A commitment in Fly Fishing (or whatever your lane might be)

As a new company it’s an odd time in the world to be in growth mode. Between COVID-19 and protests across the globe, fishing seems a little silly. People are taking to the streets to fight for their lives and we’re posting pictures of fish. It can be a little hard to reconcile that. Not that we don’t all need respite from the heavy things, but at times it can feel frivolous.

However, I felt it was important to write because accountability is real and having something in writing is one of the best ways to hold yourself accountable. As a white dude with a fly fishing company it’s easy to just tap out and assume you’re not part of the conversation. But honestly it’s everyone’s responsibility to be part of the conversation…now and forever. For some of you that is obvious, but I assure you it’s not obvious for everyone.

Fishercat is a new thing and that means we can build it any way we want. We’re just starting to grow our client base, get comfortable with the trips we’re offering and we’re working towards clarifying our message. The protests against police violence, the calls for Black Lives Matter and the need for a more just system ring clear and true with us and that means we need to be more than passive business owners. It means that equity, inclusion and justice need to be central tenants of our business. It means we need to fight white supremacy…even in fishing.

That last part, “even in fishing,” is really why I’m writing today. Over and over I’ve heard people imply or outright say that business and politics (as if the disproportionate killing of the BIPOC in this country is “politics”) need to be kept separate. That outdoor recreation, fishing, paddling, trail running are all unrelated to what is happening (and has been happening) in our country and that using one or any of them as a platform is just virtue signaling. It seems to me that if you feel like your “lane” ( whatever passion that might be…cycling, running, etc) isn’t impacted by race we’ve got a lot more work to do. The necessity of this time is that we take the conversation to every corner of our world and shine a light on inequity in even the most remote areas of our lives. You don’t have to broadcast it but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it.

The 2018 Special Report on Fishing from the Outdoor Foundation found that more than 72% of fly anglers are white. 69% are of fly anglers are men. 43% are 45 years or older and more than half have a college education. If you look at demographics in the U.S I can assure you, this skews whiter, older and more educated than the country does.

Before you get upset because you think i’m pointing the finger at you, stop. That’s most definitely not the point. You have as much right as anyone to enjoy the outdoors with a fly rod in your hand. All i’m saying is that we can still chase monster trout while also contemplating why it is the sport looks the way it does. We all need to use the things we love, our true passions in the world, to help us examine inequality and injustice. Whatever your lane is, see if you can’t make it better for everyone.

I know this will upset some people and that’s fine. Those are likely the “keep politics out of fun” people. I could spend an hour unpacking how dumb and unfair that line of thinking is, but this is already getting too long. However, if we’re going to build a company around fly fishing and outdoor adventures we’re going to be thoughtful about it. We’re going to fight so that everyone can have a seat at the table and strive to never abandon that conversation because of “what’s good for business.” Honestly, that’s the least we can do.

That also doesn’t absolve us of the necessity of fighting against white supremacy in the other corners of our lives. Whether that’s schooling, local elections, housing policy….etc. As private citizens we’re going to better educate ourselves. But in this lane, this tiny alleyway of fly fishing, we’re going to try to be outspoken.

I got into fly fishing because it made my understanding and passion for the outdoors richer. It made me want to be a conservationist. It made me comfortable in the woods and gave me a sense of freedom and it empowered me to share my energy with others. It forced me to explore the idea of land rights and whose land we’re actually fishing on. I don’t want anyone to be deprived of those opportunities because of the color of their skin. Even though fly fishing is this tiny thing in a massive world of injustice, that doesn’t mean it’s not deserving of progress and equity just the same. If you believe in it, change it.

Our lane at Fishercat River Co is fly fishing and we hope to do everything we can down the road to welcome as many people, from as many different places and backgrounds as we can into our sport. We’re not exactly sure what that is going to look like down the line, but here it is, our commitment, in writing.

Whatever your lane is. Try to make it better.

-Nick