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 .
