Check Out Andy Witt’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Witt.

Hi Andy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Due West Anglers grew out of an endless appetite for fly fishing and seeking answers to the question “why?”

In a sea of internet content, you can find tons of “answers” about almost any fishing question.

Unfortunately, those answers are usually lacking a well thought out, scientific foundation. Before we got to work on Due West Anglers, we often discussed amongst ourselves how unsatisfying the fly fishing content is on the internet. So we decided to ramp things up and apply our scientific training to reimagine what fly fishing content can provide. We’ve kept the same mission over the past five years and are still going strong today!

We are essentially a science communication source for anyone interested in the Rocky Mountains, gamefish, natural history, and fly fishing. Plus we have even put together our own analyses to investigate things like aquatic invasive species, western geography, and calculating lake ice-off dates.
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With training in watershed science, aquatic ecology, conservation, and project experience ranging from cutthroat to salmon, we bridge the gap between anglers and scientists. ​We are also storytellers and have some fun sharing tales from the road.

Based out of Denver, all the favorite spots are West from us (mostly). It was a running joke when asked where we were headed — we always answered Due West!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Growing an audience always takes time. Fortunately, we’ve stayed true to our mission. The easiest part has always been coming up with new ideas to advance the available body of knowledge for anglers. But even though the content has come naturally, we’re still working on showing people what we have to offer. It’s a blessing and a curse that fly fishing in Colorado and the West is so popular. There is a lot out there on the internet.

I also think that our long-form articles with well-detailed research draw less appeal than quick to digest, remedial content. But when people find the time to dig into our articles, we usually see those people stick around.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a scientist and conservationist currently working for the State, alongside my duties running Due West Anglers. I have a masters in Ecology, primarily focusing in Fisheries and Watershed Science. I’m continually excited about water and fish and understanding their world which serves me well in both roles. Earning my master’s became the conduit for lots of Due West Anglers material.

Fly fishing is an incredible gateway to understanding the natural world around us. There are tons of important details that don’t pertain to daily life but become important if you’re committed to catching fish. Our writing explores that space, and I’m proud to offer details into this world that many other fly-fishing writers might neglect.

For the most part, we don’t echo the traditional article styles of most fly-fishing media outlets. Though we at DWA have academic backgrounds, we try to bring a scientific approach that is accessible and informative.

How do you think about happiness?
I usually get really excited when I re-learn something that I previously discussed in a Due West Angler’s article that helps me on the river when I’m fishing. Knowing that it helps me when I’m fishing is usually a good indicator that others might find the same value.

On the flip side, if I stumble into an interesting idea, I usually can formulate an article fairly quickly and can’t wait to share the final product. Fly fishing has a tendency to be secretive and people don’t like to disclose their tricks. I don’t care for that practice.

Pricing:

• Our articles are always free

Contact Info:

• Website: duewestanglers.com
• Instagram: duewestanglers & duewestanglers_blog
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChxeFig9Bo5f46l5cRNM0XQ 

Image Credits
All credits Andy Witt