Letter from the Editor: Summer 2024

California Fly Fisher has been a significant part of my life since I was a young boy helping my dad run Revel’s River Rentals, a drift boat rental business based in Redding. Our only advertisement was a quarter-page ad in California Fly Fisher. With each issue, I eagerly read about the fishing spots close to home, not just the exotic locations in the glossier magazines.

The authors were familiar faces, often seen at fly shops and boat ramps. When Richard announced he was winding down the magazine, I couldn’t ignore the sadness I felt.

My first company, Buggy Nymph Dubbing, ran ads generously discounted by Richard, making them affordable for my 14-year-old self. I fought the urge to take over the magazine. Then, fate intervened. Tracey Diaz and I were on our way to a CalTrout Board meeting on the Klamath River when she asked if I would consider playing a role in California Fly Fisher if “her friends” took it over.

I replied, “That’s funny because I, too, was thinking of acquiring it.” Her face went flat, and she said, “Okay, okay, my ‘friends’ are me.” This sparked many great conversations until Tracey, being the force she is, committed to taking on the magazine.

I am no stranger to helping guide clubs, businesses, and now magazines into more future-proof and relevant organizations. I am thrilled to have a print magazine as our medium in an increasingly impersonal digital world. My goal is to bring California angling to you in a way that allows you to relax, with stories and photography that inspire you to get involved. I aim to present facts, history, recipes, and opportunities that enrich your life on the water. I want to answer questions like, “What’s up with pikeminnows?” Many anglers come into the shop looking for intel on where to trout fish on the north coast during the summer. Unfortunately, the rivers are open for trout fishing in the summer months, but the water is very warm. Moreover, these rivers are filled not with trout but with imperiled steelhead and salmon smolt. So, what if we targeted pikeminnow on the Eel River to positively impact salmon and steelhead populations?

Let’s encourage more simple human interactions, like the Angler’s Wave. Let’s learn about the geology, flora, fauna, and history that have shaped California.

The collective hive can only improve our efforts, so please encourage, comment, and inspire us by reaching out with feedback, ideas, and constructive criticism. It will take us a few issues to hit our stride, but I look forward to seeing what we all make of it. Lastly, let’s thank Richard for being a figurehead in our industry for so many years. I hope we make you proud.

Stay Fishy, California.