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Fly Fishers International
FormationJune 1965
Type501(c)(3)
PurposeFishing
HeadquartersLivingston, Montana, United States
Region served
International
Websitehttp://www.flyfishersinternational.org

Fly Fishers International (FFI) is an international 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Livingston, Montana. It was founded in 1964 and formalized a year later in 1965. FFI is an organized voice for fly fishers around the world; they represent all aspects of fly fishing, which include the art of fly tying, casting, and protection of the natural systems that support healthy fisheries and their habitats. Today, the organization's goals are to ensure the legacy of fly fishing worldwide. They focus on conservation, education and a sense of community[citation needed].

Origins

In April 1964, the McKenzie River Flyfishers was organized in Eugene, Oregon with the expressed goal of forming a national fly fishing organization. A gathering of prominent fly fishermen from the West Coast of the United States and Gene Anderegg of the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers of New York City occurred in September 1964 in Aspen, Colorado. Gene Anderegg orchestrated a correspondence among many fly fishing clubs, aided by the support of angling notables Lee Wulff and Ed Zern that resulted in the first conclave being held in June 1965. All the original clubs were from California, Oregon and Washington, with the exception of the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers.[1]

It occurs to me that a loose federation of fly fishing groups could be of considerable value

— letter from Lee Wulff to Bob Wethern of the Flyfishers Club of Oregon May 27, 1964

The Federation was first organized as the Federation of Fly Fishermen but the name changed to its current status in the early 1980s. By 1974 there were 120 clubs and over 7000 members across the United States in the Federation.[1]

Lew Bell and Lee Wulff drafted the original constitution for the Federation and its preamble read:

We, in conclave assembled, out of a firm and abiding conviction that fly fishing as a way of angling gives its follows the finest form of outdoor recreation and natural understanding, do hereby join in common effort in order to maintain and further fly fishing as a sport, and, through it, to promote and conserve angling resources, inspire angling literature, advance the brotherhood of angling and broaden the understanding of all anglers in the spirit of true sportsmanship

— Preamble to the Constitution of the Federation of Fly Fishermen, 1965[1]

Goals

Fly Fishers International exists to:[2]

Programs

Annual Awards

Fly Fishers International Awards Program was established to recognize those individuals, clubs and other organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the environment, fishery resources, angling literature, the fly tackle industry and the Federation. (Date established)

Annual Conclave

The Federation has held an Annual Fly Fishing Fair and Conclave since 1965.[3] The Fly Fishing Fair and Conclave is the Federation's annual education and fundraising event. The Fair offers workshops, programs, demonstrations on fly tying, fly casting, fly fishing tactics, aquatic entomology, fly rod building, angling ethics, water safety and many related topics. Anglers and fly fishing experts from around the world attend to support Youth and Women's programs, conservation and education forums, photo contests, and author book signings.

The show includes an exhibit hall where fishing tackle companies, retailers, artists, travel services and other companies that cater to the fly fishing lifestyle offer exhibits and sales of their products. The 2012 International Fly Fishing Fair and Conclave will be held in Spokane, Washington in July 2012.

Certified Casting Instructor Program

In 1992, the Federation established the Certified Casting Instructor program with the goal to enhance the sport of fly fishing in three important areas:

Noted fly caster, Mel Krieger led the effort to establish The Casting Board of Governors (BOG) at the Calgary, Alberta conclave in July 1992. Its founding members are iconic figures in American fly casting or fly fishing. They included Gary Borger, Leon Chandler, Chico Fernandez, Jim Green, Lefty Kreh, Mel Krieger, Al Kyte, Steve Rajeff, Bruce Richards, Allan Rohrer, Barbara Rohrer, Doug Swisher, Lou Tabory, Dave Whitlock and Joan Wulff. The first BOG meeting was held at Park High School in Livingston, Montana, during the 1993 conclave.

The program trains and certifies casting instructors in two tiers—Certified Casting Instructor and Master Casting Instructor. Certification requires candidates to pass a written and performance test.

Fly Fishing Discovery Center

The Federation runs the Fly Fishing Discovery Center, a museum and education center in Livingston, Montana. The museum's Tackle Room chronicles the history of fly fishing with displays of rods, reels, lines, float tubes and art. The Fly Room features thousands of flies tied by masters from around the world. The museum houses the Lewis A. Bell Memorial Fly Fishing Library, a large collection of fly fishing books and journals available for public viewing and research.

The Federation of Flyfishers, the sport's leading national organization has long made the Yellowstone area its center of operations. Its Fly Fishing Discovery Center in Livingston, Montana interprets ecology, angling and conservation and is the Federation's foremost public presence.

— Paul Schullery, Cowboy Trout, 2006[4]

Fly Tying Group

Fly tying demonstration

The Fly Tying Group was established during the 2007 Conclave in Livingston, Montana as a group of fly tiers whose goal is to develop the art of fly tying at the local, regional, council, national, and international levels. The group hosts workshops that teach demonstration fly tying and run fly tying classes at annual conclaves.

Guides Association

The Guides Association is administered by the Federation as a service to its member guides and to the fly-fishing public. The association aims to connect professional guides with potential clients as well as provide guides some marketing support via the Federation's publications.

National Conservation Committee

Conservation is one of the founding principles of the Federation of Fly Fishers.

We have been slow to realize the role of political pressures in conservation and are of the opinion now that a united desire for the things that are necessary to perpetuate our sport of fly fishing is the only way to keep from losing many of the things we hold so dear.

— William Nelson, President of the McKenzie Flyfishers Club, 1964

Participating in over 40 years of conservation work, the Federation of Fly Fishers contributes to the protection of fisheries and angling opportunities for the future. The National Conservation Committee is composed of representatives from each Federation of Fly Fishers Council. The Conservation Committee advises and supports conservation efforts with perspective from each Council.

Publications

Clubs and Councils

The organization is composed of 17 regional councils to which belong over 300 fly fishing clubs as well as individual members. The goal is to support fisheries conservation and educational programs for all fish and all waters. Anywhere fly fishers have an interest, the organization plays a role in furthering its goals through its councils, clubs and members.

Notable Members and Participants

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See also

Further reading

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Schullery, Paul (1996). "The Organized Angler". American Fly Fishing-A History. Norwalk, CT: The Easton Press. pp. 235–245.
  2. ^ "Federation of Fly Fisher's History and Mission". Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  3. ^ Jordan, John T. (Winter 1966–67). "Fly-Fishers Flock to Federation" (PDF). Random Casts-The life and times of the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers. 1 (2). Theodore Gordon Fly Fishers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
  4. ^ Schullery, Paul (2006). Cowboy Trout-Western Fishing as if it matters. Helena, MT: Montana Historical Press. p. 10. ISBN 0-9721522-7-X.
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