2020 – The Year in Review

Welcome to 2021...

In the early months of 2020 – the calm and happy days before the world shut down – Yellow Dog was coming off our busiest travel year ever, kicking off a celebration of twenty years in business and enjoying our position at the top of the industry after two decades of hard work, perseverance and delivering great customer service.

And then? … Boom. The world shut down, travel imploded, and everything changed in an instant.

Of course, we’re all painfully aware just how difficult this past year has been for so many people, and we certainly don’t need another business marketing or messaging with terms that include “unprecedented,” “in this together” and “uncertain times.” We all get it. The pandemic has brutalized the economy, cost countless lives, and delivered more damage than any of us could have predicted.

How has Covid specifically impacted the fishing industry and the sport of fly fishing in general? We all agree on the fact that 2020 is better off in the rearview mirror, and the negative effects are largely obvious – even in the small and often-times isolated world of fly fishing. But there are positives that have transpired from this “unprecedented” situation, and there are certainly future benefits from an angler’s perspective.

On the destructive side of things, the travel industry and destination angling as a whole were absolutely crushed when the world shut down. People stayed home, lodges closed, and airlines stopped flying. Small business loans and programs designed to keep people employed provided some assistance here in America; however international lodges, guides, outfitters and support businesses were largely left to survive on their own. Many of the guides we’ve fished with and come to know over the years were dealt a serious financial blow, as there was literally no work and no income for most of the year. Some guides were forced to sell their boats. Lodges terminated large numbers of staff, and many in the fly fishing community left the fishing world all together. Every international operation (along with many domestic operations) was hurt by the shut-downs, widespread cancellations and the lack of sales, and it will likely take years to fully recover.

What about the positives and the good news for fly fishing after this year of global upheaval? The first and most obvious positive is the environmental benefit that comes from literally shutting the world down for months on end. Satellite images from space show pollution levels pre-shutdown versus those taken six or eight months into the pandemic. It’s amazing how nature can heal and recover when we reduce our footprint and let the planet do its thing – even for relatively short period of time. For anglers, the effect of this “global rest” has been evident and abundantly obvious in the quality of the fishing and the behavior of fish that we witnessed – across the planet – in the latter part of 2020. As destinations gradually reopened and anglers slowly returned to waters in Alaska, Belize, the Yucatan, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, and numerous other destinations, they were routinely met with off-the-charts fishing and numbers that had not been seen in years.

Here in the U.S., numerous guides, outfitters and fly shops enjoyed a record summer season, as people were forced to cancel ambitious vacation plans and instead road-trip and explore by car. As a 30-year resident of Montana, I can honestly say that our rivers, boat ramps, campgrounds and parks have never been more crowded or used than they were this past summer – something

that is both good and bad, depending on how you look at it. Sure, we all hate a line at the boat ramp, and we work hard to avoid highly trafficked rivers. But think about all of the people that found their way to the outdoors (and to the sport of fishing) this past summer that otherwise would have stayed away? And those that perhaps found their way BACK to fishing after years of lapsed participation? Yes, it will mean more people on the waters in the years ahead, but it also means there will be more people speaking up for and giving a damn about the issues our sport depends on. Increased public access. Clean water. The protection of public lands. And the value of intact river ecosystems that are under threat from development, mining or pollution. In a time when conservation routinely bats last, it has never been more important to have voices speaking up on these issues, and it is a well-known fact that people support, promote, fight for and vote for the things they are connected to.

So what will things look like for fly fishing travel and destination angling moving forward? Well we know that the next few years are likely to be busy at home, as more anglers take to the rivers and streams here in America to pursue their new hobby. With more people on home waters, it will naturally lead to an increased demand for international travel to experience new, less-pressured fisheries. This of course creates a fantastic opportunity – as anglers – to expand our horizons and explore new destinations and options. For 2021 and beyond, consider thinking outside the box for the coming year. Explore the Yellow Dog destination website and catalog, and don’t be afraid to contemplate new and unusual destinations that you might not have previously considered. New adventures and angling explorations can lead to great things! Regardless of your destination, we are absolutely recommending that anglers begin their planning and booking processes earlier than normal for the foreseeable future. As a result of losing the entire 2020 season, there are countless trips that have had to be rolled over and rescheduled for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, which means that availability will be tight. For those destinations such as the Seychelles, Bolivia, Cuba, Argentina, prime permit destination in the Caribbean and others that were already in high demand, it will be even more important to look ahead and plan well in advance. Even destinations in the U.S. West, Alaska, Belize, the Bahamas and the Yucatan are likely to book up early in 2021 and well into 2022. Our recommendation for those that know they want to get back out there is to start the process now.

It is wonderful to kick off a new year with optimism, a sense of purpose for the future, and a hunger to resume travel. We are enthusiastic and excited for the year ahead, as things continue to re-open and life gradually returns to the way it was before Covid came to town. As travel logistics and options continue to improve, know that Yellow Dog is here and ready to work with you – and for you – whenever you’re ready to get back on the water.

Now let’s get back to traveling and fishing the world! Jim Klug

Co-Owner & Director of Operations

Ian Davis

Co-Owner