August 17, 2025
My daughter got to experience her first flood tide fishing yesterday. It was special for a number of reasons, but I loved getting to share my love for fly fishing with her. I also loved getting to share that catching redfish is only a small part of the experience, and it is the events that happen along the way that is most rewarding and remembered. However, it was her excitement as she was seeing things in nature for the first time that inspired me to rethink the importance of sustainable business practices.
Yesterday, we saw marsh grasshoppers, egrets, fiddler crabs, periwinkle snails, and tailing redfish. We heard the relaxing sound of rain hitting the water (nature’s sound machine) and cicadas humming as my good buddy Paul Puckett poled his skiff. The pluff mud smelled like only pluff mud knows how to as we dodged the rain under a bridge, had a few laughs and then capped off the adventure going for a swim. We caught no fish, and that’s just fine with me because I’ll never forget hearing the excitement in my daughter’s voice as she saw her first tailing redfish, the gentle sound of the rain drops extinguishing themselves in the Ashley River, or the gratitude I felt for being fortunate enough to get to share an experience like this with my daughter.
As I watched her excitedly point at the redfish, I was reminded of the responsibility we have as anglers to protect the resource from present-day threats, but also use the precautionary principle for the future of our fisheries. We need climate-resilient fisheries management policies, as well as habitat restoration to protect our fisheries today, and in the future. We saw lots of trash floating on the tide, which reminded me of how important regulations like EPR for packaging really are for businesses. As Hurricane Erin is currently raging in the Atlantic and Caribbean as a Cat 4, I thought about the importance of climate action that we all must take, no matter how big or small our impact. Finally, yesterday was a reminder that every single day is a gift and while we should strive to be more present in our lives, it is shortsighted not to plan for the future.
If you are a business owner who loves the outdoors, and values a fishable future for your kids, grandkids, and future generations, I’d love to talk with you about how Emerger Strategies can help your business switch to more sustainable packaging, take climate action by measuring and reducing your carbon footprint, and make the business case for sustainability. If you are looking for more ways to protect what you love, check out The Sustainable Angler podcast for inspiring stories and practical tips for taking action.
Let’s protect what we love, together!
Cheers,
Rick