2025 IGFA Youth Fly Fishers Program Update

Last year, the IGFA Education team announced the launch of the IGFA Youth Fly Fishers program that stemmed from IGFA Trustee and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, Andy Mill, in conjunction with Greys, in donating fly rod and reel combos to like-minded organizations for the sole purpose of introducing youth to the sport of fly fishing. This effort has not only continued, it has expanded!

These rod and reel donations have grown into grassroots efforts going beyond a basic introduction to the sport but truly immersing kids in its delight. Here is a recap from our partners and programs in 2025.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the IGFA continues to build our relationship with the Jackson Hole Fly Fishing School (JHFFS), whose guides and instructors do exceptional work when it comes to getting youth interested and educated in the sport. This year, JHFFS hosted beginner fly fishing seminars at their schoolhouse every other week throughout the summer, reaching 36 children.

On top of that, the IGFA supported Coombs Outdoors, a fellow nonprofit empowering local youth to grow and thrive by reducing barriers to outdoor recreation, by donating a set of Greys Cruise fly rods for youth who attended the three-day trout school hosted by JHFFS for nine children who were the recipients of a generous donation from the One Fly Morton Memorial Scholarship. After the trout school, these youth can check out the fly rods donated to Coombs to go fishing with their family and share their experience. One youth already checked them out to go fishing with his dad!

“I love sharing my passion for the outdoors by teaching others what I have learned over the years and showing them the joy it brings me. I like to show others how the outdoors can also bring them joy and helping them find that. I enjoy taking others to places I've explored, sharing the views and moments that we can cherish creating ever lasting adventures. Every outdoor experience brings opportunities to reconnect with nature and each other. It builds lasting memories with the people I care about.”
- 2025 Coombs Outdoors Participant

We’re excited to continue building this relationship with JHFFS and Coombs Outdoors so that more youth can venture outside through fly fishing and share that knowledge and newfound passion with their family.

Basalt and Estes Park, Colorado

The IGFA continues building our relationship with the Roaring Fork Conservancy, based in Basalt, Colorado. This year, we worked with Christina Medved, Director of Community Outreach, again on fly fishing training opportunities, but this time, for the Fly Fishing Basics online course that the IGFA continues to build. Lisa and Nick, with the IGFA, spent an afternoon with Christina learning about bugs in the river before heading to Sasquatch Fly Fishing to meet up with guide Alex to learn why we use the flies we choose to "match the hatch". This video will provide a fun insight into life in rivers and streams in the Fly Fishing Basics course once completed.

Saint Petersburg, Florida

Earlier this year, in Saint Petersburg, Florida, the Saint Petersburg chapter of The Mayfly Project, another fellow nonprofit that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor and support children in foster care, wrapped up another successful mentoring season for five youth. Each child in the program went home with a fly rod and reel donated by the IGFA and Greys. We are expanding our relationship with Tim Elms, one of the lead mentors, this year by sponsoring a symposium he is a panelist for in December called Fly Fish Southwest Florida to drive traffic to our partnership and efforts in getting more youth educated and involved with the sport. More is on the horizon with Tim as we will work together to film tutorials for the Fly Fishing Basics course, including what forage lives in saltwater habitats to match your fly for prominent game fish. Stay tuned for more!

Rio Puelo, Patagonia, Chile

A new partnership was developed in 2025 with Escuela Infantil Fly Fishing in Rio Puelo, Patagonia, Chile, under the direction of Pedro Vargas. Their 2025 fly fishing workshops in Patagonia were a success earlier this year, reaching 20 very keen high school students as well as a few primary students from the rural community. The Greys Cruise fly rod and reel combos were perfect for conducting the fly casting sessions and ideal for young hands to handle them. On the last day, the students were treated to a day trip upriver where they had a chance to review and apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

“It is my hope that having the support of the IGFA will continue to facilitate the ongoing growth and reach of our project, as I intend to lead the development of fly fishing in Chile. It is also my hope to continue formalizing my project and its educational objectives and program so that we become a real force in the maintenance of our beautiful natural environment and unique culture. Therefore, I am grateful for your personal interest in what I am doing, and I am grateful to the IGFA for the support,” says Vargas. There is more to come as this newfound partnership grows!

Wind River Reservation, Wyoming

The IGFA has now partnered with Indifly to get more youth interested and engaged in fly fishing. Indifly works to guide indigenous communities toward sustainable futures through fly fishing eco-tourism, in which the first project the IGFA has supported through the donation of a Passports to Fishing kit and fly rod and reels was the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes and some of the best fishing in Wyoming with over 1,100 miles of streams and 265 lakes containing a variety of game fish species. This donation supported their 2025 Summit in August, in which more than 40 native youth participated.

Johann du Preez, Executive Director of Indifly, commented on the Summit, “The 2025 Costa Trout Unlimited 5 Rivers Ambassador Summit was one of our most successful gatherings yet. The youth, community members, and industry partners came together for an unforgettable experience. Each year, Indifly hosts college students from across the country in partnership with Trout Unlimited and Tribal Fish and Game. The goal is to connect with Native youth to nature, build friendships, and introduce them to the incredible world of fly fishing."

This year’s practical sessions exceeded all expectations. Over two days, more than 40 Native youth joined, along with parents, family, and friends. Students arrived eager to learn, share, and connect. The first practical day at Washakie Reservoir was filled with energy as we taught the basics of fly fishing and casting using IGFA’s Passports to Fishing program. Native youth learned everything from knot tying to safe fish handling, but the day truly came alive during the casting competition.

On the second day, at St. Lawrence Basin, the youth put their new skills into practice. This was a special day. We saw many catch their very first trout and saw the camaraderie grow between college students and Native youth. We are excited to see this event grow and reach more people in the years to come. This incredible weekend wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our partners. We thank you.

The IGFA is continuing to build this relationship and all their various community projects with the support of a Passports to Fishing kit to get children introduced to the fundamentals of fishing with spinning rods and reels, and with future Passports to Fly Fishing kits, in which Johann is working with the IGFA on curriculum, specifically on how to teach youth to cast a fly rod. We are excited to see how this relationship progresses to reach new communities!

Passports to Fly Fishing

Speaking of Passports to Fly Fishing kits, we are happy to report that the prototype was completed in 2025 and tested at a Learn-to-Fly Fish event at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan, in July. These turnkey “fly fishing clinics in a box” will help implement in-person clinics and camps specific to teaching youth and adults how to fly fish. Based on the concept and resounding success of our Passports to Fishing program, participants at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore traveled through five education stations with passports in hand to learn about gear, flies, knot tying, ethical angling, and fly casting.

Upon completion, they received their certificates and a rod and reel to practice their fly casting. In total, 55 youth came through the stations during this inaugural event, where most families spent 5-10 minutes or more per station, which was sufficient in learning the skill at each station. After the event, a post-event survey was distributed in which 100% of the families said that they are likely to go fly fishing again. Before the event, participants' knowledge of fly fishing averaged 1.6 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest. This rating increased to 3.8 after the event, showing 138% growth in their knowledge in just one event!

We learned a lot from this inaugural event, but we have some modifications to make on the kits and how best to deliver the content. However, we have great support from members of our IGFA network, corporate partners like Cortland Line, and our partners in fly fishing education listed above, who have helped us develop these toolkits into valuable resources for one to teach others how to fly fish, to inspire them to try it on their own, and to have fun without getting overwhelmed.

“My children had a great time. The event was great for all ages. The littles looked like they were having fun, and my two at 14 and 17 enjoyed it as well! We look forward to similar events in the future!” said the parents of one camp attendee.

We’re excited to continue building fly fishing programs for youth and their families. We would like to thank all our education and corporate partners who helped us progress this past year, and stay tuned for more on the horizon!