Years ago, when I was working to protect public lands in the West from any number of extractive industrial activities, I was fond of telling the generally conservative hunters and anglers that I came into contact with on a daily basis, “You don’t have to be a left-wing radical to engage thoughtfully in conservation. You just have to be pragmatic and understand what it is you’re fighting for.”

Let’s face it. Most fly fishers won’t have visions of sugar-plums dancing through their heads during the wee hours of Christmas Eve. Truth be told, most of the anglers I know will be dreaming of new rods, reels, and other gear. Gear is almost always our focus as we prepare to celebrate the arrival of jolly old Saint Nicholas.

And yet gear may well be the last thing we need right now.