Mentor an angler this year.
I was lucky enough to grow up in my early years with two grandfathers. For both, fishing wasn’t a hobby in their early years. Putting meat on the plate was essential for each when they were younger. But when I came along later in their lives, it was now more of an escape. That is exactly how I’ve always treated fly fishing. I remember in the beginnings of my career path getting off of work, having a couple friends and racing up the road, slide the boat in, and squeak in a few hours on the river. It didn’t matter conditions, we were blowing off steam and letting loose; we had a chance to remember why we chose working along the river. Then came the real world when we took out and it kept piling on tasks. But during all of that, we all remembered our own personal story of why we were there.
My cousin Justin and myself after a day on the water with my grandfather and uncles.
Casting a flyrod has everything in it. It’s timeless, it’s exciting, it has grace, and it has history. The rod I built for my grandfather came back to me this year when he past. We’ve spent our lives fishing them and we continue to teach other anglers. Or have we? Outdoor Foundation and Recreational Boating and the Fishing Foundation released their 2022 report on the status of fishing (and fly fishing) in the US. These annual reports are a double edged sword for me. Increasing the angling rate means I’ve got to give space to more anglers on the water. Especially if I’m guiding. On the other hand, there’s a term widely used called crossover. It means that if you teach someone to fish, typically camping, hunting, hiking, caring for the outdoors, biking, jogging, and other outdoor related activities tend to follow. Getting people outdoors and away from the many screens that plague our lives has to be good. And I’m happy to give breadth to anglers.
My dear friend Cindy and her catch on the Madison River.
The interesting part in their survey was we’re doing a great job at taking/teaching folks for their initial first day. But there is a dramatic, and alarming, decrease in follow through. I look back on my last few fishing seasons and I definitely could have done better at taking a few more people out.
Henry and me below Hebgen dam on the Madison.
What we do as flycasters is absolutely special. There is a code that we live by. We’ll never agree on what is a perfect setup, the right fly, or tippet size, but we can all agree on the most important things. I’d love to live where every person casts a fly. We love fishing and releasing wild fish. We pick up trash along the river and probably have a few choice words about it. I’ll always support industries that have the back of fish and wildlife. If we’re falling short as a group, this may be it. Follow through. Let’s all agree not to just teach, but be a mentor to one angler this season. This trend can be stopped in one season.
We’ve also created an extensive list of guides on our website that are amazing at teaching, instruction, and mentoring on the river. If you have the resources book a few trips with a guide and you’ll have the chance to learn how to teach anglers AND have an amazing day one the water. Luckily, there’s a second seat in the boat so take someone that needs to learn how to cast a flyrod.
There’s also an amazing group of folks at CastHope that can help turn this tide. If you have a few bucks, and we all can spare a couple of coffees through the year, plan to give them a donation.