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The Rise of Fly Fishing Cats: A Feline Revolution in Sports Sponsorship

| Glenn Smith

(Total Satire)

In a world where sporting legends emerge from unexpected corners, few stories are as remarkable—or as delightful—as that of the fly-fishing cats. These agile, curious felines have long been known for their love of chasing anything that moves. But now, in an unprecedented leap into the world of outdoor sports, cats are making waves (literally) as proficient fly fishers. And their hard-earned skills have caught the attention of none other than Nike.

Yes, you read that right—Nike, the global sportswear giant, has signed a sponsorship deal with a group of fly-fishing cats. These furry athletes, equipped with their natural hunting instincts and agile paws, are now the official faces of Nike’s new “Air Purr” line. How did this feline phenomenon come about, and what does it mean for the future of both sports and pet sponsorships?

The Origins of Fly-Fishing Felines

Cats have always been hunters, gifted with lightning-fast reflexes and an unparalleled ability to pounce with precision. But fly fishing, a sport typically reserved for humans who enjoy the tranquility of casting their line in search of the perfect catch, seemed like an unlikely pastime for these indoor-loving creatures. That is, until a group of adventurous cat owners began teaching their pets how to use tiny, specially designed fishing rods.

It started as a quirky social media trend—owners filming their cats curiously batting at fishing lines with delicate precision. Soon enough, these cats were able to mimic the technique used by professional fly fishers, swatting at and “catching” their prey with surprising skill. What began as a few viral videos quickly exploded into a full-blown trend.

Word spread fast, and soon fly-fishing cats were no longer just a novelty—they became a legitimate phenomenon. Feline fly fishing competitions began popping up, drawing spectators and cat lovers from across the globe. With their sleek movements and laser-sharp focus, these cats proved to be natural-born anglers, often outperforming their human counterparts.

Nike Sees the Potential

As with any sport that gains popularity, the next logical step was sponsorship. Enter Nike, a brand renowned for identifying and aligning with the most innovative athletes in the world. With its iconic “Just Do It” slogan, Nike has built its legacy on promoting athletes who push boundaries and redefine what it means to compete. So when they saw the surge in fly-fishing cats, Nike executives knew they had stumbled upon something truly unique.

The decision to sponsor these feline athletes was a strategic move to not only celebrate the unconventional but also tap into a new, fast-growing market of pet enthusiasts. As part of the deal, Nike announced the launch of a new line of pet-friendly gear called “Air Purr.” The line includes lightweight cat vests for optimal mobility, claw-enhanced fishing gloves, and a collection of stylish bandanas, each emblazoned with the signature swoosh.

“Air Purr”: The Next Big Thing in Pet Gear

The “Air Purr” collection represents a shift in the sportswear market, one that acknowledges the role pets play in people’s lives and activities. Nike’s designers worked closely with veterinarians and feline behavioral experts to ensure the gear was not only fashionable but functional. The fishing gloves, for example, have retractable claws to help cats maintain their grip on a slippery catch, while the vests are made from moisture-wicking material, perfect for a long day at the river.

Of course, Nike’s marketing campaign for “Air Purr” is nothing short of legendary. They released a series of commercials featuring cats in slow-motion, leaping through streams with grace and precision, all while the familiar strains of motivational music play in the background. The tagline? “Chase your next catch.”

The Future of Cat Sports

The rise of fly-fishing cats has opened the door to a new world of possibilities. With Nike’s backing, it’s not hard to imagine other feline sports emerging, from cat agility courses to feline parkour. The sponsorship deal also reflects a broader trend of brands recognizing the influence of pets in the sports and lifestyle space. Pet-centric sports gear could soon become as popular as human fitness apparel, creating a lucrative niche market for both brands and athletes.

As for the fly-fishing cats themselves, they continue to hone their skills, participating in national tournaments and even eyeing spots in international competitions. With Nike’s support, these cats are proving that with a little practice and a lot of determination, even the most unexpected athletes can rise to stardom.

In the words of Nike, sometimes all it takes is the courage to “Just Do It”—whether you’re human or feline.

So, next time you see a cat sitting by the window, don’t be surprised if it’s not daydreaming about chasing birds but perfecting its fly-fishing form. The world of sports is changing, and it seems that even our furry friends are ready to take on new challenges—one paw at a time.

A 9’6” Fly Rod Is The Perfect Social Distance

| Glenn Smith

This Covid 19 (which is a great name for a highend reel) has and will change our lives for a while unfortunantly. We have involuntarily become a nation of mask wearing germaphobes; scared of anyone we don’t know personally. We avoiding touching anything that may have been fondled by “that guy” and we tuck and roll away from anyone that clears their throat. The funny part is, I am totally good with it. I’ve never been a fan of close talkers, who are overly enthusiastic conversationalist that spit their words. I am also pleased that I have a free-pass on not having to fist bump people I don’t want to or even worse, bro hug. This is newest, freshest kind of expected antisocial behavior I’ve been longing for, it’s fantastic!  A harsh POV, I know, but pretty apt.

So, you may be asking yourselves, what does this have to do with anything remotely resembling the topic of fly fishing? 

Let me answer that with one simple fly fishermen’s reality and a value we all, by design, share, we “social distance” as sport. We actually like being by ourselves. Think of your last road trip to the river? Admit it, even if you and your 3 best buds arrived to the river in one car, you bolted to your own spot “just down there around the bend, find me if you need me” kind of spot (and liked it).

Historically, fly fishing is the best activity, the best way, the most quietly independent, soulful thing to do to let the world wash by us. It allows you to forget that the world is burning, it allows you to deeply care only about the 50′ stretch of flat water with sippers right in front of you. My reality of social distancing is that if I can cast a decent line and hit the eddy you are creating, you are entirely too close. 

This pandemic has taken us all by surprise, but I’m not all that shocked. As a whole, we as a society have taken pretty much everything for granted, we maintain the mindset, ”Naw, that won’t happen here or to me, I’m not at all worried,” Well are you worried now? 

This “new normal” is a much needed learning experience, a reality check of sort. 

I would love to give you some real life examples that may not have directly touched you, but in fact, created massive losses of a different sort of life.

Remember whirling disease? Myxospolus Celebralis? The parasite that killed all the juvenile rainbow trout? It was devastating. It was spread to different rivers carried in damp felt soled waders or unchecked hatchery stocking procedures and/or other human driven methods. It wiped out countless fish. The solution was equally tragic, hatcheries had to dispose (kill) of all the fingerlings to curtail the spread of the disease. (Sounds all to familiar except for the culling of the population)

Just for fun, 

I was also reminded of another variation and threat that affects our waters that was in today’s newspaper. Wait for it…..The introduction of invasive fresh water muscles! When introduced it becomes a destructive, almost impossible plight in fresh water lakes. Remember, none of this is not done by malicious intentions, it all happened because of just not knowing better or not taking precautions until it’s too late. But we have the power to make good choices.

On a side note, I am a little disappointed that I haven’t had to deal with any “Killer Hornets” I wanted to be part of that!

In short, all of this should not be a deterrent to getting out and enjoying the fabulous out of doors and chasing trout. We simply have to be a bit more aware and diligent.

I know there are doubters out there and some who believe it’s a hoax, Just say’n, it’s not. All that needs to happen is just a few things that I think might make this all more bearable and hopefully curtail some risks;

  1. If you are chatting somewhere or you want to talk on the river or the shop, stay a good 9’6 fly rod distance away. Don’t be shy and put this method to the test, poke at them at will.
  1. As far as masks are concerned…Wear your BUFF, They are always badass, they look cool and you wear it anyway. Remember, keep it pulled up in full-on guide fashion and keep it there, Especially if you are closer than a rod length of somebody. 
  1. Wash your hand in the river if you have any intention of touching people. The added benefit is that when cars pass by, the occupants will think your just released a fish, it’s a win-win!
  1. Be nice out there. We are all involved in this, some others may or may not be freaking out. That’s ok, but if it bugs you, move 2 or 3 rod lengths away and act like the river flow is too loud to hear them. This method has work for me for years.
  1. Keep sanitizer in the car. Really, it’s no big deal, also I believe that straight-up vodka works, but don’t hold me to it. 

Lastly, before I step off of my soapbox aka my YETI cooler, I have forgotten to mention something important, I am not an expert in Emerging Infectious Diseases nor am I Doctor, but I do believe in precautions, preparation and being aware if risks, no matter how big or small they might be. 

As a reminder, it is in everyones best interest that if you don’t buy into all this covid stuff and claim that you know better because you got the information off of social media or from that guy at the gun-shop or a talking-head newscasters/radio personality, stay quiet. Unless your sources have a ton of letters after their name, what you are spouting it just unproven hearsay.

Let all do our best to be good people and better sportsmen and sportswomen and most importantly, Don’t hate!

Tight Lines

Guide Glenn Smith

Balancing Ego and Ethics: The Dilemma of Fishing Photography in the Social Media Age

| Glenn Smith

Documenting and bragging has been big part of fishing since the beginning of time. I can imagine the earliest of the human race catching a fish, holding up proudly, then scurrying away to hide and eat the bounty. I also can search a historical photo archive and find a deguerreotype somewhere of a guy holding, hanging from a stringer or fighting a fish, just like this one:

IMG_4394

It’s always a grainy, black and white image of a big fish or a ton of fish. It’s almost predictable but somethings never change.

The question is, Why do we do this? Why is it necessary to document your outing? Are you a notorious liar, and nobody will believe you otherwise? Or is it you believe you will never catch a fish again and you need the proof to show all your friends?

I don’t really have an answer and I am not an expert of human nature, what I do know is ego plays a big part in this. Why else would it be necessary to take a photo of yourself holding a fish that you just caught?

Trust me, I am no saint. I am a fly fishing guide.

I take pics with fish, I take photos of my clients with their fish as well as the surroundings were enjoying.  I do this for a couple of reasons.

Sometimes the fish is amazing and I want to show it off…so there is my ego shot.

I have many photos of my clients with fish for the main reason of fueling their excitement, as well as hopefully securing my spot as their guide for future trips when they are back in my waters. It’s simple, if I’m out of sight I’m out of mind.

This brings me to the ‘Instagramation’ of fishing and how it has cheapened the status of the sport I love. Instagram excels at bring forward the worst in people.

Social Media is now the new synthetic fabric of todays society.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, whatever social dot-com comes down the pike, has created false realities and false envy for their users and followers. What Instagrammers promote is the image of “amazing” in a second reality that is far from real. How many times have you seen the perfect pose, in the perfect place, in the perfect car drinking the perfect expensive drink with the tag line; “#livingTheDream” or “#mylife”? And you know they drive a 10 year old car and their selfies without a filter they would never look like that.

Every time I check out Insta’, it’s almost ridiculous. I will even admit that seeing scantily clad beautiful women has become completely benign and old hat…EVERYONE does it. “Likes” are that important to the poster that having dignity and mystery is no longer a value, it’s an engagement killer.

So that brings me to fishing pictures on instagram. I will once again state that I use and post on the platform and I am not condemning it. What I want to stress is to get your priorities straight on the reasons your posting the images you taking.  And to take those photos with respect the to sport and the wildlife you have captured.

Having the opportunity to spend time in the outdoors, communing with nature is one thing, taking that experience, sexing it up, exploiting it or damaging it is a completely other story.

The examples I can give of this are many, the extreme ranging from a girl who poses topless with all saltwater fish she caught to the asshole that posted himself using a baby shark as a bong. If you find this funny, you might want to reevaluate you sense of humor.

Next up the list is the posters that believe that they are “influencers”.  For those of you that don’t know what a instagram influencer is, It is a person that gets free stuff from companies because they have a substantial amount of followers. I get that, more eyes, more sales. Conversely,  I have seen many photos posted of people with a fish, with their hat down so the Logo of upfront, with a beer can propped up with the label proudly presented in the frame with a million hashtags, thinking that they will get noticed and become sponsored.

Two things; One, having 210 followers does not make you an influencer and secondly, you’re really not all that interesting. On a side note, if you’re a cute girl, that’s a perk for gaining more followers but, I can assure you that those followers are not all that interested in that fish you caught. What exactly are they trolling for? Just remember that.

One of the things that social media does do well is highlight failure. Get online and search #fishing #flyfishing #bigfish, check out how many anglers are mishandling the fish. They have them by the gills or hanging from their jaws. They have them flopping around on the shore or out of the water too long.

My personal favorite is the people who forgot they were trespassing and fishing private water. Even worse than that is the people who willingly break the rule JUST for the photo-op, Talk about losing sight.

I know it sounds like I’m a grumpy old dude and I just don’t get it but let me move to the great part of instagram fishing pics…..I got nothing”n

I love seeing beautiful places, gorgeous fish, amazing flies, exotic destinations, you know, it’s the reason why we do this.

I would like #flyfishing or #fishing to be more like the Travel Channel or The Drake Magazine less like a venue for shameless self-promotion

My advise, keep the camera in the car, or if you cant resist, take fast and thoughtful photos. Always respect the fish, the enviorment, and if you’re a catch and release angler, “keep’um wet” let them go quickly.

One thing I know for certain is a well told fish story is way better than a photo any day of the week.

Tight Lines (from the socially unsocial guide)

Glenn