IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — ESPN Outdoors and state officials announced today that the Western event in the ESPN Fly Fishing Challenge will take place April 8-10 near Idaho Falls, on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River.

The Fly Fishing Challenge is one of two events that qualify fly anglers to compete in the 2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.

The Idaho event was moved from Montana, where it was originally planned. The Eastern event in the Fly Fishing Challenge takes place March 19-21 at the Spring Ridge Club in Spruce Creek, Pa.

"The Henry's Fork is a spectacular site for our Western competition," said Eric Matijevich, director of the Great Outdoor Games.

"We were looking for generous waters that are still going to challenge the anglers and get them ready for the kind of world-class event we're going to have at the Games in July."

Eighteen anglers will compete in the Fly Fishing Challenge. Twelve have been selected by committee review of applications. The additional six anglers will qualify through an open-call casting competition early in the first day of the event.

The Fly Fishing Challenge will be televised on ESPN2 at 10:30 a.m. ET during the June 14 ESPN Outdoors weekend television block and again on June 20 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"The Henry's Fork is one of America's great fly fishing rivers," said television host John Barrett, whose production company is working with ESPN to produce a telecast of the event.

"Through the show, viewers will get an opportunity to see anglers test their skills on a river that's still accessible and generous to the everyday fisherman."

Fly Fishing Challenge competitors will wade or fish from drift boats for a maximum of three hours on designated sections of the Henry's Fork.

Within that time, the competitors must each measure and declare a single fish as his or her official catch, then release it back into the river. Once the angler has declared a fish, he or she must stop fishing.

The top six competitors from the first day of competition will move on to the final day of competition.

The top three competitors from the final day of competition will earn prize money and invitations to the flyfishing competition at the Great Outdoor Games, set for July 10-13 along the Truckee River in Reno-Tahoe. The same process will take place in Pennsylvania, to fill the remaining three berths for the Great Outdoor Games.