Public Water, Public Trust

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A Coalition for Access, Conservation, and Future Generations

At Fish On Adventuring, we believe public lands and public waters belong to everyone—across race, class, creed, and background. These places are not privileges reserved for the few. They are shared resources, held in trust for the public, and woven into the fabric of the American story.

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Public lands and waters are part of the American dream. They are places of refuge, challenge, healing, and connection. They are also places our veterans fought to defend, and they remain one of the most tangible expressions of freedom we still share.

Why This Matters

Across the West—and especially in Colorado—we are witnessing a steady erosion of access:

• Locked gates where open paths once existed

• Intimidation and legal gray zones replacing clarity and trust

• The quiet normalization of exclusion from public lands and waters

This loss rarely happens all at once. It happens incrementally, season by season, until access is gone not by law—but by pressure, fear, and fatigue.

We refuse to accept that future.

Our Commitment

Fish On Adventuring actively stands for the protection of public access to public lands and public waters, now and for generations to come. We believe these places must remain available to people on their own terms—when they need them, how they need them, and without requiring wealth, privilege, or permission from private interests.

We are committed to:

• Defending the principle that navigable waters are a public resource

• Advocating for policies that protect access and uphold the public trust

• Standing against the quiet privatization of shared landscapes

• Supporting transparency and accountability in land and water management

This work is rooted in the conservation ethic championed by Theodore Roosevelt: that public lands exist for the greatest good, for the greatest number, for the longest time.

Building a Coalition

We cannot do this work alone—and we shouldn’t.

We are actively gathering anglers, hunters, outdoor recreationists, writers, conservationists, and brands who believe that access matters. Together, we aim to shape policy, influence public dialogue, and reinforce the idea that public lands and waters are not negotiable assets to be traded away, fenced off, or quietly controlled.

This coalition is not about confrontation—it is about stewardship, responsibility, and legacy.

Action Through Story, Advocacy, and Partnership

Fish On Adventuring supports and collaborates with conservation organizations, publications, and advocacy groups working to protect rivers, ecosystems, and access. We contribute through:

• Writing and publishing articles that illuminate access and conservation issues

• Supporting organizations defending public lands and waters

• Partnering with brands and industry leaders who take a public stand

• Educating our guests about river health, aquatic insects, and ecosystem integrity

• Advocating for responsible land and water management

We believe storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for conservation. When people understand what is at stake—and what could be lost—they are more willing to protect it.

Beyond Access: River Health & Ecosystem Integrity

Protecting access is only part of the work. Healthy rivers require healthy systems.

We also support conservation efforts focused on:

• River health and flow protection

• Aquatic insect life and water quality

• Habitat restoration and responsible use

• Education around low-impact recreation

Because access without stewardship is not conservation—and stewardship without access is exclusion.

An Invitation

If you believe public lands and public waters are worth defending, you are already part of this coalition.

Whether you are an angler, a brand, a guide, a writer, or someone who simply knows what it means to be healed by wild places—we invite you to stand with us.

Because the right to step into a river, walk a trail, or cast a fly should never depend on who you are, what you own, or who stands on the bank upstream.

Public water belongs to the public.
And we intend to keep it that way.