It’s hard not to wince a little when looking at the trend of teenagers with a more sedentary lifestyle.

It appears youth in the North State are more active than the national average.

I visited with Michael Caranci of The Fly Shop in Redding, heaven on earth for fishing enthusiasts. For two-decades, The Fly Shop has run a Fly Fishing Camp for kids, and Michael has seen a lot of positives from it.

“There’s a lot of kids around here that fish, which is great,” he said. “That’s the next generation of consumers. More importantly, they are the next generation of conservationists. We need those anglers out there to continue to fight to protect and restore these rivers.”

In addition to his work at The Fly Shop, Michael is President of the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, which is part of a local and state coalition to maintain and enhance the Sacramento River and fishery, chiefly endangered Winter run Chinook Salmon.

Michael travels globally for his work, and says the Sacramento River and its fisheries stack up well against any comparison. “There’s a reason I live here,” he remarked. “I like having this one in my backyard. It’s a special region to have so much, so close. It’s really amazing and unique in the world.”

Facts about Fishing and The Fly Shop:

• The Fly Shop is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Their store has hundreds of thousands of fishing flies and gives some 2,500 guided fishing tours each year.
• Recreational Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in America. More than 45 million Americans fish each year, on average.