Profile of a Fly Fisherman: Jim Klug - Part II

PROFILE OF A FLY FISHERMAN:

Jim Klug of Yellow Dog Fly Fishing - Part II

Founder and CEO for Bozeman, Montana-based Yellow Dog Flyfishing (www.yellowdogflyfishing.com), Jim Klug began working in the fly fishing industry at the age of 14. Over the years, he has worked as a guide, sales rep, travel coordinator, and as past National Sales Manager for Scientific Anglers. He’s guided extensively in Montana, Colorado, New Mexico and Oregon, and has fished throughout the world in over 60 different countries.

By THE EDITORIAL STAFF // Pictures: JIM KLUG

In 1999, Jim founded Yellow Dog – a trip booking and travel company that has grown to become one of the largest and most recognized entities in sporting travel. Yellow Dog currently represents and books more than 250 lodges and outfitting operations in 39 different countries. In 2022, Yellow Dog expanded operations with the acquisition of one of the largest fly shops in Montana, as well as the launch of a full-service e-commerce retail platform.

As Yellow Dog’s CEO, Jim spends a lot of time scouting and researching destinations throughout the world. Aside from his ongoing work with Yellow Dog, Jim is also the co-founder of Confluence Films, a film production company that created the fishing movies DRIFT in 2008, RISE in 2009, CONNECT in 2011, WAYPOINTS in 2013 and PROVIDENCE in 2016. In 2019, Jim launched the popular fishing podcast, WAYPOINTS, a program dedicated to fishing travel, adventure, and exploration.

In 2017, Jim was awarded the American Museum of Fly Fishing’s “Izaak Walton Award,” given out once a year to honor and celebrate individuals who live by the Compleat Angler philosophy. The award recognizes “a passion for the sport of fly fishing and involvement in the angling community that provides inspiration for others and promotes the legacy of leadership for future generations.” In 2018, Jim was the recipient of the “Lefty Kreh Industry Leadership Award,” presented to one individual each year by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA).

Jim’s writings and photos and appeared in numerous magazines and publications, and his photo work and galleries can be viewed at www.klugphotos.com. Fly Fishing Belize (released in October 2014) was Jim’s first full-length book project. Jim lives in Bozeman, Montana with his wife Hilary and children Carson, Finn and Gus.

We’ve been fortunate enough to sit down with Jim for a chat about his life in fly fishing

You’re the founder and director of renowned travel agency, Yellow Dog Fishing. How did Yellow Dog come about?

Well it was a bit of an accident, really, as in the beginning, I never really planned to build or create a booking company at all. Back in the late 90s, I was working as National Sales Manager for the fly line company, Scientific Anglers, which at the time was owned by 3M Corporation. When I took the job, I had to move from Montana to Minnesota, where I quickly found myself working out of a small office in 3M world headquarters – the exact opposite of where I thought fly fishing would take me.

“It’s no coincidence that the most laidback, easy-go-lucky anglers are always the ones that seem to catch the most fish!”

It was a great learning experience, but honestly, I was pretty miserable living and working in the Midwest. For several years at that point, I had been spending a lot of time saltwater fishing – mostly in Belize. A good friend of mine named Logan Gentry has recently purchased the renowned El Pescador Lodge in northern Belize, and I

was spending a lot of time down there. People that I knew started asking for advice on the area, and eventually, word spread that I could help people dial in the right location in Belize or line up the right guides. Pretty soon, I was fielding a number of calls and emails, and without even thinking about it was sending more and more people to El Pescador and a handful of other lodges in the country.

Logan eventually sat me down and showed me some numbers, saying, “You need to quit your job at 3M and start running your own booking company.” At that time, however, there were some seriously large bookings agents and companies out there, and I doubted that I could get any traction if I were to jump in with both feet. But … after some serious thought and research, I saw an opportunity to start a new company that offered something different, and the rest – as they say – is history. We’re now entering our 24th year in business, and we’ve grown Yellow Dog from a oneman operation that focused solely on Belize to an operation with 250+ lodges and locations in 39 different countries.

To many, running a fly fishing travel agency is a dream occupation. Are there any downsides?

How many pages do I have to answer that one? This can for sure be a dream job, but just like anything, if you’re going to be good at it and consistently do it right, it takes a ton of work.

Most booking agencies and fishing travel companies are pretty small and operated by hobbyists – people who love to travel and fish, who hope to book a few trips and maybe score some free fishing and lodge visits. But to be a legitimate agent, you have to provide actual services and solutions for your clients every step of the way – 100% of the time. Because the fact is that great fishing trips don’t just happen by accident. They’re created through detailed planning, a proper amount of research, and – most importantly – by working with the right agent that really knows each product and destination.

When you plan and book a trip, you of course want to be working to with someone who can ensure you end up in the right place, at the right time, with the right gear, equipment, and information. And to be that person takes a lot of work and years of experience.

A far as specific downsides go, the pandemic was obviously the mac daddy of problematic situations for our industry, and it was especially brutal for every company and agency that focused on international travel. Sadly, it put quite a few of the smaller travel players, a number of lodges, and even independent guides out of business. Things bounced back in late 2021, however, and travel has been busier than ever for the past couple of years – something that has now created a “new crop” of booking agents and trip providers who’ve recently arrived on the destination angling scene.

From small fly shops, to hobbyists, to Insta-famous “celebrity trip hosts”, it seems that everyone now wants to be a worldwide expert when it comes to destination angling and travel. Very few of these “new” players were even in business during the dark days of the shutdowns, however, and if they were, many simply locked the door when the shit hit the fan and laid low until the world re-opened and travel once again resumed. So yes – this can be the “dream occupation” when things are easy, the weather is sunny, and the fish are dumb and hungry, but when a customer’s travel plans are disrupted, when a trip has problems outside of normal hours, or when a global pandemic shuts the planet down, you need to work tirelessly – and quickly – to find options and solutions for your customers. That is the difference between the dream and the reality.

What are the main challenges involved with scouting new fly fishing destinations?

The initial challenges – and a lot of the hard work – usually revolves around pre-trip research. These days, you can cut through a good bit of the “noise” and learn a lot about an area, an operation, or a fishery by doing your homework ahead of time. So, when we arrive on location to actually scout and visit a new operation or a potential addition for the Yellow Dog lineup, we’ve already done a lot of research to determine whether or not it will potentially be a fit. And if the visit goes well and matches up with our research and expectations, it usually makes the cut. That said, we don’t ever represent a location or sell a destination until we’ve been there to experience it and fish it ourselves.

You have to know what you’re selling, and you need to have first-hand experience on location. And of course, there have been plenty of scouting trips and research trips that have resulted in us NOT bringing on a lodge or destination, as in the end, it was simply not a fit for our clients for a number of different reasons.

But asking about how we scout a new destination does bring up a great point about first-hand knowledge. When you’re talking with an agent or working with someone who claims to be an expert on an area or a specific destination, always start the conversation by asking, “have you personally been there?” And if the answer is yes, ask “how many times” and “when was your last visit?” Relevant, up-to-date, first-hand knowledge and information is invaluable.

What are you most concerned about when curating a travel product for your customers?

Setting the right expectations has to be the biggest concern these days. I think that every lodge, outfitter, and agent (ourselves included) naturally wants to market a destination and operation by showing it at its “best.” Photos and video of happy clients holding big fish, celebratory moments around the lodge’s dining table, perfect weather, and bluebird days … these are the elements that are ubiquitous in pretty much all desti-

nation marketing and advertising these days. And while there are times at every destination when things are firing on all cylinders and the fishing is amazing, the reality is that fly fishing for ANY species is usually going to be a challenge.

“It’s almost as if bonefish were designed with fly anglers in mind”

We always need to remind ourselves that fly fishing – in general – is not easy. Regardless of how much money or time we may spend planning a trip, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to hooking and landing fish. Most of the gamefish that we as anglers choose to pursue when traveling to fish are by nature spooky, hyper-alert, and wary. Fooling these fish into eating a small piece of metal covered with chicken feathers and belly-button lint is always hard – even on the best of days.

Setting proper expectations is always key when we work with our customers, and we always try to remind clients that destination travel is about so much more than just the fishing. When you take time to remember where you are and why you’re there, you can’t help but enjoy your trip – regardless of the size or number of fish caught.

What are your ambitions for the future?

As we continue to build our company and send more people out into the world to chase fish and experience new places, I really want to see our customers more engaged in the places they’re visiting and with issues that really matter to our sport. To that end, we launched a non-profit project several years ago called the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation (YDCCF). Since its inception, YDCCF has helped give back to key angling communities and fisheries throughout the world by funding numerous conservation efforts and grassroots, locally driven projects.

To date, the Foundation has invested more than $1.5 million to help preserve, protect, and enhance the fishing communities that matter to traveling anglers, and our platform provides these same anglers a way to donate directly to the areas and fisheries they visit and connect with. And these communities need more help than they’re currently getting from the normal influx of traveling anglers. For them to overcome the threats and challenges they face, it takes investment by those who profit from utilizing their resources as well as those that visit and fish their waters.

People can read more about the Foundation, the work we’ve supported, and how to get involved at www.ydccf.org

Any cool trips or projects coming up?

Always! The biggest project that I am currently dealing with right now is the continued integration of the new fly shop and retail e-comm platform that we acquired and launched in early 2023.

Yellow Dog purchased one of the most established and successful fly shops in the Northern Rockies last year, which gave us immediate access to every top brand in fly fishing. We now have the ability to offer our customers and clients (as well as any traveling angler looking to source the right gear) the most relevant equipment and fly solutions for the world of fishing travel. The right inventory, on-hand and in stock at all times.

Moving forward, we’ll not only be able to book and arrange the best adventures in the world, but we can also outfit anglers with exactly what they need for success on the water – no matter where they are fishing or traveling.

As for new travel offerings, we’re continuing to add new destinations in Europe and Africa, and we have some exciting new things we’re working on in South America. On a personal level, I have a remote atoll trip that I’ve been planning for the past several years that may actually come to fruition in 2024 –if we can actually secure the permit and permissions.

Any advice for readers who would like to carve out a niche for themselves in the fly fishing industry?

Well … you have to decide if this is a short-term hobby or phase, or if this is something that you really want to pursue as a career. And if it is the latter, then you need to be very realistic about what a career in fly fishing can provide.

“A career in this industry can be tough”

On the plus side, you usually work with and deal with amazing people who are friendly, fun, and who share your love for wild places, healthy waters, and beautiful fish. It is a great profession if lifestyle matters more than income or if you value travel and time on the water more than a big paycheck. The realities, however, is that a career in this industry can be tough. First off, when you make your passion your profession, it inevitably changes your relationship to that activity. Secondly, there are few high-paying jobs in fly fishing, and the reality is that many are seasonal. You need to decide if that a factor or not.

When I talk with younger people looking to “break in” to the fly fishing industry, my advice is to start by working retail in a specialty fly shop, and then – as soon as you are ready – guide. Even if you are young and fairly new, you can still find

solid guide opportunities in places like Alaska, South America, and certainly throughout the US West. The best way to learn the ropes and gain experience is to go to work for a solid operation that is willing to train and teach young guides. Once you have guiding experience in your quiver, it will open all sorts of other job opportunities in the fishing and outdoor recreation industries.

In terms of the environment, what has you most concerned you as you’ve traveled the world?

There are honestly a lot of issues that threaten the resources and species that our sport depends on. Population declines of native species, water pollution, habitat degradation, fish farms, and hatchery impacts on native populations, overfishing and increased pressure … the list of threats is long and serious. For me, however, the number one concern I have is the overall health of our oceans.

The amount of plastic that is floating around in the oceans of the world is beyond insane. Today, it is almost impossible to find any beach – any place on the planet – not covered with plastic waste and micro trash. When you travel to the most remote islands and atolls on the planet – to beaches that should be pristine and untouched – you instead find these ecosystems full of plastic water bottles and other non-biodegradable garbage. It honestly makes you wonder about the future of our planet.

Every major ocean on the world now has one or more massive trash vortexes full of plastic and other marine debris. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch – currently floating around in the North Pacific Ocean – has an estimated size of 1,600,000 square kilometers, which is about three times the size of France. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans also have massive garbage vortexes and plastic patches that are continuing to grow.

Do you have any advice for fellow fly fishermen who would like to make a difference on behalf of the environment and our precious fisheries?

Absolutely. If you really care about this sport and the places that matter to fishing, then you need to get involved and you have to pay attention. Many of us found our way to fishing because time on the water was peaceful, restorative, and usually stressfree. Stepping into the water with a rod in hand has always been something that allows us to unplug, tune-out the noise of life, and connect directly with our surroundings.

The reality for anglers these days, however, is that “tuning out” and finding a peaceful escape is becoming more and more difficult. So much of what we love – the very things that we identify with and are drawn to as anglers – are increasingly threatened and under attack.

If we look down the road and try to envision what the sport of fly fishing and the fisheries we love will look like in 15 or 20 years, the picture is hazy at best.

Amplified threats to public lands. Deregulated extraction industries and the ever-present threat of massive mining projects in crucial ecosystems like Bristol Bay in Alaska and the headwaters of blue-ribbon rivers throughout the US West. The continued decline and loss of angler access. Diminished watershed protections. Rollbacks on regulations designed to protect clean water. Rampant gillnetting in crucial marine ecosystems.

The list of looming and legitimate threats is long and at times overwhelming, and it is hard to make the case that conservation is “winning” right now. For this reason, the days of carefree, detached participation by those that love fishing may sadly be behind us – especially if you’re someone who values a world where your kids and grandkids will be able to find the same type of on-water experiences you’ve enjoyed on your own journey through fly fishing.

I would argue that it’s not enough these days to consider yourself an “engaged” angler just because you own a few rods or occasionally head south to chase bonefish on the flats of Belize or the Bahamas. Fly fishing – and the resources and places our sport depends on – needs a louder voice. And unless we engage and speak up to protect and preserve the things that matter to our sport – the very foundations of the pursuit we care about – we’re going to find ourselves with limited and severely diminished fishing options in the years ahead. That means we damnedwell better be paying attention and finding new ways to fight for our fish.

But on the positive side, one of the things that has always set anglers apart from other hobbyists, sportsmen, and general recreationalists is the great lengths to which this community will go to pursue game fish and – in turn – protect and enhance the fisheries and wild places where fish live.

In many of the world’s great sportfishing destinations, fishing access and on-water experiences are enjoyed as a direct result of the efforts of those who are working hard to protect and preserve these rights and resources. Our numbers may be relatively small, but our voices can be loud! So … the very long answer to your last question? Fishermen can make a difference by speaking up, voting, volunteering, and by doing business with companies who have a legitimate conservation ethos and action plan.

Talk about and share the issues that matter to you as an angler with friends, family, and other outdoor enthusiasts, and never be afraid to talk about conservation and the important issues linked to angling. There is hope if we are pay attention and stay active!