Jesse Barr

The rivers and streams of Southwest Washington were extremely influential in shaping who I am today. My father and his friends loved to fish, so I was introduced to angling at an early age. When I was younger, I was just as interested in exploring watersheds as I was fishing them. Needless to say, I quickly became familiar with many of the local fishing spots and the winding river roads in my area.

In addition to teaching me about fishing, my father and his friends instilled upon me a fisherman’s environmental ethic: “You pack it in, you pack it out”. This simple Leave No Trace ideology was my first introduction to environmentalism, and my interest in protecting the environment grew into a passion for engaging my community.

I believe our rivers are better protected when communities are informed and actively involved in restoration efforts, and I would like to help protect the rivers and streams I grew up on so others can have the same opportunities that I had to connect with nature.

I’m very excited to be a River Steward for the North Fork of the Lewis. It’s a river that has immense importance to me. From catching my first Steelhead on the lower river to teaching myself to fly fish on its upper reaches. It’s a river of fantastic beauty as well as history and folklore. It's also a river that needs advocates for its wild fish populations.

I’m currently working with a number of conservation and angling groups within Southwest Washington and would love to connect with people who share the same values. Feel free to reach out and we can chat about the Lewis (or any river for that matter).

On another note: I’m currently pursuing my first Steelhead on the fly, so any and all advice is much appreciated!