Why Green is the Future of Fly Fishing: Sustainability, and More

Kevin Wolfe
Sep 21, 2025
3 min read

By Kevin Wolfe | Casts That Care

This piece is part of Sunday Cast, a weekly op-ed published in Casts That Care—our daily fly fishing newsletter. Each subscription helps support fly fishing charities, with 50% of fees donated every month. Join us HERE!

Read more. Think deeper. Fish better.

Conservation Has Always Been Part of Fly Fishing

When people talk about sustainability in the outdoor industry, it is often painted as something new. But in fly fishing, conservation has been in the DNA of the sport for over a century. In the 1860s, Thaddeus Norris was already writing about releasing fish instead of keeping every catch. By the 1930s, Lee Wulff’s famous line, “Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once”, helped make catch and release second nature.

Lee Wulff - Fly Fishing In Northeast Canada

The earliest fly fishers used natural, biodegradable materials like horsehair lines and bamboo rods. Later, synthetics like nylon and PVC lines gave us incredible performance but also introduced plastics that linger in waterways for centuries. That tension—between performance and environmental cost—set the stage for the eco-focus we see today.

The New Wave of Eco-Innovation

The fly fishing industry is now reimagining gear through a green lens. A few examples stand out:

Biodegradable tackle and packaging: Companies are producing lures and lines designed to break down instead of polluting rivers. RIO Products switched all their fly line spools to compostable packaging, keeping thousands of pounds of plastic out of landfills.
Recycled and renewable materials: Patagonia and Fishpond are making packs and jackets from recycled fishing nets and plastics. Costa is using bio-resins for sunglasses. These changes reduce reliance on virgin petroleum-based inputs.
Durable, repairable gear: Orvis and Sage back rods with lifetime warranties. Simms and Patagonia repair waders and jackets. The idea is simple: gear that lasts longer means less waste.
Less packaging, more responsibility: Outdoor brands are ditching clamshells and polybags. Companies like prAna and RIO have shown how shifting to biodegradable fiber packaging can eliminate millions of pieces of single-use plastic.

What ties all this together is not just better products, but a new business model that sees stewardship as part of the value proposition.

The Consumer Shift Driving It All

Why are companies leaning so hard into sustainability? Because anglers are demanding it. Surveys show that nearly 70% of consumers want brands to be environmentally responsible, and in the outdoor industry that number climbs to nearly 90%. More than half of customers say they are willing to pay more for sustainable gear.

This has created what I call the “green brand advantage.” A rod that performs well is good, but a rod that also reflects conservation values earns trust and loyalty. Retailers are rewarding that too. REI, Bass Pro, and Cabela’s increasingly prioritize brands with eco-credentials. Authenticity matters: greenwashing gets spotted quickly, but transparent, measurable action wins.

Market Growth and Future Projections

The numbers are clear. The global fly fishing apparel and accessories market is projected to hit $4.3 billion by 2030, with eco-friendly design highlighted as a growth driver. More broadly, the trillion-dollar fishing and hunting market is seeing sustainable products as a central expansion trend.

Expect to see more biodegradable materials, circular economy initiatives like gear recycling programs, and stricter regulations phasing out toxic or non-degradable components. Governments have already banned lead sinkers in some areas. It’s not hard to imagine similar rules for fishing lines or plastics. Companies that innovate now will be better prepared when regulations catch up.

Technology will also play a role. Smarter gear, apps, and digital platforms can guide anglers toward more responsible practices, while resale and repair programs will continue growing. The future angler will expect performance and sustainability to come as a package deal.

My Take: Why This Matters

Fly fishing has always been more than catching fish. It is about connection—between people, rivers, and the natural world. Supporting sustainable gear is just the modern expression of that same ethic. When we choose rods, lines, and jackets that are built responsibly, we are carrying forward the tradition of leaving the water better than we found it.

For businesses, sustainability is no longer optional. It is where consumer loyalty, growth, and long-term survival all intersect. For anglers, it is a way to align our love of the sport with our responsibility as stewards. And for the fish and ecosystems, it is the difference between decline and resilience.

In my opinion, this isn’t a trend to chase. It’s the next chapter of fly fishing itself. The brands that both fish well and do good will lead. And the anglers who support them will help ensure that future generations inherit waters worth fishing.