Incoming Supervisor Richard Anderson publishes California Fly Fisher magazine

We regularly shuttle between Nevada City/Grass Valley and North Tahoe/Truckee, so it’s a pleasure to welcome Richard Anderson as our incoming Nevada County supervisor, starting next week. Richard will be introduced at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting.

It’s an extra special pleasure, because we are fellow magazine publishers and editors: Richard publishes California Fly Fisher magazine, and our magazine features outdoor recreation and “destination travel,” along with food, wine and art. We regularly promote Truckee (including skiing, mountain lodging and backcountry adventures in our upcoming issue). And on a personal level, we like to fish in the streams and lakes of the Sierra and Sierra Foothills — and have since childhood.

Our magazine shares a similar relationship with Tom Dalldorf, publisher of Celebrator Beer News in Nevada City. We have interviewed Tom as a craft-brewing expert and socialized (most recently at Matteo’s Public).

I met Richard this summer at Coffeebar on Jibboom St. in Truckee for a lengthly, wide-ranging discussion that included his publication, which he brought along to show me. (In fact, I already read it — it’s one of the most authoritative fly-fishing publications and dedicated to the Golden State).

“California Fly Fisher is the only magazine dedicated to providing you with thoughtful, informative articles that cover the breadth of the fly-fishing experience in California, whether angling for trout or for the myriad other species — warm water and saltwater included — found in our waters. Articles discuss, in detail, where to fish, how to fish, which flies and tactics to use — everything, in essence, that you’ll need to take full advantage of the fly-fishing options available in our state.

“Three beliefs lie behind California Fly Fisher magazine. First, that our state offers an impressive variety of places to fish and species to fish for. Second, that we need to protect these places and their fish if we are to continue experiencing good sport. And third, that California has long had its own fly-fishing culture, one that deserves to be celebrated. The stories we publish, the editorial stances we take, reflect these three core beliefs.”

The current issue of the subscription magazine (@$16.95 a year) has an article titled “The Creeks of Tioga Pass.” I found it interesting because I’ve been fishing those creeks since childhood. Another is titled “Trout town: Bishop,” another city I’ve visited regularly for its fishing.

Born in Oakland and raised largely in Tuolumne County, then the East Bay, Richard came to Nevada County as an adult, bringing along his business, California Fly Fisher magazine.

Elected three times to Truckee’s Town Council, he has served as mayor twice, most recently in 2011.

In his election campaign for supervisor, Richard said one of his goals was to “protect the recreational, scenic, natural, and historical assets that are the foundation of our economic well-being.”

In our conversation, I found Richard to be analytical and thoughtful. I’m looking forward to his tenure. All of the County Supervisors seem to be working well together.

(photo credit, top: Craig Nielsen; ShastaTrout)