Are fly fishers truly good stewards of our God given natural resources? I?d like to think so but I?m not so sure that all of us are. I would venture to assume that in fly fishing, the gentleman?s sport, we have the ethical fibers within us that drive us to take good care of our rivers, lakes and streams. Is this an accurate assumption? Over the last 10 years, fly fishing has certainly been one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in North America. With this growth we?re sure to attract those who are less ecologically conscious that we?d like. We can strive to create public awareness in the fly fishing community yet probably the best place to start is with ourselves.

Marjory Douglass wrote, "The future lies within the strength with which man can set his powers of creation against his impulses for destruction." Now don?t get me wrong. I would definitely never pass as a purist tree hugger. I do not intend to preach but I think there area few things that we can look at. It truly hurts me to be on a beautiful stream to come upon the discarded remains of human presence that include water bottles, beer cans and cigarette butts. I know you?ve all hear one of the backpackers code of ethics, "if you pack it in then pack it out".

One pressing issue to consider for us nymphers is lead shot. Is it an eco sin to use lead split shot instead of tin? Of course it is! Lead is toxic and kills living creatures and you cannot seriously consider yourself a conservationist if you are intentionally putting lead into nature. Now, the lead that is accidentally dropped into nature by fly fishermen is surely a fraction of one percent of the total amount of lead that flies out of shotguns nationwide and lands in the wild, so why bother us with the issue? Because every little bit hurts.

How many times have you seen a wadded and tangled leader in the stream? Have you seen the horrible images of wildlife becoming tangled in the mass of monofilament?

Zane Grey wrote, "If I fished only to capture fish, my fishing trips would have ended long ago." And so it is with most considerate anglers. The thrill of the catch is often overshadowed by nature's breathtaking grandeur. I love to catch fish as much as anyone. However, when I?m all alone and think back to my fly fishing adventures, I think less of the individual fish that I caught than of the places that I?ve been and settings in which I?ve fished.

Fly fisherman become a part of the waters they fish. As naturalist John Muir observed, "When one tugs on a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world."

We must approach our pristine waters with respect. If we do this, then perhaps we gain its total amount of enjoyment. The fish aren't always biting, but Mother Nature is always watching.

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