Orvis stepping up: Seeks donations of used gear for #harvey rescuers #Harveyprops

In yet another example of the outdoor community stepping up, The Orvis Company's San Antonio store has been quietly outfitting hurricane Harvey flood rescuers with waders and rain gear.  However, due to the shear volume of people involved, they have tapped out their supply.  Phillip Monahan writes:

The magnitude of the flooding in southern Texas and Lousiana has shocked the nation, but we are also heartened by the bravery and dedication of both first-responders and private citizens who are working diligently to help those in need. With so much water on the ground, the need for raingear, waders, and wading boots is far outstripping availability. Our San Antonio store has been outfitting as many people as possible, but the need is greater than we can supply.
So we are asking anyone who has extra rain jacket or pair of waders and boots to ship them to:

Orvis San Antonio
ATTN: Landon Rowlett
Park North Shopping Center
7427 San Pedro Ave., Suite 104
San Antonio, TX 78216
All items will be distributed to rescue personnel in affected areas.

Orvis is also inviting customers to join them in making donations to several charities.  More information is available via this link.

If you know of outdoor industry companies, large or small, doing something nice for people impacted by hurricane Harvey and it's aftermath, let us know in the comments!

Let's give some #HarveyProps

If you know of businesses small or large, stepping up to help in the wake of #HarveyFlood tweet us so we can give props!

— flyfishmagazine (@flyfishmagazine) August 30, 2017

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Orvis Customers to Round Up for Project Healing Waters

I am back in the lower 48 and can only say that our Alaska trip surpassed all expectations. I'll have more info and substantial fish porn shortly. While I recover from a redeye flight out of Anchorage I wanted to pass along a word from our friends at Orvis about a new initiative they have put in place to help support one of FlyFishMagazine.com's favorite organizations, Project Healing Waters.

Orvis is asking their customers to round up the amount of their purchases during the month of September with the proceeds going to Project Healing Waters. In addition the good folks at Orvis will be matching the customer donations dollar for dollar. Seems like a great time to buy some gear. Check out this video for details.

Stripers Forever Auction: Buy Wine - Help Striper

Be sure you read that title carefully. It says Buy Wine - Help Striper. While we know that many of our fellow anglers have bought strong drink in an effort to help strippers, this is a much more noble cause.

A communique from the right minded folks at Striper's Forever indicates that they are auctioning off a case of Fish Hook Vineyard's Pinot Blanc. The opening bid is $200 and proceeds, of course, go to the aid of Stripers Forever Game Fish Initiatives.


Oregon is rapidly becoming known as one the great Pinot Blanc producing areas in the world and Stephen Cary is rapidly becoming known as one the great practitioners of the art of turning this relatively little known grape variety into great wine. When we founded Fish Hook Vineyards we had three basic goals. First, we wanted to make really good wine that shows the true fruit character of the grapes and the subtle mineral qualities of the vineyard. Second, we wanted to make a little bit of money to support our bad habits (fishing) in retirement and have some fun doing it. Third, we wanted to do some good with some of the profits and tie it all in with our passion for fishing and the sea. Hence Fish Hook Vineyards, the Striper on the label and our involvement with Stripers Forever and The Ocean Conservancy.

Follow this link for instructions on how to place your bid.

Stripers Forever on Striped Bass Stocks

Conservation organization Stripers Forever has taken issue with a recent Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission stock assessment for Atlantic Striped Bass that says things are peachy and no action is necessary.

This information appears designed to reassure the public that all is well with striped bass, but Stripers Forever believes an in depth review is warranted. Our concerns with the stock assessment center on the fluctuations that these statistics have had over the last five or six years, and what we perceive to be the determination by fishery managers to put a positive spin on striped bass stocks in spite of some serious negative indications.

A big issue is shrinkage in the numbers of large breeder females within the bass population

It isn’t the probable inaccuracy of the stock assessment that concerns us most. We recognize the extreme difficulty in making accurate and consistent stock assessments. At the Striped Bass Game Fish Symposium 2006, one of the panelists, a fishery Ph.D. and one-time Director of Marine Fisheries for a large southern state, told attendees that these stock assessments were accurate to no more than 50% in either direction and could be even farther off than that! What does bother us is the ASMFC’s lack of recognition that this fishery is slipping away, and that the recreational industry depends on high quality fishing for its vitality.

Read the entire article via StriperForever.org

Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball: Feb. 8th - Charlotte, NC

The story of nine year old Taylor King caught our eye in a recent posting on the Southeast Fly Fishing Fourm. Taylor suffers from Batten disease which is a neurodegenerative disease which most often strikes infants and children. The disease is always fatal. Taylor just underwent life extending surgery in Portland, Oregon. She came through well and is recuperating there now.

Taylor's friends and family are holding a "Fairy Tale Ball" February, 8th 2008. There will be a silent auction with proceeds going to the search for a cure for Batten disease. Members of the SEFFF have donated a guided fishing trip to be auctioned for this worthy cause.

From Taylor's website:

Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball will take place at Roof with a View on Hill Street near uptown Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 8, 2008. Join us for this magical evening to support the search for a cure. In addition to fine food, music and dancing, guests will have the opportunity to bid on great items, including golf lessons, theater tickets, videography services and a two-week stay in Berlin, Germany, in a silent auction. The evening's program will feature David Pearce, Ph.D., a world-renowned Batten Disease expert from the University of Rochester. Tickets are $75 and include a tax-deductible donation to Taylor's Tale and the Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA).

Read more about Taylor and her family via their website: http://www.Taylorstale.com

For more information or to purchase tickets contact Lauren Maskowitz.

FlyFishMagazine's Charitible Giving Guide

Tis the season for gift giving and we know that many fly fishers are also very generous when it comes to charitable giving. With that in mind we have put together a list of a few charities that we feel are deserving of our hard earned money.

Trout Unlimited & the Federation of Fly Fishers - both of these are great organizations that do tons to support conservation and the sport of fly fishing. We suggest membership in one or both.

Stripers Forever - When we first visited this website we thought that we had already donated but then we realized that it was stripers and not something else similarly spelled from our younger, single days. Stripers Forever is a non-profit dedicated to game fish protections for striper.

Project Healing Waters - This fine organization helps with the rehabilitation of our wounded soilders through participation in the sport of fly fishing and fly tying.

Casting for Recovery - provides fly fishing retreats designed for women who have or have had breast cancer.

Not fishing related but worthy none the less:

Kiva - Kiva is a favorite of the Editorial wife. You don't exactly donate money via Kiva but rather deposit it and then pick entrepreneurs in third world countries to lend in to in the form of micro loans. When the person pays the loan back you can lend your money out again.

Touch The World Ministries - TTWM is a faith based non-profit headed by a fly fisherman, my father, Rev. Homer Murdock. It is one of my favorite charities because I have personal knowledge of the work they do and know that the money given goes to help needy people all over the world. Their current project involves building 19 homes in Mawagala village, Uganda. The village has been ravaged by Aids and the houses will be built for children many of whom have lost both parents to the disease.

These are just a few of my favorite charities presented for your consideration this Christmas season. I could never attempt to list all the worthy causes of interest to the fly fishers among us so feel free to leave your own suggestions via the comment section.