A Steelheader's Way: Lani Waller's Life as a Steelhead Bum

In the fall of 2014, Lani Waller and I walked along my British Columbia property line, discussing how the next few hours would unfold. Carefully, we stepped atop fallen yellow leaves that layered the ground like poplar pastry. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was about to interview a very nervous Lani Waller.

I can’t remember exactly how it started, but Lani and I had struck up a friendship a year earlier. It was during my guiding days on the Dean River—a place Lani knew well. In fact, it was through Lani and his old Scientific Angler VHS tapes that I first learned about the Dean. Dated footage shows timeless glacial water framing a handsome man in a red bandana. His enthusiasm could sway even the most callous of men.

For months, I’d come off the water and settle into both my guide cabin and Lani’s emails. We’d exchange stories—mine from today, his from the past—but soon, our conversations grew deeper than fishing reports and updates. Our relationship evolved, delving into philosophy, surviving accidents, death, life, and poetry.

Lani was a private person, and I’ll respect that here, but on that day at my place in northern British Columbia, he was finally ready to open up. His nervousness was understandable. In 2014, I hadn’t yet started my podcast, and we were about to sit down to record a segment for my television series, Shorelines.

Now, it was more than just me, Lani, and the steelhead. There was an entire film crew—complete with a sound technician, drone pilot, and cameraman. It was a stark contrast to our usual private correspondence, so we walked off our nerves before heading into the wall tent where the mics were waiting. Within minutes, we forgot about our audience, focusing instead on his story and the legacy he would eventually leave behind.

Catfish to Steelhead

Lani’s lifelong passion for fishing began at the age of six, in Missouri, shortly after World War II. It was 1946 when his father first took him fishing, and Lani caught his first fish—a small catfish. Little did he know that this simple moment would ignite a deep love for nature and fishing that would shape the rest of his life.

From then on, Lani fished frequently, catching catfish, crappies, and whatever else he could find in Missouri waters. With each outing, his belief grew stronger that fishing wasn’t just a pastime, but a way to connect with the natural world—a way to belong to something larger than himself. This feeling only deepened when his family moved to California, where he discovered rainbow trout in clear mountain rivers. It opened his eyes to a new kind of fishing, and he was hooked.

In his early years, Lani fished with lures and bait, completely captivated by the sport. It wasn’t until high school that he discovered fly fishing. His family didn’t have much, and there wasn’t money for fancy tackle, but that didn’t stop him. With some ingenuity, Lani crafted his own fly lines using thick braided fishing lines coated in melted paraffin wax. He managed to create something resembling what he saw in the sporting magazines, despite having little idea how to use it.

His early fly-fishing heroes were legends like Lee Wulff and Joe Brooks, whose articles in Field & Stream and Sports Afield opened up new worlds. Lani devoured their writings, absorbing as much knowledge as he could. Over time, he began to develop his own understanding of fly fishing and how it connected him to nature in ways that other forms of fishing could not.

Coming of Age

In 1956, Lani caught his first steelhead in California, using salmon eggs. That moment turned his passion into an obsession. He became determined to learn everything about fly fishing for steelhead and other species, continuing to grow as an angler and as a student of the natural world.

When it came time to choose a college, a school’s reputation wasn’t his priority—its proximity to good fishing was. He attended Chico State, a small college near the mountains, with a tributary of the Sacramento River running through campus.

Lani was in his element while fishing between classes.

His father eventually bought a mining claim along the Klamath River, giving him even more access to steelhead water. As his skill and passion for the sport grew, he started acquiring better tackle, advancing from a novice to a seasoned fly fisher.

Becoming a Steelhead Celebrity

After college, Lani’s love for fishing led him down an unconventional path. Despite his studies in psychology, history, and social sciences, he had no desire for a typical career. In 1977, when a fraternity brother suggested opening a fly shop, Lani jumped at the chance.

He found himself running the business, working alongside renowned anglers like André Puyans. Running a fly shop introduced him to travel and adventure fishing. He organized fly-fishing trips to Alaska, where he experienced the sport in its purest form—wild trout and salmon in pristine waters.

This experience only deepened Lani’s passion and commitment to fly fishing. By the time he began attending trade shows and giving presentations, he had fully embraced his role as both a storyteller and ambassador for the sport. His dedication, paired with his contagious enthusiasm, opened doors that would change his life forever.

One pivotal moment came at the end of a five-day trade show, where only five people attended his slide presentation on fly fishing for steelhead. Initially disappointed, Lani realized that those five individuals had made the effort to show up and deserved his best. He gave the presentation everything he had—only to discover that those attendees were executives from 3M Scientific Anglers. That chance encounter paved the way for Lani’s legendary partnership with Scientific Anglers, when in 1984 they produced three award-winning fly-fishing films. Overnight, Lani had skyrocketed to celebrity status.

Tragedy on the Babine

At the height of his popularity, Lani’s life would be forever changed by a terrible near-death experience. In 1992 he survived a plane crash that claimed the lives of everyone else on board. The accident occurred while Lani and his fishing friends were flying in a single-wing Cessna, en route to a remote steelhead camp on the Babine River in British Columbia. As they neared the landing strip, the pilot miscalculated the approach, touching down too late.

It quickly became clear that there wasn’t enough runway left to stop the plane safely. Facing the edge of a high cliff, the pilot made a frantic attempt to lift the plane back into the air. As he struggled to gain elevation, the aircraft veered dangerously toward a mountain. In a desperate move to avoid impact, the pilot executed a sharp bank—an impossible maneuver for the plane at that speed. It lost lift and started to plunge.

In an instant, Lani’s focus shifted from discussing dry flies to bracing for the inevitable crash. The last words he heard from the pilot were, “Oh, shit.” Moments later, the plane slammed into the rocky river at 75 miles per hour.

When Lani regained consciousness, he found himself partially submerged in water, his body shattered and his face crushed. His first realization was that the others were gone. The pilot was not in the wreckage, and the two other passengers had not survived. Alone, bleeding, and in shock, Lani somehow managed to unbuckle his seatbelt. Despite his injuries—both hands broken, teeth knocked out, and his face severely damaged—he crawled to the riverbank, where he collapsed.

At that moment, Lani had no idea he was the sole survivor. He later likened the experience to being hit “with a baseball bat to the face.” He was lying disoriented in the water, surrounded by debris. Rescuers from the lodge arrived within 15 minutes, but by then he was already feeling the full physical toll of the crash, including the onset of hypothermia.

Though the physical wounds eventually healed, the emotional and psychological scars stayed with Lani for years. It was fly fishing—his lifelong refuge—that became his path to healing. Returning to rivers and streams, he found comfort in the act of fishing, which became more than just a pastime: It was his therapy. Immersed in the natural world, he experienced a profound sense of peace and renewal, helping him process the trauma of the crash.

Waller's Recovery

For Lani, his time on the water was far more than just the pursuit of fish—it was an opportunity to feel nature on a visceral level and become attuned to the rhythms of the wild. This idea became a central theme in his writing. Fly fishing, in Lani’s view, was a way to rediscover our natural instincts and rekindle the sense of harmony that once defined humanity’s relationship with the earth.

These ideas began to take shape in the early 1980s during Lani’s many conversations with Fly Fisherman editor John Randolph. Together, they often discussed the deep connection between hunting and fishing, and how both pursuits mirrored the primal instincts within humans. For Lani, this became a cornerstone of his storytelling, a way to explore the broader significance of fly fishing beyond the mechanics of casting a line.

Through his relationship with Randolph, Waller became the West Coast field editor for Fly Fisherman in 1980, alongside Art Lee and Gary Borger, who were Northeast and Midwest field editors. Along with contributing editor Lefty Kreh and editor-at-large Ernest Schwiebert, these angling greats would guide a large portion of the magazine’s content, as well as the direction of the sport. Of note, other frequent contributors in that era included Gary LaFontaine, René Harrop, and Jim Vincent. It was a golden age.

Waller's Articles and Videos

Lani wrote countless articles for Fly Fisherman over the course of two decades, including iconic essays on steelhead fishing like “Secret Season” (December 1992) and “Autumn Magic” (July 1982).

In addition to his three award-winning videos—Fly Fishing for Pacific Steelhead, Advanced Fly Fishing for Pacific Steelhead, and Fly Fishing for Trophy Steelhead—Lani Waller was also a book author. (Stream these videos for free at the end of the article.)

In 2004, he wrote about the plane crash and his recovery in River of Dreams, published by Rick and Jerry Kustich and their company West River Publishing. He also collaborated with photographer Ken Morrish to publish A Steelheader’s Way with Headwater Books in 2012. That book was republished in a second edition by Stackpole Books in 2018 and is widely considered one of the best books on steelhead ever written. It’s no coincidence that this magazine article carries the same title—the phrase perfectly describes Lani’s ethos.

Lani’s final piece of prose—an 10-chapter collection of short stories titled Grasshopper Bridge—was given by Lani Waller to his lifelong California friend Joy Rose. His request to her was to share it with the world. Now, Fly Fisherman has posthumously published Lani’s final philosophical musings about fly fishing at flyfisherman.com for all to download and enjoy.

We ask that when you are enjoying Grasshopper Bridge that you consider making a donation to the Babine River Foundation, which Lani Waller founded and now carries on his stewardship of the Babine River. 

Click here to make a donation to the Babine River Foundation.

Waller's Philosophy

In an increasingly disconnected world, Lani believed that fly fishing offers an antidote. The sport encourages a slower pace, reflection, and ultimately, healing. By tapping into these ancient instincts still residing deep within us, anglers can rediscover a profound sense of peace and belonging. Whether on a remote river or in the solitude of the backcountry, Lani knew that fly fishing provided a way to reconnect with something timeless—a practice that speaks to the very heart of what it means to be human.

Lani wrote: “Great anglers don’t see the natural world as an obstacle to overcome in order to succeed—they see it as a messenger. They look at the current, the speed of the water, the wind, and the color of the river. They’re not just looking at it—they’re truly seeing it. And when you really see something, you learn from it. You become immersed, not just in the environment, but in the act of understanding it.”

Lani Waller passed away in Mexico on August 11, 2024, at the age of 84. His experiences—whether steelhead fishing, surviving the tragic plane crash, or sharing his insights through his films and writings—transformed him into more than just an angler. He became a beacon for those seeking solace and connection in the wild. Lani’s love for fly fishing was about much more than catching fish—it was about reconnecting with something primal, timeless, and healing.

For those of us who knew Lani, his legacy isn’t just in the award-winning films or in the wisdom he imparted through his writing. It’s in the way he lived: with a quiet reverence for the natural world and an unwavering commitment to sharing its beauty with others. Lani’s story reminds us that, in a world that often feels detached from nature, fly fishing offers us a path back—to peace, to purpose, and ultimately, to ourselves.

---

April Vokey is a passionate fly fisher, casting instructor, and former guide. She owns Anchored Outdoors, a membership-based company offering curated fly-fishing content. Born on British Columbia’s steelheading waters, April now divides her time between B.C. and Australia. A devoted mother and DIY enthusiast, she inspires through her Anchored Outdoors podcast on iTunes and other platforms.

---