Let’s Go Fishing

Anglers Founded the Izaak Walton League

Many of the founders of the Izaak Walton League of America were avid anglers. They were also deeply concerned that water pollution and the absence of fishery management threatened the future of fishing nationwide. They purposefully named the organization after Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler. Years ahead of its time, The Compleat Angler is part how-to manual offering detailed instructions for tackle and tactics to catch many different types of fish, and a powerful call for sustainable management of fish and fisheries habitat and conserving the natural environment in general.

Family, Fishing and Conservation

Fishing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. And when you buy a fishing rod or tackle, you’re helping to fund conservation. That’s because the Izaak Walton League, anglers and conservationists advocated for a modest federal tax on fishing tackle and for the revenue to be allocated to state government agencies that manage fisheries and public waters on behalf of all of us. Today, these taxes generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually which, along with fees paid for fishing licenses, fund fishery management, habitat conservation, expanding public access to waterways and reducing water pollution.