Each year, Fly Fishers International (FFI) acknowledges those individuals who demonstrate the highest levels of achievement, dedication and contribution to preserving the Legacy of Fly Fishing.
FFI has just announced the honorees for 2026, and will celebrate the recipients with an online ceremony (via Zoom) open to all FFI members and friends.
FFI Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
7:00 pm CST
Click here to register
Among this year’s recipients is William Strickland of Mobile, Alabama, recognized for the FFI Conservationist of the Year Award. In 2025, William was named the FFI Gulf Coast Council’s Conservationist of the Year.
A Tuscaloosa native and University of Alabama graduate, William earned a civil engineering degree while playing football under Coach Nick Saban. His early work in environmental engineering sparked a passion for conservation, eventually leading him to nonprofit leadership and theological studies.
Since 2022, William has served as executive director of Mobile Baykeeper, championing the protection and restoration of coastal Alabama’s waterways. He led a coalition of conservation organizations, anglers and community advocates challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ disposal of dredged material into Mobile Bay. The effort generated more than 36,000 letters calling for stronger protections for the estuary and its fisheries.
William’s vision includes restoring seagrass beds, oyster reefs and healthy fisheries while protecting safe, accessible waters. He has also been a valued partner of the FFI Gulf Coast Council in advancing our shared conservation goals.
An avid angler and fly tier, William enjoys pursuing everything from bass and trout to tarpon and salmon, with a special fondness for redfish on Alabama’s coastal flats.
Please join us in congratulating William on this well-deserved recognition!
Here is the full list of 2026 FFI Awards recipients:
FFI Fly Fisher of the Year – Doug Silver
Bailey, Colorado
FFI McKenzie Cup Award – The Stonefly Maidens
Lake Oswego, Oregon
FFI McKenzie Cup Award – Veterans Fly Fishing Club
Acworth, Georgia
FFI Buz Buszek Fly Tying Memorial Award – John Kreft
Sisters, Oregon
FFI Lifetime Achievement in Fly Casting Education Award – Phil Gay
Monkton, Maryland
FFI Conservation Award – William Strickland
Mobile, Alabama
FFI International Ambassador Award – Jorge Trucco
Argentina
FFI Darwin Atkin Fly Tying Achievement Award – Jack Gillis
Farmers Branch, Texas
FFI Dick Nelson Fly Tying Teaching Award – Sherry Steele
Sisters, Oregon
FFI Women’s Community Development Award – Whitney Gould
Peck, Idaho
FFI Fly Fishing Skills Education Award – Austin Orr
Austin, Texas
FFI Council Leadership Award – Mark Rockwell
Santa Barbara, California
To learn more about each of the recipients, go to www.flyfishersinternational.org .
FFI FlyFest 2027
Here’s a chance to score on some great fly fishing gear, exclusive fishing trips, and unique gifts – all while supporting Casting for Recovery’s mission of providing healing outdoor retreats for women with breast cancer. CfR provides fly fishing experiences for women breast cancer patients (at any stage, including remission and cured) at no cost to them.
The FFI Fly Tying Group’s annual Online Tying Technique Series continues this month and into the new year. The Series is held the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month starting October 6th and continuing until May 4th. Time is 7:00pm CT.
17th Annual Rio Grande Rumble
Fly Fishers International (FFI) has announced that Matthew “Matt” Jockers has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1st. A lifelong flyfisher and an FFI Certified Casting Instructor, Jockers steps into the role with a deep personal connection to the sport, and more than three decades experience leading large, mission-driven organizations.
FlyFest 2026
The Summer 2026 edition of The Gulf Streamer, the of-fish-al newsletter of the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International, is now available to the public online.
