About this tournament

The FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championship is the premier international competitive fly fishing event, sanctioned by the International Sport Fly Fishing Federation (FIPS-Mouche) under CIPS, the world freshwater fishing federation. The 2026 edition is the 45th senior men’s championship and is hosted by USAngling — the U.S. national governing body for competitive angling — in the “Golden Triangle” of fly fishing along the Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming borders.

Hebgen Reservoir, a 12,500-acre Madison River impoundment just north of Yellowstone National Park, is the Montana sector for the championship. Competition is limited to the Madison Arm and is fished from drifting boats. Hebgen is widely considered one of the highest-quality trout lakes in the West, famous for its summer Callibaetis and midge hatches and its “gulper” surface feeding by big rainbows and browns.

The full championship runs September 12–19, 2026, with five competition sessions rotating teams across the Snake River / Henry’s Fork, Hebgen Lake, Warm River, Sheridan Lake (Wyoming), and Grey’s River. Idaho Falls serves as the host city for opening and closing ceremonies. Spectators are welcome along the public sectors of the Madison Arm during scheduled sessions.

Schedule

• Sep 12 — Team arrival, official practice begins (Idaho Falls)
• Sep 13 — Opening ceremony and parade of nations
• Sep 14–18 — Five competition sessions rotating through Hebgen Lake (MT), Snake River / Henry’s Fork (ID), Warm River (ID), Sheridan Lake (WY), and Grey’s River (WY)
• Sep 19 — Closing ceremony and medal presentation

Entry & Prizes

Entry: International team entry set by FIPS-Mouche; approximately $1,500 per national team. Individual competitor fees apply for travel, lodging, and practice permits. Registration window was February 15 – March 31, 2026.

Prizes: Team and individual world titles awarded by FIPS-Mouche placings across five sessions — gold, silver, and bronze medals for top teams and top individual rods. No cash purse; results count toward team world rankings.

What to expect

Hebgen Reservoir’s Madison Arm fishes best on calm mornings and evenings when Callibaetis spinners and midge clusters bring big rainbows to the surface. Competitors typically use long leaders, small parachute and CDC patterns, and team‐nymph rigs with chironomid pupae suspended under indicators. Public anglers should expect closures or restricted access in the Madison Arm during scheduled competition sessions — check FWP and the championship website before launching.

History

The World Fly Fishing Championship has been held annually since 1981. The U.S. previously hosted in 1997 (Pennsylvania) and most recently the 2025 Ladies and Youth championships at Idaho Falls. The 2026 senior men’s event is the second time in two years USAngling has welcomed the world to the Greater Yellowstone region.

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