We at Flylords hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family, good food, and maybe even a fish or two. Also, we hope you took advantage of many of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales going on the fly fishing and outdoor recreation spaces. But, during this time of year, it’s also important to give back and support many of the groups that make fly fishing and our outdoor places so special and work to keep it that way for generations to come. Follow along to learn more about some awesome groups and how to support them this Giving Tuesday.
Trout Unlimited
When it comes to the conservation of cold-water fisheries and fly fishing advocacy, there are many groups, but none with the reach, influence, and successes as TU. Whether it be national issues like protecting Bristol Bay and the Tongass National Forest, or removing the four lower Snake River dams or securing funding for abandoned mine reclamation in the Infrastructure Package, TU is effective at mobilizing its more than three hundred thousand members for such causes. But TU’s accomplishments and efforts are local too, thanks to a complex chapter network. Click here to support TU this Giving Tuesday!
Captains For Clean Water
South Florida is home to some of the most prolific and historic fisheries in the United States. Decades of poor water management, however, threatens to destroy these fisheries and habitats. Captains for Clean Water works at the local, state, and federal levels to restore and protect waters such as the Everglades, the Keys, and so many other of Florida’s estuaries. Just a couple weeks ago, Captains celebrated one of their greatest achievements to date: a new operating plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that “is predicted to significantly reduce harmful discharges to both the east and west coasts, as well as send over three times more water south to the Everglades!” That may sound technical, but it will have an immediate positive effect on south Florida’s waterways. Join the fight to restore south Florida’s historic habitats, consider donating to Captains for Clean Water this Giving Tuesday!
Wild Steelhead Coalition
Frankly, wild steelhead throughout much of the North American west coast are hanging on by a thread. This year saw historically poor runs of wild steelhead return to even some of the most prolific rivers. The Wild Steelhead Coalition is on the front-lines of advocating for wild steelhead and restoring them to their former glory. Their most recent Now or Never campaign, is a testament to that and a call to action for all fly fishermen–those who log more than a hundred days on steelhead rivers or those who dream about swinging a fly to steelhead fresh out of the Pacific. Click here to donate to Wild Steelhead Coalition this Giving Tuesday!
American Saltwater Guides Association
Throughout the Atlantic coast, striped bass are one of the most targeted fish species–they are “every man’s fish,” because you can catch them in so many ways. Unfortunately, poor management has contributed to the iconic striped bass falling to a 25-year low with overfished and experiencing overfishing declarations. ASGA has been advocating for the recovery and conservation-minded management of striped bass for years. Now, they’re making sure the management body responsible for stripers follows through and rebuilds the iconic species to abundance for the millions of anglers who target stripers each year from kayaks, the rocks, boats, beaches, or wading the flats. Click Here to donate to the American Saltwater Guides Association as they fight for striped bass this Giving Tuesday!
Casting For Recovery
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women worldwide and claims hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Casting for Recovery was founded in 1996 in Manchester, Vermont, by a group of women who experienced the healing power of nature through fly fishing and thought that connection would benefit women with breast cancer. Almost 25 years later, what started with one retreat has now grown to 55 retreats nationwide, run by an army of over 1800 volunteers and a hard working full-time national staff of ten. Casting for Recovery’s innovative program focuses on improving quality of life for women with breast cancer and has garnered endorsements from medical and psychosocial experts nationwide. The retreats are open to women of any age, in any stage of breast cancer treatment and recovery, at no cost to the participants. Help further Casting for Recovery’s mission this Giving Tuesday!
Fish For Change
The mission of Fish for Change is to use fly-fishing as a platform to make the world a better place by uniting a diverse group of students in wild fisheries where they engage in a variety of initiatives that promote Connection, Education, Conservation, and Exploration. Supporting Fish for Change supports their programming, scholarships, and local initiatives. It supports the future of our sport. Click here to donate this Giving Tuesday!
Your Local Fly Shop
While all of the above groups do their own amazing things for fly fishing and conservation, fly fishing is local. The communities in Glenwood Springs, the Olympic Peninsula, Islamorada, Dallas, Martha’s Vineyard, and so many others depend on fly fishing for much of the year, not just three days in November. So keep your local fly shop in the back of your head next time you need new tippet, new waders, or a last minute gift for friends or family!
Wild, Coho X Chinook Hybrid Salmon Discovered in British Columbia
Short Bus Diaries Ep. 1: Behind the Scenes with Wild Fly Productions
