By Kirk Deeter
The theme of the current issue of TROUT magazine is “Blue Lines,” which builds off the book Tom Reed wrote of the same name and focuses on those small blue lines on a map (or app)—the pure streams and feeder creeks from which everything ultimately flows. This is issue number 50 in my tenure as editor of TROUT, and it is one of my favorites, because Blue Lines isn’t just a concept. Blue Lines is a movement. And I’d welcome others in the industry to rally behind the movement, as a number of companies already have. It’s good for fly fishing.
Why?
· Angling pressure is a conservation issue, whether some want to admit it or not. We want to encourage people to spread out and give the fish in the over-loved rivers a bit of a break. And Blue Lines are more climate resilient than rivers with “hoot owl” restrictions.
· When people do explore the backcountry, we want them to do it ethically and become stewards of these resources.
· Blue lines appeal to the adventurous types. As we endeavor to touch younger and more diverse demographics, we can promote this new and exciting brand of fishing (and fish eat dry flies).
· We hope to positively influence the eco-conscience of the fishing community, and blue lines are the places where things like “how many” and “how big” don’t matter as much as “how wild/native” and “how beautiful.”
· Blue lines are often free to explore on America’s vast array of public lands and waters.
· And, of course, the impacts of what happens in Blue Lines are felt for thousands of miles. It all flows downstream.
Thanks in advance for a little more focus on the small stuff. It matters.
