Happy President's Day - Presidential Fly Fishing

Herbert Hoover was not big into the CandR scene.  Photo Credit Library of Congress.

We don't often jump into politics (unless it's something that impacts our fishing), However, since it is President's Day, it is worth noting that several folks of the rank of Commander In Chief have been among the afflicted.   Some quick scanning of the interwebs brings interesting facts to light.

Via WhitehouseHistory.org:

The three presidents who enjoyed fishing the most were probably Grover Cleveland, Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter. Cleveland and Hoover wrote books—Cleveland’s “Fishing and Shooting Sketches” (1906) and Hoover’s “Fishing for Fun—and to Wash Your Soul” (1963)—extolling the virtues and healthful benefits of fishing.


The HUK gear site says our first President used it to avoid dueling:

While history has styled our nation’s first president as a revered public figure, he was also one of the finest outdoorsmen of his time, and this included his passion for fishing. Washington’s home of Mt. Vernon was near the prime waters on the Potomac River and he even endeavored into commercial fishing. There are also stories that George Washington used fishing to settle disputes between his fellow founding fathers, or that he took three fishing breaks during the Constitutional Convention. By all accounts, he was a competent survivalist, fantastic horseback rider, and a passionate fisherman.

WideOpenSpaces on Warren G. Harding:

Few would call Harding a particularly great or notable presence, but his victory lap after winning the election essentially consisted of golfing and fishing in Texas. He’s a president we wouldn’t have minded being friends with, as he knew how to keep his priorities straight.

Finally, The Drake says that a little bad weather didn't keep GWB off the water.

While both Bushes put their time in chasing stripers off the coast of their family compound in Kennebunkport, it seems the elder Bush—when both were along—was generally at the helm. While sometimes criticized for the size of their stripers, (Reuters photo caption: “Are the Bush’s immune from the regs?”), they at least can be credited for getting after it in less-than-ideal weather conditions, even if they once got the anchor so stuck that it had to be retrieved by Secret Service divers.

Each of these sites have many more tidbits of info on fishing Presidents so check them out. Just a thought, maybe, in addition to President's day, we should have a National "Take a POTUS fishing day."  We just need to find a guide that can pass the background check..

*Update*  Just found this post on Anglers In Chief from Orvis.com