DO YOU LOVE ARIZONA
TROUT FISHING?
Join Our Grassroots Effort to Improve Arizona's Coldwater Fisheries
Join
Here’s your chance to help improve your favorite Arizona coldwater fisheries.
WMLF is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving Arizona’s coldwater fisheries. Our goal is to increase the fishing opportunities for today’s anglers and ensure future generations can enjoy great fishing in the White Mountains of Arizona. We’re a 100% volunteer group where every dollar raised goes towards our mission.
Please, become a WMLF member today, so we can continue our progress to make Arizona’s coldwater fisheries healthy and sustainable, so everyone has the chance to land that “fish of a lifetime” right here in Arizona!
Together, We Can Make
a Difference!
Choose your membership level:
$25 – Annual Individual
$300 – Lifetime Individual
$300 – Annual Business
Mission
White Mountain Lakes Foundation is dedicated to improving Arizona’s coldwater fisheries through grassroots conservation, restoration, and protection efforts.
Projects
Becker Lake continues to be our flagship project and biggest success story to date.
In 2009, Arizona Game & Fish Department converted Becker Lake from a catch and keep fishery to a destination, catch and release fishery featuring large, trophy-size rainbows and tiger trout. Since that time, WMLF has provided the site upgrades necessary to install facilities for a full-time lake host, added an electric entrance gate, and provided various signage. Furthermore, we’re committed to funding future maintenance and improvement projects at Becker.
In addition to Becker Lake, WMLF was instrumental in adding aerators to Luna Lake to protect its large rainbows from seasonal summer kills. WMLF also helped install artificial structure at Fool Hollow and Show Low lakes.
While it’s not always a fast or easy process, we’ll continue to do our part to grow more and bigger fish in Arizona, but we can’t do it without your support!
Events
Becker Best has become WMLF’s annual fundraising event and a chance for our members to interface with one another.
Becker Best | October 19 | 2024
All WMLF members are invited to fish Becker in the morning while the directors prepare a complimentary lunch. After lunch, we’ll hold a raffle for prizes donated to the event, with all proceeds going to fund WMLF projects. Additionally, we’ll draw for the winner of the WMLF Membership Rod Raffle–all WMLF members are included in the drawing, and you need not be present to win.
directors
A 100% volunteer board directs WMLF; it doesn’t get any more grassroots than this. If you see any of us on the water, please don’t hesitate to say, “Hello,” and ask what is working.
FOUNDER
John Rohmer
PRESIDENT
Back in 2009, WMLF founder and president John Rohmer had the vision to improve Arizona’s White Mountain fisheries by creating a nonprofit organization where local anglers could have a voice and get involved in managing their local waters.
However, long before that, John was already an active ambassador for fly fishing in Arizona.
In addition to starting WMLF, John’s fly fishing resume includes coauthoring Arizona Trout Streams and Their Hatches with Charles R. Meck and being the longtime owner of the Tempe-based fly shop, Arizona Fly Fishing. But above all else, he’s probably best renowned for his original fly patterns and innovative fly-tying materials, John Rohmer Materials, www.azflyfishing.net.
Glen Knight
VICE PRESIDENT
In addition to WMLF, Glen currently serves on the board of directors for the Zane Grey chapter of Trout Unlimited and is a member of Arizona Flycasters, both located in Phoenix, Arizona.
He enjoys participating in youth fishing programs, volunteering for Arizona Game & Fish Department urban fishing events, and fishing anywhere he can cast a line. Recently, he completed a bucket list item, a saltwater grand slam in the Yucatan.
Joe Staller
MEMBERSHIP
A self-described “fly fish junkie,” Joe enjoys all aspects of fly fishing. You will often find him chasing fish in Arizona’s small streams, rivers, and stillwater, or in the Sea of Cortez in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.
A lifetime WMLF member, Joe is also a lifetime member of Desert Fly Casters in Chandler, Arizona, where he has served as president, vice president, programs director, and is the current outings chairman.
VALerie STALLER
TREASURER
In addition to serving as the treasurer for WMLF, Val is also the current treasurer for Desert Fly Casters. And she has fulfilled that role for various nonprofit organizations in the past.
As for fishing, Val enjoys going on trips where she can sit on the beach and enjoy cold drinks while everyone else is fishing.
Tom Horvath
PROJECT MANAGER
Owner and president of Redden Construction, Inc., Tom brings a lifetime of project management experience and expertise to WMLF.
Tom was raised in Arizona, so he’s no stranger to the Copper State’s fishing scene. He’s a lifetime member of WMLF and Desert Fly Casters, serving as the education chairman.
He likes to tie flies in his free time or retreat to the White Mountains to fish the lakes in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and Fort Apache Reservation. Tom also enjoys fishing for saltwater species and local carp.
BOB BOWERS
MEMBER AT LARGE
Bio coming soon.
Gentry Smith
WEBSITE MANAGER
Gentry is owner of Nomada Fly Fish, a destination fly fish travel service, and a self-employed graphic/web designer at Gentry Smith Design, LLC. As a freelance outdoor writer and photographer, he regularly contributed to Southwest Fly Fishing magazine, covering Arizona’s diverse fisheries for nearly a decade.
In addition to being a lifetime member of WMLF, Gentry is also a lifetime member and past president of Desert Fly Casters.
Contact
Have a question regarding White Mountain Lakes Foundation and its mission to improve Arizona’s coldwater fisheries?
We’re always happy to discuss our current projects. Or maybe, you just want to talk fishing in general. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you!