Every River Needs a Champion

Whether you fly-fish or not

After a mid-week guiding trip on Dry River, I was stoked to get out on my own. There was a section I wanted to scout to see if I could fix an egress point for future trips. With a plan in mind, an afternoon free, and good weather, I was ready to go.

The hat in the image above is there for a reason. Trout Unlimited recently launched “Every River Needs a Champion,” an initiative to recruit river advocates across the country, not just fly fishers. At the Southeast Rendezvous where they rolled this out, the pitch was straightforward — anglers, advocates, and volunteers all working toward cleaner water and healthier watersheds.¹

As a longtime TU volunteer, the approach makes sense. Rivers need more than anglers. If you fly-fish, or if you just care about clean water, consider becoming one of TU’s River Champions.

I moved on upstream toward what I hoped would prove to be a suitable egress.

About 6:30 p.m. I took a break to for a time check and to reconnoiter.

Just a cast or two more until I get to my target destination…

Water was 56 degrees, air in the low 80s. The fishing rewarding, the territory familiar. I didn’t stop to take many pictures. Time to head to the truck.

On the walk back, I came across a sign I had not noticed before. I’ll need to learn the history there.

1. The goal is to bring in 25,000 new River Champions over the next year. The program offers three entry points: hands-on stewardship through stream cleanups and restoration work, policy advocacy for clean water protections, and direct financial support for TU’s conservation projects. Learn more.