Segment 2, August 19th, 2023

The Outdoor Industry Association recently released the report that over fifty-four million people over the age of 6 went fishing during 2022.  This was a four percent increase from 2021.  The same report also noted that the Hispanic population going fishing has increased 45% over the past decade.  Also, the number of female anglers increased nearly by 4 million people since 2012, from 16 to 19.8 million.

Raz Reid of Reid & Associates has travelled the southeast purveying fly fishing goods to fly shops like Jesse Brown’s.  He’s done this for the past thirty-five years & joins the Carolina Outdoors to share his insights.  He’ll report on the influx of fly anglers from the movie, A River Runs Through It, released in 1992 & it’s comparison to the number of the fly fishing public that entered into the sport during the Pandemic.

Reid has worked through the sport since its perceived time as a tweed sport coat-sport to the growth of the sport on the coasts of the world with Saltwater fly fishing.  The sport continues to grow but there is literally still space for more.  He speaks on the places to fish.  You may see more people fishing but you can always find a place to escape.

Take a listen to this world record-holding angler, personality, & business person in the fly fishing industry.

Bill Bartee, from Charlotte fly shop Jesse Brown’s, interviewed Raz Reid.  Reid has been a long-time contributor to the Carolina Outdoors & represents one of the best fly fishing brands, Fishpond, available at Jesse Brown’s