President's Message - November 2009: You've Got to Stand for Something
by Rob Burlingame, AFF President
Mid 70’s and sunny…today was another beautiful day in south central Texas that left me wishing I was cruising the flats or wading the Hill Country instead of being stuck in “cube-ville” at the office. But as is typical with our weather, the next two days are forecast to be 15 degrees cooler and Noah-sized rainstorms! We have reached the transition in our seasons where each day’s weather is anyone’s guess…but if you get it right, you can have some of the most pleasant fishing conditions of the year! That was the trip I had a couple weekends ago. Two full days of full sun, great tidal movement and perfect temperatures. The winds were a bit heavy to start, but calmed to 5-10 mph in the late afternoons. It was a weekend made for fishing and as always, a learning experience to fine tune my fishing skills. That story, however, I will save for another time and page.
The experience I wanted to share happened on the ride down to the coast. I will pause to warn you that even on short drives, I often fall victim to random stimuli that invoke deep philosophical thought. OK, enough of the big words and back to the story. As I ventured southbound, my iPod was busy spitting out the remnants of a drawer full of CDs from the last 20 years. One long forgotten song came on and I had to turn it up. It was Aaron Tippen’s rendition of “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” from the early 90s. The song is a short remake of a classic Charley Pride song, but still holds a deep message about defining your values and staying true to them. The original version holds an even deeper message. I can’t help to remember that Charley Pride was one of the first black country artist, who debuted in the racially strained environment of the 1960s. In a recent interview about his experiences, he simply stated, “You’ve got to stand for something…and I stand for country music.” He lived the words of that song every day of his life.
You’re probably wondering how on earth this relates to fly fishing. I’m glad you asked! As a club and an angler, we have to stand for something, too. By Charley Pride’s example, that means we have to put our whole heart into whatever it is we are passionate about. A quick glance at the club home page reveals a condensed version of our club’s mission statement: “We are a service organization dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through conservation and education.” Easy enough…sort of. Read that statement again and really think about what that means to you. What does service mean to you? How can we better the sport through conservation and education? We have a diverse club and just as much diversity in the organizations or causes pull at our heart strings. The key here is to solicit the help of the club and its members to help promote and support your cause. Think about some of the organizations or causes that you have learned about through other club members, maybe one you would not have otherwise known about.
We have done a great job as a club this year in supporting the fly fishing community and some of the larger groups that are out there. We have given donations, helped to sponsor a benefit tournament and provided volunteers to a number of events. Most of the club is aware of the great relationships that have been formed over the years with groups like Casting for Recovery, Project Healing Waters and Texas Parks & Wildlife that often produce visible and local evidence of our support. Some are tangible items like fish structures, stockings, hatcheries and events. Some of the results are even more valuable but less tangible, like smiles, tears, memories and heartfelt appreciation. These organizations have received mainstream recognition in our club, but we mustn’t forget those that sometimes seem to fade into the background. Let’s strive to make them mainstream as well.
Take the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) and Keep America Fishing for example. They may not produce results each month that we can see or touch in our favorite fishing holes, but their role is equally as important. FFF is a huge advocate of education and promotion of the sport. Both groups are also our warriors in Washington, fighting to keep our waters open, stocked and fishable. They see to it that the sport and our values stay top of mind to those who can make an impact, positive or negative. Make sure you are supporting groups like FFF to show an appreciation of all they do for us.
Look for local and regional opportunities as well. They can range from volunteering at a local high school class, Boy Scout camp or casting clinic to giving presentations to other outdoor groups. It could be helping at a Kid Fish or youth fishing club event, even if they are not fly fishing. Seek out great local causes and support groups like Wade, Paddle & Pole and Billy Sandifer’s annual beach cleanup. Look for non-formal opportunities as well, like taking your neighbor’s kid to fish for the afternoon. It’s not about the size of the organization or the quantifiable impact, it is about promoting the sport that we all love and feeling good, knowing you are making a difference. If you have a special group that you are passionate about, share it with the club officers and let’s get more people involved. Remember, we are a fishing club, but we are also a “service” organization.
Every one of us has a passion for the sport of fly fishing. As a club, it is near and dear to our hearts. Let’s make sure we are sharing and supporting what we love. We can always go fishing for fun, but try to seek out opportunities to go fishing with a purpose and for a cause. The rewards you will reap are immeasurable.