Youth Fly Fishing School Builds Skills and Pathways for Taos Youth

Taos youth have limited opportunities to engage with fly fishing as both a skill and a potential career path, despite its popularity in the region. Without structured programs that connect young people to fly fishing mentorship and career exploration, many miss opportunities to build outdoor skills and explore employment pathways tied to Taos County’s outdoor recreation economy. To help address this gap, a team member at Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument reached out to LOR with a solution: launch a Youth Fly Fishing Guide School that provides technical skills training, river stewardship education, professional mentorship, and career exploration connected to guiding and outdoor recreation industries. With support from LOR, the Youth Fly Fishing Guide School will be led by professional fly-fishing guides and will offer four days of instruction focused on fly-fishing skills and river stewardship. Approximately 10 to 15 youth participants will gain technical skills, complete CPR and First Aid certifications, and receive direct mentorship from local guides, outfitters, and outdoor professionals. The program combines workforce exploration with conservation education and aquatic ecology learning, helping young people understand how outdoor recreation careers can create viable, place-based opportunities in Taos County. Ultimately, it strengthens outdoor leadership development and expands awareness of fly fishing career pathways across the region.