Thank You for 5 Years of Science on the Fly

Dear Friends,

As I think back on five years of working with this community, I keep coming back to the deeply human instinct to connect. The work that we do here together taps into exactly that; to connect to our rivers, to connect to each other and to connect to our own selves.

Across this world of ours, rivers connect it all. They quench the thirst of communities from the far-flung to the inner city, they shelter wildlife from the banks to the baby salmon just getting started in the gravel bar, and they carry the stories of the landscapes they traverse. It’s this intricate web that connects us all and for those of us who fish, this truth is undeniable. It’s our beating heart.

We find our rhythm on the river, in the pulse of the water and the telltale tug on our lines. We find that perfect moment of peace when the light gets low and we see the hatch mingle with the first stars beginning to blink in the sky. Familiar waters turn into cherished companions. And when they’re threatened, we feel the call to act. Because when we stand up for a river, we’re standing up for everything it nurtures—wildlife, landscapes and the people who call its banks home.

This profound connection is what sparked the creation of Science on the Fly five years ago. Together, we’ve built a movement. The data that our Community Scientists gather is the backbone of our work, and it’s the common thread that weaves this big, brave story we aim to share. As we move into the final days of this year, we hope you’ll help us grow this community and this movement. By giving today, you’ll help Science on the Fly expand its community science work—empowering more anglers, gathering critical data from more rivers and driving action to protect these vital waterways. Every dollar strengthens this movement, ensuring rivers and their ecosystems thrive for generations to come—and even more, it strengthens this common thread that connects all of us.

This work wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you for being part of the Science on the Fly family and for helping us grow this community one cast, one sample and one river at a time. Your support is the current that keeps this movement flowing. This community has anchored every success and continues to guide our mission: to tell the stories of rivers we love and to defend their—and our—future. From the Amazon to the Arctic to the American West, these waters sustain us all, and they’re worth every ounce of effort.

Here’s to our home waters. Here’s to five years of Science on the Fly. And here’s to you—the heart and soul of this journey.

With gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead,
Allie