The Conservation Angler (TCA) is proud to announce that Rich Zellman, owner and operator of Steelhead Water Guide Service and a longtime wild steelhead advocate, has joined the organization's Ambassador Program.
Growing up in Southern California, Zellman first learned to fish in the ocean off Oceanside and during summers spent pursuing trout near his father's property east of Redding. After moving north in 1998, he began exploring the Trinity River. On his first steelhead outing, he hooked a fish in the first run he fished. The encounter changed the direction of his life. Soon, nearly 200 days a year were devoted to steelhead and the rivers that sustain them.
Now based in Ashland, Zellman guides full-time on the North Umpqua, Klamath, Trinity, and Smith rivers. Across decades on the water, he has earned a reputation for patience, careful observation, and a deep commitment to the fish.
Nearly 200 days a year on the water — Rich Zellman releasing a wild steelhead, with his longtime river companion alongside.
Putting Wild Steelhead First
His conservation record reflects that commitment. He has advocated for mandatory release of wild steelhead, served as a North Umpqua River Steward and board member of The Steamboaters, and supported fishing closures when critically low returns demanded restraint, even when those closures affected his own business.
"Rich has demonstrated what it means to put wild steelhead first," said John McMillan, President of The Conservation Angler. "He has built his life and livelihood around these fish, yet he has consistently supported the difficult decisions needed to protect them. That integrity, along with his knowledge of southern Oregon and northern California rivers, makes him an ideal Ambassador for TCA."
TCA's Ambassador Program brings together anglers, guides, shop owners, scientists, artists, photographers, and advocates who can help connect the angling community to wild fish conservation. The program is part of TCA's broader effort to expand angler science, strengthen long-term monitoring, and build durable support for wild steelhead across the Pacific Rim through its Northern Crown Initiative.
Place-Based Knowledge, Paired With Sound Science
"Rich has spent thousands of days watching fish move through rivers that are changing rapidly," said George Pess, Science Director and Chief Operating Officer of The Conservation Angler. "That kind of long-term, place-based knowledge is enormously valuable. By pairing the observations of experienced guides like Rich with consistent sampling and sound scientific methods, we can fill important monitoring gaps and better understand what wild steelhead need."
Held in the current and released — a bright wild steelhead from a southern Oregon river, the fish at the center of Zellman's work and TCA's mission.
As an Ambassador, Zellman will help TCA connect with anglers and guides, communicate the importance of wild steelhead conservation, and support the organization's growing angler-science work in the Klamath Basin and across the Pacific Rim.
"Wild steelhead have shaped my life, and I want future generations to have the same chance to know these fish and the rivers they return to," Zellman said. "For me, conservation means being willing to put the long-term future of wild steelhead ahead of short-term opportunity. TCA's focus on bringing anglers, guides, and scientists together gives us a practical way to learn more, contribute useful information, and do a better job protecting what remains."
About The Conservation Angler
The Conservation Angler protects the best remaining populations of wild steelhead across the Pacific Rim. Through The Northern Crown, a network of sentinel rivers spanning from California to Kamchatka, TCA turns fishing into a scientific endeavor. By empowering guides and anglers to collect actionable data, TCA fills monitoring gaps and safeguards wild fish populations.
For more information, visit www.theconservationangler.org.
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