In Episode 34 of the Tenkara Angler Level Line Podcast, host Mike Agneta is joined by Tenkara Angler panelists Amanda Hoffner, Anthony Naples, Bill Robichaud, and Matt Sment to welcome a truly special guest: Bob Mallard, Executive Director of the Native Fish Coalition (NFC) and one of the most passionate voices in native fish advocacy today.
Bob brings a remarkable background to this conversation; 15 years running a Maine fly shop on the Kennebec, hundreds of articles across publications from Fly Fisherman to Outdoor Life, five published books (including Squaretail: The Definitive Guide to Brook Trout and Where to Find Them), and co-founding the Native Fish Coalition, which has grown from a single chapter in Maine to 21 chapters spanning Maine to Arkansas in just a few years.
The NFC’s mission is simple but powerful: wild native fish, for the sake of the fish, not just for fishing. And as Bob explains in this wide-ranging conversation, that message is resonating with a new generation of anglers who are showing up in big numbers. We hope you enjoy this latest episode!
This video episode can also be found on the Tenkara Angler YouTube channel (we’d love it if you’d visit, like, and subscribe). The audio should soon be found pretty much anywhere you find podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, etc… Just search “Tenkara Angler Level Line” and it’s sure to come up!
Tenkara Angler Level Line Podcast
Episode Show Notes & Links:
00:10 – Introduction & Panel Welcome
02:51 – Meet Bob Mallard: Background & Career Path
Article: Ecological Purity
06:20 – The Native Fish Coalition: From One Chapter to 21
09:00 – What Makes NFC Different and Why It Attracts Young Anglers
11:13 – Pushback from the Fly Fishing Industry
12:46 – Small Streams, New Anglers & a Different Kind of Fishing Culture
14:10 – The Brown Trout Problem: Recreation vs. True Conservation
17:39 – “Traditional Fish Conservation Isn’t Conservation, It’s Recreation”
18:51 – NFC vs. Trout Unlimited: How They Differ
21:14 – Can Brook Trout Come Back to Limestone Streams in PA?
23:02 – Urban Stream Conservation: Finding Fish Where No One Looked
25:09 – Working With Watershed Groups Instead of Fishing Groups
25:46 – Hatcheries, License Fees & the Broken Trout Model
30:57 – Climate Change, Warming Waters & Shifting Fish Populations
35:54 – The New Hampshire Habitat Project: NFC & Tenkara Community Work Together
Article: NFC Plants Trees on Wild Native Brook Trout Stream
39:53 – Why Tenkara Anglers & Native Fish Conservation Are Natural Allies
Article: Tenkara & Native Fish
42:46 – Bob’s Books, Including Squaretail: The Definitive Brook Trout Guide
44:32 – Bob Tries Tenkara – What He Thought
49:14 – NFC Chapters, Growth & What’s Next
51:03 – What You Can Do Right Now for Native Fish
NFC Website | NFC Instagram | NFC YouTube
Bob’s Website
55:49 – Closing Thoughts & Sign-Off
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