The 2008 championships are being held in New Zealand on the Central North Island on March 22-30. Four anglers are also scheduled to gather in Rotorua and battle for individual titles.
The 2008 team for the U.S. is made up of Anthony Naranja, Brett Bishop, George Daniel, Josh Stephens, Lance Egan, Mike Sexton and Scott Robertson.
The 2009 World Fly Fishing Championships will be held in Scotland.
The competition begins with a couple of practice days before the competition opens and spreads over three days and – in the 2008 edition – five fisheries: Whanganui and Waihou Rivers, the Waimakariri Stream, Lake Rotoaira and Lake Otamangakau.
The 2008 event also coincides with the New Zealand National Open Fly Tying Competition, sponsored by Feather Merchants and Umqua on March 23.
The Sports Fly Fishing New Zealand also plans on putting on a Rotorua Lakes Ecology and Restoration Program after the competition on March 29.
During the three days of competition (March 26-28 in 2008), each individual angler fishes for five sessions of three hours. Their catches are scored and the 25 individual session scores are taken for each team. Sector judges conduct and supervise the competition, while volunteers measure the fish and ensure the rules are followed.
The use of felt soled boots has been prohibited during the 2008 event because of the threat of invasive species.
