Ripple Effect Outreach

A healthier path forward, one cast at a time.

Recovery leaves a lot of people with a hard question: What do I do now?

For many, substance abuse took time, energy, peace, and connection. And when someone steps into sobriety — or starts taking their mental health seriously — there can be a real void.

Ripple Effect exists to help fill that void with something healthy, grounding, and real.

We serve people in active recovery through programs like AA and NA, as well as people who are navigating mental health challenges and need a positive outlet. We use fly fishing as a tool for healing — to create peace, structure, community, and balance.

This is not just about learning how to fish. It is about building a life that feels worth showing up for.

Why This Matters

The need is real across both Oregon and Washington.

• Mental Health America reports that in 2024, 23.4% of U.S. adults experienced a mental illness in the past year — more than 60 million people.
• The same report found that 17.7% of U.S. adults had a substance use disorder in the past year — more than 46 million people.
• Oregon remains among the states with the highest prevalence of mental health and substance use issues, with nearly 1 in 3 adults experiencing mental illness in 2022–2023.
• KFF state health data, based on SAMHSA NSDUH data, reinforces how many people across Oregon and Washington are affected by these challenges every year.

The reality is simple: a lot of people need healthy ways to reconnect — with themselves, with others, and with the outdoors.

Why Fly Fishing

Fly fishing slows people down. It gets them outside. It teaches patience, focus, and presence. It creates room to breathe, think, and reset.

And the sport itself continues to grow.

• The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation reported that 57.9 million Americans went fishing in 2024 — an all-time high.
• Fly fishing topped 8 million participants for the second consecutive year in 2024 and 2025.
• New anglers consistently cite relaxation, time outdoors, and connection with friends and family as their primary reasons for starting.

That lines up exactly with what we see in Ripple Effect. Fly fishing gives people a healthy obsession — a reason to get up early, a reason to travel, a reason to connect, and a way to find peace without going backward.

How Ripple Effect Works

We take participants on fly fishing adventures throughout Oregon and Washington. We carpool to save money, share the experience, and build connection along the way.

For the first year, participants can use fly shop gear at no cost. That removes one of the biggest barriers to entry and gives people a real chance to get started.

After that first year, the expectation is simple:

• Invest in your own gear (we hope from NWFFO)
• Stay involved in the community
• Start helping others in the group

That is how Ripple Effect grows — one person receives support, then becomes part of the support system for someone else.

What People Find Here

• A healthy use of time
• A peaceful outlet for stress, anxiety, and emotional overload
• Real community and accountability
• Adventure, purpose, and routine
• A path to give back after receiving help

Join the Ripple Effect

If you are in recovery, walking through mental health challenges, or simply looking for a healthier way to move forward — you are welcome here.

This program is about community, healing, and solid mental health. It is about replacing old patterns with new ones that bring peace, balance, and connection.

You do not have to do this alone.

Get Involved with Ripple Effect →

2026 Event Schedule

Month	Date	Location	Type
April	4/18/26	Trillium Lake Camp Trip	Float
May	5/16/26	Clackamas River	Walk & Wade
June	6/20/26	Salmon River	Walk & Wade
July	7/18/26	Willamette River	Float
August	8/15/26	Laurance Lake	Float
September	9/19/26	Nehalem River	Walk & Wade
October	10/17/26	McKenzie River	Float
November	11/21/26	Lake Harriet	Float
December	12/19/26	Deschutes River Warm Springs	Walk & Wade