Becca Sue Klein and Her Important Legacy with All Kids Fish

On a cool morning in the North Georgia mountains, birdsong fills the air and mingles with another kind of sweet-sounding music: the voices of children exchanging excited whispers and giggles.

It’s early, but these kids are attentive as they huddle around the campground. They have trekked to the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River to take part in the Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program, where many will dip their toes into the invigorating world of fly fishing for the first time.

Passionate fly angler and conservationist Becca Sue Klein first envisioned the program while working as the development director for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, an environmental nonprofit based in Atlanta.

Across 20 years as a leader in clean-water nonprofits, Klein recognized the need to foster inclusion within the sport of fly fishing and ignite a passion for the outdoors among tomorrow’s conservationists. In 2019 she forged a partnership among Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, The Orvis Company, and United Women on the Fly (UWOTF) to host a one-day fly-fishing retreat for girls to learn the basics of fishing from experienced anglers.

“The first event in 2019 complemented the United Women on the Fly mission, which aims to create lasting change through education, mentorship, conservation, and a commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that fly fishing is accessible to all,” says UWOTF founder Heather Hodson-Neufeld. “Over the years, it has been incredible to witness the evolution of All Kids Fish.”

Five years on, the Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program has expanded to serve children from 10 to 18 years old. Since 2019, the program has touched the lives of nearly 800 kids, families, and volunteers. Whether on a North Georgia stream or in the urban environs of Atlanta, each Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish retreat furthers the mission of the program to make the sport of fly fishing more accessible to kids from all backgrounds and to cultivate the next generation of water stewards and conservationists.

It Takes a Village

The volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to the program every year are the real driving force behind All Kids Fish. Fly anglers from many other states, including Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington, have wholeheartedly embraced the All Kids Fish mission, traveling to Georgia to volunteer as instructors and mentors.

The program owes its sustained success specifically to the enthusiasm of women in the fly-fishing community, who were among its earliest and most ardent supporters. Along with United Women on the Fly, local club Georgia Women Fly Fishers (GWFF) has staffed the retreats with passionate volunteers.

“In the first year of the All Kids Fish program, there was such momentum about this new idea among our members,” says Megan Nellen, vice president of GWFF. At the outset, it was clear that the relationship with GWFF would be mutually beneficial: The All Kids Fish program allows anglers to give back to the community and develop their skills as guides and teachers.

At the campground, the kids spend the morning rotating through workshops where they learn to tie knots and flies, don waders, practice casting, and handle fish. They also learn about the ecology of rivers and how a healthy ecosystem sustains life.

During one lesson, instructors encourage kids to reach into buckets and touch stonefly and caddisfly nymphs collected from the Chattahoochee River. Healthy bugs indicate a healthy river. The children handle the bugs with care, demonstrating an innate reverence for some of the river’s tiniest inhabitants.

“The more we spend time in these beautiful places outdoors, the more we want to protect them,” says Erica Nelson, a Colorado-based fly-fishing guide and All Kids Fish volunteer. “Whether it’s a bug, some moss, algae, or fish, it is really important to form a relationship with these living things. I think this program is a great introduction to conservation.”

After completing their lessons and sharing lunch, each child is paired with an experienced river mentor for one-on-one fishing guidance. Thanks to the generous support of The Orvis Company, each participant is also gifted their own Orvis Encounter fly rod and a bag of gear to take home so that they can continue developing their skills.

“It means a lot for a big brand like Orvis to be part of this,” Nelson says, noting that Orvis was the first to sign the Angling for All pledge, a benchmark that she co-created with Brown Folks Fishing to address racism and inequality in the fishing industry.

“For Orvis, an inspired world of adventure and wonder in nature is one that is inclusive, equitable, and without barriers,” says Laura Schaffer, vice president of conservation and sustainability at Orvis. “One of the most important ways to achieve that vision is through partnerships with unique programs in our community that are truly effecting change. With their focus on igniting passion for fly fish-ing and conservation while celebrating diversity, All Kids Fish is a tremendous partner in the journey toward protecting what we love for future generations.”

Orvis fly rods in hand, the kids spend the rest of the day on the water with their river mentors, applying the many skills they learned in the classroom just hours before.

Nelson recalls a sweet moment: When her mentee caught her first fish, Nelson could overhear the young girl talking quietly to herself.

“She was saying, ‘Oh, I need to wet my hands before I touch the fish, and I need to keep the fish in the water,’ and then she held her breath when she had to pull her fish out of the water,” Nelson says. “She definitely paid attention in her fish handling class. In the midst of the chaos and excitement of catching the fish, it was really impressive.”

Freedom to Explore

The Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program encourages young people to learn about fly fishing at their own pace in a welcoming environment. Some jump feet first into the river to catch a fish, while others are more inclined to collect litter along the riverbank or turn over rocks to look for bugs.

River mentors, including Megan Nellen of GWFF, know better than to underestimate these kids. She recalls spending the day with one participant who was initially hesitant about fishing, but soon stepped outside of his comfort zone and into the water.

“It was freezing, pouring rain. He had lost four or five good fish, and he just stuck with it, and we finally netted a fish for him,” she recalls. “Getting a teenage boy to truly let go is hard to do, and this child just threw his arms in the air, screamed, let it all out, and let me see the true him—not the kid who tries to be cool or aloof. That was a powerful moment for me as a volunteer.”

Fly Fishing for All

When Becca Sue Klein founded the program, she recognized an incredible opportunity to encourage diversity in the sport. The program seeks to spark a passion for fishing and the great outdoors among all people.

“The best way to make sure someone feels welcome is to make sure that they have community,” says Ellen Begley, a volunteer and chairperson of the All Kids Fish host committee. “Here we prioritize making sure that everyone who participates sees themselves in our mentors, teachers, and leaders.”

Fly fishing historically has been a male-dominated sport. In an effort to change that, the All Kids Fish program offers at least one event exclusively for girls each year. While some of these girls have fished with their fathers or brothers, these events are often their first opportunities to fish alongside other women.

“Often we won’t try something if we can’t see ourselves doing it,” says Erica Nelson. “Seeing so many women come together—not just participating, but actually leading the program—is really special and impactful to young girls.”

To build a community, the program encourages families to participate, too. Parents can observe and ask questions as their kids develop new skills both on and off the water.

“Family is really important to me and my Indigenous culture—I think it really helps being able to have space for parents to support from afar, but also be there just in case and watch their kid try something new,” Nelson explains.

“Parents get to see a new side of their child that is really enlightening,” adds GWFF’s Nellen. “Even if they don’t connect to the fishing, the diversity of offerings in All Kids Fish allows something to strike or ignite in a student—a hidden passion or a gift that may-be the family hadn’t seen before.”

Backyard Fly Fishing

Strengthening the program is a network of partners and sponsors skillfully woven together by founder Becca Sue Klein, whose philosophy is that it’s better to work together and leverage strengths than to work in competition.

Along with Orvis, All Kids Fish benefits from the partnership of Jimmy Harris, owner of Unicoi Outfitters, who donates the use of private fishing waters in the Chattahoochee headwaters of Helen, Georgia.

“The incredible generosity of Jimmy and the Unicoi Outfitters crew really makes this event special,” says Nellen. “It’s beautiful water, big fish, and you can sometimes see the fish rising. It makes the mentors feel like we’re offering the participants a really authentic experience.”

“So many of our participants pick up a fly rod and catch a fish for the first time in the same day,” Begley adds. “As soon as they get the positive reinforcement of catching a fish, they have a little bit more confidence to get out there and try it again.”

The program also seeks to show kids that they don’t have to travel somewhere exotic to enjoy fly fishing—they can do it in their own backyards.

In the summer of 2023, the All Kids Fish program added a new location to its roster, hosting a retreat in the heart of Atlanta in partnership with Piedmont Park Conservancy.

“It helps students understand that conservation isn’t a one-time activity; it can happen in your neighborhood pond,” Nellen says of the event.

As part of their curriculum, students learn about Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s mission to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee River, which rises in Helen and winds through Atlanta before forming the state line between Georgia and Alabama. Kids are eager to learn about the organization’s water quality monitoring, trash removal, and advocacy efforts.

“Students get really excited hearing about all the trash that is collected through Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s trash traps, and learning how litter removal positively affects the waterways,” Nellen says. “It’s the combination of learning that you can fly fish in so many places and that you can create a lot of other positive impacts whether or not you have a fly rod in your hand.”

The All Kids Fish program collaborates with local community nonprofits, including YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Boys & Girls Club, the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, PFLAG Atlanta, and La Amistad to bring kids out to experience the program at no cost.

“We are very proud of our community partnerships,” Klein explains. “Every year, we pledge to have half of our participants join us free of charge. These are kids from underrepresented communities who have never picked up a fly rod before, so not only are they getting the environmental education and the fly-fishing education, but they’re going home with the tools to continue their journey.”

Leaving A Legacy

In 2024 the program celebrated its fifth anniversary, engaging more volunteers and participants than ever before. It’s a confluence of great ideas, resources, and community enthusiasm, all harmoniously orchestrated by Klein.

“It’s unique that someone can have an idea and quickly attract a large number of volunteers for a successful launch in year one. Then for that event to continue on and grow over five years, tripling the volunteer base, massively increasing the impact, and attracting national sponsors—that takes a lot of special gifts,” Nellen says. “Becca is actively engaged, and her leadership has been irreplaceable.”

With an unflagging energy for fly fishing and environmental stewardship, Klein is continuing to propel the program forward, even in the midst of a Stage IV metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

“Fly fishing is honestly the best therapy I could have ever asked for,” Klein points out. “There’s something about stepping out into a stream with nothing but the sounds of nature around you. There’s something spiritual about the way the light peeks through the trees at dawn, or the way caddis dance over the water right before dusk. There’s something truly healing about standing in the river with the cold water rushing past your body. When I step into the Chattahoochee River I feel my stress wash away.”

Now, Klein is introducing a new generation of anglers to the very same feeling. Among them is Emma, who has participated in the All Kids Fish program since 2021. She has caught two fish at the events in Helen; her favorite catch is a rainbow trout.

“They are cool looking!” she says.

Emma is already passionate about the lessons she has learned through All Kids Fish. She loves getting paired with a new mentor each time she participates because “each mentor gives different advice.”

Emma’s own advice to other kids? “Be kind to the outdoors. If you see trash, always pick it up. Don’t mess with the wildlife and never stack rocks!”

Sarah Johnson, Emma’s mom, is grateful that the program teaches kids about conservation and connects them directly with nature.

“Every class teaches girls that it is okay to get dirty—you can be a princess in combat boots, and it’s okay,” she says.

These days, the newly formed nonprofit iFishiBelong has partnered with All Kids Fish to support the program and expand its reach nationwide—first to Philadelphia and the Catskills, then out west, according to iFishiBelong All Kids Fish committee lead Dayle Woodward.

“It’s not only fabulous for the kids, but also for all the mentors and adults involved,” says Woodward. “No one leaves the event without feeling fulfilled and ready for another one.”

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Rosemary Pitrone is the communications manager for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

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