Celebrating the Smith with Simm’s Save our Streams Campaign

Bozeman, Montana – As anglers across the country gear up for summer fishing, Save Our Streams (SOS) heads back to Montana to celebrate one of the state’s most prized natural treasures, the Smith River.

When it comes to fishing Montana in the summertime, there are options aplenty but floating the Smith has become synonymous with this time of year. Those who have floated and camped along its banks understand that fishing is only a small piece of the overall experience. Meandering its way northwest, the Smith flows through towering canyon walls that still bear markings depicting tales from hunters and fisherman from centuries past who like us, held this land and water in the highest regard. This treasured watershed faces the threat of a proposed copper mine by a foreign-owned mining company. As part of Save Our Streams, Simms celebrates the Smith by carrying forward the same love and respect as our ancestors by protecting it for future generations.

A right of passage each year is to hopefully get the chance to float and fish the Smith River because each trip provides an opportunity to celebrate river culture and a part of Montana’s heritage,” says Rich Hohne, Simms’ Director of Product Marketing. “I hope we can preserve this unique experience forever.

To strengthen their efforts, Simms is partnering with American Rivers, an organization that protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects and their annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. The SOS game plan for the Smith will continue by offering a limited edition T-shirt, this time featuring the artwork of Andrew Hoffman.

The SOS Smith River T-shirt (below) will be available through Simms’ retail partners as well as simmsfishing.com. A portion of each sale will go back to American Rivers to further their conservation work towards protecting the Smith.

Of all the rivers I’ve floated in my life, from Alaska to southern Patagonia, the Smith is the one I feel the closest connection with.” Says American Rivers’ Northern Rockies Director, Scott Bosse. “From the day we learned about the threats facing the Smith, Simms has voiced its strong opposition to mining in its headwaters. American Rivers couldn’t be more excited about the partnership.”

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