder of just how bright the future of our sport looks.
The festival's community spirit also extended to caring for the places we fish. We were delighted to welcome the Angling Trust, ReAP and the Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme (ANLRS) to this year's event, who joined us for our Anglers Against Litter Pick on Sunday morning. Alongside a fantastic group of anglers and young people from Angling Mentors, volunteers collected litter from around Hayling Island, helping to protect the coastline we all enjoy and reinforcing the important role anglers play as custodians of our waters.
Away from the shoreline, the new Fulling Mill Fly Tying Hub proved a fantastic addition to the festival. Throughout the weekend, anglers stopped by to watch live fly tying demonstrations, pick up new techniques and chat with some of the sport's most talented fly tyers, creating another welcoming space to learn, share ideas and connect with fellow anglers.
On Friday evening, the YETI® Night Station once again became the heart of the festival. Thanks to the continued support of YETI® Europe, anglers came together to share stories from the day's fishing, celebrate memorable catches and forge new friendships over fire-cooked food from Weber UK, refreshing iced coffee from TrueStart and beers from Lakedown Brewing Co. It has become one of the defining experiences of the festival and a true celebration of the fly fishing community.
That same spirit carried through to another fantastic Saturday Social, where everyone came together to relax after a day on the water. The 'PARKIT and Cast' competition had anglers of all ages getting involved, with plenty of laughs, some impressive casting and fantastic prizes up for grabs, while Reeko's Pizza and Lakedown Brewing Co helped make the afternoon one to remember.
A dramatic finish
Sunday delivered exactly the finale we'd hoped for. Hook-ups came from all around Hayling Island, with late catch submissions changing and challenging the leaderboard right up until the final cut-off.
Congratulations to all of our 2026 winners:
Longest Mullet
Winner: Michael O'Connor (58cm Thick Lip Mullet)
Runner-up: Lewis Mahoney (53cm Golden Grey Mullet)
Longest Bass
Winner: Lewis Clark (56.5cm)
Runner-up: Dan Wilcox (53cm)
Most Other Species
Winner: Neville Broad (bass, mullet)
Runner-up
Mike Bilson (bass, mullet)
After Dark Angler
Tom Lambert (Bass, 26cm)
Best Newcomer (in memory of Yvonne Webb)
Lewis Mahoney
Surprise Size
Mike Bilson – 39cm
As no qualifying catches were submitted in the Longest Other Species category, Daniel Skudder (Scorpion Fish) and Pauline Pendle (Jellyfish) received special recognition in the spirit of the festival for their memorable and unexpected catches.
More than just a competition
This wasn't just a festival of competition fly fishing. It was a celebration of the incredible fly fishing culture and community, and the waters and coastlines we're privileged to call our playgrounds.
Whether you joined us to learn, compete, volunteer or simply spend time with like-minded anglers, thank you for making the 2026 festival our biggest and best yet.
A huge thank you also goes to our instructors, guides, volunteers and partners, including YETI® Europe, Weber UK, Lakedown Brewing Co, TrueStart Coffee, Mustang Survival, Fulling Mill, LifeJacket and PARKIT, whose support helped make the weekend such a success. We're grateful to the Hayling Island RNLI, who delivered the safety briefing, and Mustang Survival, our official safety partner, for helping ensure the festival remained a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone on and off the water.
We'll see you back on the south coast from 1st to 4th July 2027 - book your ticket for the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival 2027 today.
