Darkwater Fishing

A Dying Tradition Saved by an Unexpected Entity

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By Connor Olsson

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A Tradition on the Decline

For many outdoorsmen, whether they be hunters, fishermen, or trappers, the fire they feel for their passion ignites in their youth, most often through the traditions passed down by their families. At least, that is how it was for older generations.

In American society, the rapid expansion of technology has brought a variety of changes to the way young boys and girls spend their time, and with that, cultural changes have occurred as well. From my perspective, growing up in the 2000s, I've seen a lot of traditions, especially outdoor traditions, start to decline. There seemed to be only a select few kids who actually had an interest in the outdoors.

It's not hard to see why this happened. Video games, social media, and all sorts of apps became a major source of entertainment. Kids were on their phones and iPads. Why would they have to get off the couch to experience fun?

The issue is that the fun they receive from simply using these devices can be artificial and shallow. There is no real reward. I thought for sure the outdoor lifestyle would never fully resonate with younger generations again.

The Unexpected Entity

Yet, the thing that nearly killed outdoor culture for the youth ended up helping save it.

Social media.

The kids were already on it, and people started posting their wild experiences in nature. Fishing, especially, started gaining traction, opening young people's eyes to what was actually around them. Many different brands and influencers arose, and fishing became cool again.

The passion that was once spread through tradition found another way during a challenging and changing culture.

Of these brands and influencers came Darkwater Fishing.

Building a Community

Darkwater is motivated to reach out to younger generations and encourage them to join its community of dedicated fishermen. I met the CEO of Darkwater, Ben Lindeblad, a few years ago at our local tackle shop. After keeping in contact with Ben, I asked him some important questions about his brand and what inspired him to build the community he has today.

His answers are inspiring and offer a hopeful view into the future of the outdoor community.

In the words of Ben:

“As the founder of Darkwater, what it means is a group where people can get together, take a minute to get away from all of the distractions and things going on in regular day life, and get a sliver of time to reconnect with yourself and the outdoors. Darkwater is a place where you can come and be a part of a community that allows for more connection and growth with countless memories at your disposal to discover.”

The Next Generation

Ben is quick to tell you that he isn't in this alone. Darkwater now has a variety of different members who have helped build the community and share the same passion for fishing.

Member Connor states:

“I am most proud of seeing the impact Darkwater has had on younger generations of anglers. Whether it be guided trips or just a kid reaching out to us on Instagram about tips, it's really great to see that we are helping grow the fishing community in our area and helping the next generation of anglers get on some fish!”

As the writer of this article, I have personally seen the connection Darkwater has created, not just with the youth but with many older folks as well. The community they've built has brought people together through a shared passion for fishing and the outdoors.

Looking Toward the Future

I was curious where they plan to take Darkwater in the future.

Member Nick says:

“In the future, we want to expand Darkwater as much as possible and reach new locations, communities, and groups of people. We've already started doing this by creating Southeast Darkwater and developing a junior team for younger members who want to be involved in the brand. We also want to continue expanding our guides and offerings to cover more fishing species and different types of fishing. Our goal is to keep growing Darkwater into a larger community while staying true to what the brand represents.”

Member Eli says:

“For the brand I am a part of, Darkwater Fishing is located and based in New Jersey, with branches down south in the Carolinas. This brand is going to be a top-name fishing group in the near future. Our biggest goal is to secure sponsorships and collaborations with larger creators to gain more exposure to new followers. We hope to close in on 10,000 followers within the upcoming years of our journey.”

Darkwater has so much ahead of them, and they are ready to put in the work and, even more importantly, ready to hit the water.

A once-dying tradition is being kept alive by guys like Darkwater.