A Bonneville cutthroat with a telemetry tag implanted is returned to the water for a movement study with WYTU’s Adopt A Trout program. An Evanston, WY 7th grade class will follow the movements of the fish over the course of the school year in their local water.
Here’s the second part of our People of Fly Fishing interview with Scott Christy, Trout Unlimited’s Wyoming Coordinator. If you missed the first part of Scott’s interview – read it in all it’s glory here.
Though I hinted a bit at it in my introduction to Scott’s first interview post, I’m (among many I’m sure) green with envy at Scott’s ability to live and work in Wyoming, even more so at being based in Lander among the Winds.
That said, I asked Scott about the Wyoming the main stream, bicoastal, megalopolis-based media seems intent on portraying these days. Scott’s answer (in the first question below) is an absolute classic and his related response about conservation work should win him the Nobel Peace Prize.
I’m nominating him this morning; we’re counting on your vote too.
The national environmental media often portrays Wyoming as the gun-toting wild West (in the context of the wolf debate at least); does this overt misrepresentation of the state and her people impact your advocacy efforts at all?
I’d put it this way, if you fail to understand Wyoming you fail to be able to work here effectively. Our state is known for a spirit of independence that it’s history, rural living, small population, and landscape have come together to create. Clearly Wyoming doesn’t particularly enjoy being told what to do. However, if you can listen to the people of Wyoming and work with them for local solutions you can get a heck of a lot done. In general this is an approach I’d recommend in conservation work everywhere. Listen to people and work for solutions that are informed by place and not by politics. (emphasis per Chi Wulff)
What attracted you to join TU professionally?
The simple answer is that I like to fish. From years of being out there on the water it became apparent to me that if people don’t stand up and advocate for our fisheries resources they likely won’t be there in their natural state in the future. In addition, over the last ten years or so TU has worked really hard to be a pragmatic conservation organization focusing on local solutions. Ultimately it is pretty challenging and rewarding to try to find creative solutions that work for a diversity of stakeholders in a specific place rather than try to implement blanket policies.
What do you consider to be your home water and what’s your favorite water in the state to fish?
While I grew up in the Midwest, I consider the high mountains streams and lakes of the Wind River Range my home water. I’ve spent much of the last ten years exploring the backcountry fishing of the Winds and running down rumors of large fish and/or golden trout. If you ask me where exactly I’ll point uphill.
We’ve had the pleasure of spending time in Lander and the Winds; what do you like most about your neighborhood?
In terms of the lower 48 Lander is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and I mean that in a complimentary way. It’s a place that isn’t for everyone. We have zero big box stores and the closest international airport is almost a five hour drive away. In terms of travel it is easier to get to Anchorage than it is to get to Lander. All of that I like.
If you could encourage fly fishers to do just one thing in terms of stewardship this next year, what would that be?
Get involved. If you don’t actively take part in advocating for our coldwater fisheries they’ll slowly go away. Getting involved can be a whole range of things. Join TU, educate others, get involved in local on-the-ground project work, comment on public land management and bills, ect… In short, no matter where you live, if you care about fishing you need to get involved in helping fish and fisheries.
Scott hanging with friends in the high country (yep, that's a Golden in all it's genuine splendor).
Tags: People of Fly Fishing
