Some years ago, in the modern beginnings of fly-fishing, there were not many folks in the game. Streams all throughout the country were scarcely fished.

Some years ago, in the modern beginnings of fly-fishing, there were not many folks in the game. Streams all throughout the country were scarcely fished. Salt water around the world saw only a handful of anglers in the course of a year. The cost of a whole days outing was what you might pay for a “Slurpy” today. Gary Loomis was not yet a gleam in his forbearers eye.

Had it remained as it was, Government, private developers, and even well meaning individuals, would have changed the course of wild, pristine rivers, salt marshes and tidal flats so that they might be viewed from the balconies of high rises, condominiums and time shares.

It has only been the voice of myriad fly fishers that have joined the fold during the past twenty years or so, that has been able to save what remains of wilderness, wild creatures, fishes, and those entities that sustain us and our touchstones to the natural world.

I’ve been criticized for having drawn attention to fly fishing destinations via a television series (The Walkers Cay Chronicles) for the past sixteen seasons. The fact is, that without such attention, and without an awareness of the resources featured in such programs, these very resources would have disappeared or been plundered. Your voice as a fly fisher is needed and has been heeded in recent times. Fly-fishers are the watch-dogs of the very things that we hold dear!

All of us MUST accept the challenge of becoming as militant and outspoken as those who would despoil and take from us, that part of the natural world which actualizes us. Though it go against our grain, we must step up!

For the very first time in the history of fly-fishing, Fathers are introducing their sons, their daughters and their wives to fly-fishing. My Father was to busy fighting European wars and making a financial life for his family to even think about fish in any context other than the supper table. The Royal Wulff and Clouser Minnow were

terms that my Dad would not have recognized…..although they’re practically household words today. In spite of that, the majority of today’s youth would not recognize those terms. Video games and the inter-net occupy whatever time is not allocated to scholastics. The natural world does not exist for most of today’s youth.

What does that mean for the future? What does that mean for the resources that will depend upon this generation for their existence?

Please join me and all the folks at G. Loomis in attempting to make America’s youth aware of it’s roots. Aware of the consequences of ignoring the fragile, misused treasure that we pass along to them, and the responsibility which must be theirs, to become the stewards of what can never be replaced.

Take them fishing... Help them know!