Dear Friends of the Jackson Hole One Fly:
As I write this we are emerging from a very strange and difficult time for this country. While there has been widespread suffering, we have also seen remarkable acts of courage and generosity from caregivers and others across the nation. There has also been a tremendous spike in the number of people spending time in the outdoors taking advantage of some of the great natural resources we are blessed to still have available to us in this country. As we gather for this year’s event we can all reflect on what we have lost over the past 18 months but also on how much we cherish time spent with friends and family plying the waters with fly rod in hand. We can remember and celebrate how fortunate we are to have rivers like the Snake and South Fork within which to immerse ourselves.
The Board and staff of the Jackson Hole One Fly are delighted to be able to once again host our annual gathering in pursuit of fun, camaraderie, and trout. We anxiously count down the days until we are once again gathered in Jackson Hole to reconnect for what will be the 35th rendition of the One Fly. As many of you know, the main purpose of the event is to enable the Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation (JHOFF) to raise money for critical conservation work on behalf of the Snake and South Fork and their headwaters/tributaries. The money raised over the years has also helped us support infrastructure projects allowing for improved stream side access. Along with supporting conservation and infrastructure projects (such as boat ramp improvements, etc.) the JHOFF has also provided scholarship funding for graduate students studying aquatic ecology and related fields at the University of Wyoming. Another annual use of our funding has been to underwrite a Kid’s Fishing Day which has been a great way to ensure that we help support the next generation’s interest in the conservation of these great fisheries. Finally, the pandemic afforded us the chance to support the guide and outfitter community this past year as we chose to provide payments as if the 2021 event had taken place as scheduled. I am highlighting these uses of the funds we have raised through the generosity of our participants to help clarify the good that is done from the money you contribute to the JHOFF and to encourage all of us to give as much as we can to support the fishery and community from which many of us have derived great pleasure over the years.
The pandemic has offered us many lessons, some painful, but some hopeful. A clear lesson I have taken away from the past 18 months is to live in the moment and to support the people and places that mean so much to me. Hopefully, you will relish this year’s event and contribute generously to the JHOFF so we may continue our efforts on behalf of the Snake and South Fork.
Tight Lines,
Greg Case