At Flylords, every story we publish is shaped by the people behind the scenes—those who chase fish with cameras, build relationships with partners, and help bring our biggest ideas to life. In our Meet the Team series, we highlight the creative minds, passionate anglers, and dedicated storytellers who fuel our mission every day. Today, we’re excited to introduce Wills Donaldson, Flylords’ first-ever full-time employee and a key driver of our brand partnerships, film projects, and long-term creative direction.
FLYLORDS- HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH THE FLYLORDS TEAM?
Wills — “I’ve been working with Flylords for seven years. Two of those years were as an intern in college, mostly writing editorial pieces. After that, I came on full-time and have spent the last five years working on the brand partnerships team.
Funny enough, I was actually Flylords’ first full-time employee. Pat (Patrick Perry) is the only person who has been around longer than me, but he didn’t come on full-time until about a year later.”
FLYLORDS- WHAT PART OF FLYLORDS’ MISSION RESONATES THE MOST WITH YOU PERSONALLY?
Wills — “For me, it’s all about keeping the sport alive for future generations. Flylords does that by telling stories in a way that’s accessible to today’s audience while making sure conservation stays at the forefront.
We want to reach people who might not yet realize how enriching fly fishing can be—and at the same time make sure this resource, the fish, and the ecosystems they rely on can continue to exist for the generations we hope to inspire.”
FLYLORDS- YOU’VE BEEN A PART OF SOME INCREDIBLE PROJECTS. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE FLYLORDS’ SERIES OF PROJECT SO FAR?
Wills — “It’s definitely a toss-up between two. The first is Flavor on the Fly, our 2024 series. It was the first project I took on as an executive producer, and it was incredible. We traveled to some amazing places and worked with Chef Ranga, a really unique character. Getting to blend fly fishing with food and execute a high-level production with an extremely talented crew was a super enriching experience.
The second would be this year’s upcoming Fly Shop Tour: Season 4. It was my first time producing the series after our former producer Joseph left. Planning the route, connecting with shops, learning their stories, and then getting on the ground in the Midwest—it was a thrill from start to finish. The people we met, the fishing we experienced, all of it was unforgettable. Now I get to watch it come to life and know I had a hand in just about everything viewers will see.”
FLYLORDS- WITH ALL OF YOUR TIME ON THE ROAD AND ON THE WATER, WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE FISH YOU’VE EVER CAUGHT ON CAMERA?
Wills — “There are definitely some fish in the upcoming season of Fly Shop Tour that might take this spot, but avoiding spoilers, I’ll go with a trip that’s already public. About three and a half years ago, we traveled to Sweden and took a helicopter into a remote lake that held landlocked Arctic char. I had always dreamed of catching a true Salvelinus alpinus—a landlocked Arctic char—and I had struggled to do it up until that point.
It took days of grinding, patience, and a lot of frustration, but eventually I was able to bring a medium-sized one to the net. Checking off that bucket-list species in such a beautiful, remote place was one of the highlights of my angling life.”
FLYLORDS- WHAT’S ONE FISH SPECIES YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED OR OVERLOOKED?
Wills — “Honestly? Largemouth bass. I grew up in Pennsylvania fishing ponds for largemouth, and my wife is from Minnesota, so every summer we spend time up north catching them on her family’s lake. Smallmouth get all the credit for being aggressive and intelligent, but sometimes you need that confidence fish—a largemouth that will absolutely demolish a fly, even one twice its size.
They’re hardy, accessible, everywhere, and you can target them in so many ways. I think because they’re so associated with conventional fishing, fly anglers overlook them, but man… they’re just a blast.”
FLYLORDS- IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT’S YOU GO-TO GAS STATION SNACK DURING FLY SHOP TOUR?
Wills — “I’m definitely a glutton for sugar—probably too much. If you compare my physique from Season 1 to now, it’s obvious I like to eat.
My go-to lineup would be:
• A pack of the Reese’s XL cups with Reese’s Pieces inside
• A tall Liquid Death sparkling water
• And an entire bag of ranch David’s sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds and candy wrappers pretty much lined the floor of the truck this year.
And yes—I’ve tried that new Oreos x Reese’s collab. It’s dangerous.”
Thank you, Wills, for joining us for this episode of Meet the Team. Stay tuned for our next feature as we continue introducing the faces behind Flylords.