Welcome to the inaugural relaunch issue of California Fly Fisher.
We are thrilled to reintroduce you to California Fly Fisher, a publication with a proud 31-year legacy. It’s an idea that came to me in one of those wake-in-the-middle-of-thenight, aha-moment epiphanies. At hand was an opportunity to meld my personal and professional experiences from the last 30+ years into this one bold undertaking. My 12 years leading communications and fundraising efforts at California Trout was certainly the anchor that gave me an understanding of the fisheries and waters across the state and upped my fly-fishing acumen. Add years of working for national print magazines, along with a degree in advertising, and I felt uniquely equipped to drive California Fly Fisher into the future.
You might wonder, why relaunch a print magazine in today’s digital age? This is definitely a question I faced myself.
Here’s what drives me: I’m old school. I appreciate items and artifacts that have ostensibly been replaced by seemingly better alternatives. To wit —typing this on my old Olympia typewriter, working from my 1968 Cardinal trailer-turned-home-office (dubbed ‘Little Bird’ after which I named my publishing company), I embrace the tangible and the tactile. I find joy in holding a print magazine, feeling its pages, and appreciating the craft that goes into it. It’s not the same with digital media. It’s the difference between sitting back and leaning forward.
I also believe in the enduring power of brands. Richard Anderson, the founder of California Fly Fisher, whom we profile in this issue, created a brand that resonated deeply with its readers. More importantly, he built a community – a community we aim to nurture and grow.
Lastly, I believe California is remarkable. Its diversity of waters and fisheries is unmatched by any other state in the lower 48. Its beauty, from the blue-ribbon waters of the McCloud to the surf of San Diego, is simply stunning. There is no shortage of stories, adventures, and people to feature, making California Fly Fisher an essential publication for every angler.
Our dedicated subscribers, whose feedback you can find in the Letters column, reaffirmed my belief in the importance of this magazine. Fly fishing is a timeless pursuit, as relevant today as it was centuries ago. My goal is to celebrate this heritage with you, add new insights to your adventures, and broaden your vision of our state’s angling opportunities.
So sit back and enjoy this Summer issue. California Fly Fisher is for you.
Thank you to all who have kept this magazine alive. Looking forward receiving the hardcopy.
This is great! I’ve always looked forward to the next issue. I even have piles of past issues in my garage hoping that one day they could be scanned for all future anglers to enjoy. My wife will be happy that you have already done this??!!
It’s been my go to guide to fishing California since I discovered it and always look forward to finding it in my mailbox. I almost always read the entire issue within a couple of days and go back to find those tidbits that I will try to use the next time I am on the water. I will say as much as I love a print copy, if the time comes to decide to continue publishing or go full digital, please keep the mag. alive by going digital. Even to eldest of your readers are computer literate at this stage in history. I look forward to many interesting places and ideas and a few surprises as I go to my very analog mailbox for my next copy.
Thank you very much for keeping this going!
This is a breath of fresh air to have the magazine back!
Ironically, I only became aware of the magazine when a friend lent me an issue in late 2023…. Yep, that was the last one, annd it was absolutely full of great info on fly fishing in California. I contacted Mr Anderson and was very sorry to have confirmation that he was closing up shop. But he got back to me in the spring, telling me to be on the lookout for some good news, and here it is! Absolutely brilliant to have the old archived articles as well! What a treasure trove. Thank you!