High Country Adventures: Organization gets service members & first responders hooked on fly fishing

SOUTHERN COLORADO (KRDO) - A local organization is getting active duty service members, veterans, and first responders hooked on fly fishing. They say it’s a great way to unwind and find yourself after years of serving.

KRDO 13’s Julia Donovan traveled to the Arkansas River just outside of Cotopaxi to check out the organization for this week’s High Country Adventures.

“If you’re married to your job, it’s not a retirement, it’s a divorce,” explained Bold Face Fly Fishing President and co-founder, Ryan Padgett.

Ryan had this realization when he left the Air Force after twenty years. 

He wouldn't trade those years for the world. 

“It’s a really great gift for a lot of folks,” Ryan said in an interview with KRDO. “It gives you a purpose, a home and a tribe, which is wonderful!”

But, when the time comes to stay home for good, Ryan says many face an identity crisis.

“Who am I? I’ve done this my whole adult life,” he explained. “They lose that sense of self confidence, they hold up in their homes and, honestly, lose a lot of their tribe.”

“It probably took me a good year and a half to just decompress from active duty life,” Bold Face Director of Operations, Mark Bieda, agreed.

Mark, also former Air Force, joined Ryan's mission to help people like himself.

Like Glen, who just retired a few weeks ago.

“Good, bad, indifferent, ugly, sad, depressed,” Glen explained how he’s been feeling. “You’re just trying to find ways to just kind of center yourself again.”

A fly rod in hand… to keep them from reeling.

“If we go do something where we just sit by ourselves, a lot of times that hamster on the wheel just goes faster and faster and faster,” Ryan told us.

Fly fishing hits that sweet spot where they stay busy –

“The water temperature, we’re thinking about the air that’s around us, we’re thinking about the bugs that are coming off,” said Ryan.

BUT, the stakes are low.

“You’re going to get tangled, you’re going to get knots, you’re gonna make mistakes, but that doesn’t matter,” Mark went on.

Bold face offers free classes, gear, and guided trips. 

more importantly — comradery and an escape.

“It’s more than just the fishing,” said Glen. “It’s the conversations. It’s enjoying the outdoors.”

“The main goal of this is to teach them how to fish on their own, or with other friends they make, and build another community of people that support each other,” Mark explained.

There’s actually a few organizations like this in Colorado – go figure!

Mark told us, what sets Bold Face apart is they also take out families of active duty military personnel, veterans and first responders, too – all free of charge.