In the same boat
These are difficult times. COVID-19 has all of us on edge. Some places are under lockdown, some are not. We’re trying to be responsible, but we want to be able to fish while practicing social distancing and limiting up-close personal contact with others. The financial impacts are real for our TU Business members. In communities across the US and around the world, we’re all experiencing it. We need to support each other. After all, we’re all in the same boat.
For my purposes, I’d want to be in the boat with Tim Patterson from RIGS Fly Fishing in Ridgway, Colo. Tim has led fly fishing, rafting, and eco-tours throughout Central America, Mexico, and the Southwestern U. S. since 1991. “It’s not just about the fishing, it’s about the people,” Patterson says. “Our activities are kind of a metaphor for life. They can teach patience, strategy, versatility and adaptability to conditions.”
For Tim and the folks at RIGS, those aren’t just words. They’re a creed, a firm assertion of who they are. So when you learn that they fish some of the best of the west slope rivers in Colorado — the Cimarron, Gunnison, San Miguel and Uncompahgre — know that they do that with deep knowledge of those waters and a commitment to their customers and clients. At RIGS, they don’t just fish these great waters, they’re stewards of these streams. Their commitment to conservation runs deep. You’ll feel it when you talk to Tim or one of their awesome guides. They’re here for the long haul, and they have a stake in the future of their home waters.
RIGS is a family business, founded in 2001 and built from the ground up, with extensive industry knowledge and years of hard guide work throughout the industry. RIGS recognizes that access to quality waters is one of the most important resources for the business. RIGS successfully received the first permit for guided fly fishing and rafting on the Uncompahgre River in 2002 and has led the charge in acquiring western Colorado’s top public and private guide access. They work with a host of partners including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Colorado State Parks, giving their guests a wide range of quality waters to pick from, with year-round access to diverse rivers, streams, creeks, and still-waters.
What we do as fly anglers – what Trout Unlimited does as an organization – affects millions of others around the world. In a very real and very immediate sense, it affects our TU Business members like RIGS Fly Fishing. These members have supported us at every level of our organization from the local chapter banquet to the lobbying in Washington, DC. Now, it’s time for us to support them. Because we’re all in the same boat.
RIGS Fly Fishing
Tim Patterson
Ridgway, CO 81432
(970) 626-4460
info@fishrigs.com