Together Outdoors, a coalition of more than 100 outdoor recreation organizations, recently awarded a grant to Fly Fish NM that will help the nonprofit purchase up to 40 to 50 fly rod kits for to program participants. (Courtesy of Fly Fish NM)
As someone who has done more than his fair share of fly fishing trips, Andrew Ortiz saw his passion as a golden opportunity to engage the youth of the Land of Enchantment.
“Many times we go to areas like the Sipapu ski area. There is a campsite there and the kids always watch us fish. They’re sitting there not fishing … They’re not fly fishing, that’s for sure,” Ortiz said. “They get excited when they see us catch fish. I thought it would be a good thing to show them.”
This observation eventually led to the launch of Fly Fish NM, a non-profit organization that provides the state’s youth with opportunities they may not have otherwise had due to lack of access or economic disadvantage. In addition to learning about the different species of fish, the food they eat and the importance of preserving the environment, participants get to conserve the equipment they use.
“We want to try to get them to be good stewards of the outdoors because they are the future of this state,” said Ortiz, who is the director of Fly Fish NM. “We make them pick up the rubbish in the surroundings. They team up and get a bag and carry some trash, and then when you empty the trash bag, you win your rod kit. And it’s yours forever. After doing that, we teach them how to ride, throwing techniques. We make sure they understand security. We teach them how to cast the fly in the water.”
Fly Fish NM is a local non-profit organization that provides the state’s youth with opportunities they may not otherwise have due to lack of access or economic disadvantage. (Courtesy of Fly Fish NM)
“They catch fish soon and you should see their faces when they do.”
Fly Fish NM is not successful without help. For example, the national Together Outdoors, a coalition of more than 100 outdoor recreation organizations, recently awarded a grant to Fly Fish NM that will help the nonprofit purchase between 40 and 50 fly rod kits for program participants.
With money the organization receives from grants, or from its GoFundMe page, Ortiz goes online and bids on the best deals for needed equipment. To organize outings, she approaches various groups across the state, targeting organizations where children are abundant, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America or local YMCAs. The location of the trips depends on the season and the circumstances.
For example, a fishing trip this summer helped a group of children from Mora take their minds off the fires that ravaged their hometown earlier this year.
“He burned many of his properties and houses. It devastated their school year,” Ortiz said. “In the summer, you have these kids who are kind of in shock about what happened in their community. (It meant a lot) to see their faces, to go out and enjoy something. We ended up doing two shows because it was so popular up there.”
Fly Fish NM typically includes children ages 6 through high school, and trips can have up to 20 participants each trip, depending on funding and available equipment. In many cases, Ortiz tries to take out groups a second time to keep the skills learned fresh in his mind. After all, fly fishing is not an activity for the faint of heart.
“This is all about teaching those kinds of skills: patience, leadership, confidence, teamwork,” Ortiz said. “Some kids help others rig; the older ones help the younger ones. When you’re out there giving them instructions, you’re telling them, ‘You’re missing more fish than you’re going to get.’ It’s just a matter of time. When this one comes out fish, you have to have the right time to set the hook. It gives them more confidence and it’s a challenge.”