Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo, March 22-24, wraps up National Sports Center’s 2012-13 schedule of outdoor shows

 BLAINE, Minn. (March 13, 2013) – The National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine will host its final outdoor show of the winter season by presenting Tom Helgeson’s Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo, March 22-24. For the past two years, this show has been held in the Schwan Center, but it will move into the new Sport Expo Center right next door. 

 This marks the third year that the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo has been held at the NSC, in a partnership with the Tom Helgeson family. The event was started by Helgeson, a Minnesota fly fishing legend. Helgeson published Midwest Fly Fishing Magazine and was a leading conservationist and advocate for clean water and trout habitat preservation. Helgeson died of cancer in November of 2010. His family is dedicated to carrying on the Expo and Tom’s passionate advocacy for fly fishing in the Midwest.

The Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo will be sponsored by Scientific Anglers and Ross Reels.

Previously this winter, the NSC hosted the Hard Water Ice Fishing Show last November, then the Anglers’ Expo in February and finally the Minnesota Deer Classic, March 8-10.

Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo Facts:

Location: Sport Expo Center on the campus of the National Sports Center. 1750 105^th Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55449.

Hours: Friday, March 22, 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, March 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Admission: Adults, $12/day; students (12-17), $7/day; 11 and under admitted free.

Features: fly fishing celebrities, seminars and classes, youth programs, travel destinations, new equipment, fly-tying demos, youth activities, environmental education.

For more information: www.nscoutdoors.org.

Sample of Speakers and Presenters:

Fishing travel writer and photographer Brian O’Keefe

Steelhead guide Jerry Darkes

Fly fishing and fly tying expert Brad Befus

Member of U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Team Tyler Befus

Mangrove swamp fishing expert Trapper Rudd

Bahamas guide Ian Davis

Carp fly fishing expert J.P. Lipton

Midwest carp fishing expert Larry Gavin

Award-winning photographer, author and entomologist Dean Hansen

Fishing instructor and Scientific Anglers staff member Geoff Samples

Artist, author and fly fishing guide Bob White.

Exhibitors:

About the National Sports Center:

 The National Sports Center (NSC) is a 600-acre multi-sport facility located in Blaine, Minnesota. The campus includes the Schwan Super Rink; a 8,500-seat soccer stadium; the Schwan Center meeting and convention building; a multi-faceted family golf center, the National Youth Golf Center, which features the 18-hole Victory Links course; an indoor Sports Hall with a FieldTurf field; 150-bed residence hall; and 52 soccer fields. The facility hosts nearly 300 events annually, and has welcomed approximately 28 million visitors since its opening. The NSC generates over $37 million in annual out-of-state economic impact.

The NSC is home to the U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team and the Minnesota United F.C. pro soccer club.

http://www.nscsports.org/