Jun 24, 2021
Kaitlin Barnhart is one of the co-founders of The Mayfly Project, an initiative to connect fly-fishing mentors with foster kids. A lot of the lessons we learn on the water carry over to the rest of our lives. Slow down and work out all the knots. Seek help from those with more experience. Kaitlin also tells us what it's like to grow a passion project into a national organization with employees and volunteers galore.
00:40 Remember Sarah Topp and Timberdoodle?
3:00 Ground-nesting bird species and dogs-always-leashed rules, even on public lands
5:00 Timberdoodle: The dog who pulled her owner on rollerblades six miles in 24 minutes... "It was terrifying, but I find that fun."
8:00 When you learn to fly-fish in Alaska and then return to Idaho... "Oh, I guess I'm not as awesome as I thought I was."
9:00 The Mayfly Project -- linking foster kids with fly-fishing
10:00 Foster kids and access to sports/the outdoors
12:00 Becoming a mentor with the Mayflly Project
14:00 From the genesis of an idea to 53 locations with mentorship projects in place
17:00 Teaching a conservation ethos alongside fishing
21:00 Fly-fishing gives us so much bounty
25:00 Slow down and work out the knots (Fishing lesson, or life lesson?)
28:00 When people are in and out of someone's life, the outdoors can be its own kind of steady relationship
32:00 When Mayfly project kids teach OTHERS to fly-fish
35:00 Making an investment of time into a kid is huge
38:00 Bringing a Mayfly type of project to a new place: it usually starts with a single invested, committed, connected person
41:00 When a non-profit grows from a self-motivated, two-person hustle to an organization with employees and volunteers galore
42:00 Find the Mayfly Project on Facebook and Instagram
45:00 Fly-fishing as a mom with three kids... and when fishing kids evolve from littles to teens
48:00 Fishing as a meditation / escape
52:00 Did you miss our fly-repellent tip on Amber Rose from Victoria's Secret?
56:00 Getting some instruction vs. teaching yourself
57:00 Hey, everyone... exciting news! Artemis's Fly-Fishing Tactics event is ON. There's a goodie bag, a storytelling contest, and loads of tips. Join us! Register here!