PartVu Xchange Talks Boating spoke with Don Morse, the founder, and president of Autism Anglers. The mission of Autism Anglers is to bring awareness and acceptance to autism through the sport of fishing.
Their goal is to educate anglers about autism and use fishing as a calming therapy for those on the autistic spectrum.
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How did you get started with your mission to support the autistic community through the sport of fishing?
Don: In 2017, my son Landon was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. At that time, I didn’t know anything at all about autism. I began to research and learn more about the condition.
I’ve been in the outdoor industry since the early nineties, with specific interests in fishing and hunting. So, I put my experience and interests together to launch Autism Anglers.
I learned about the therapeutic value of fishing by working with some veteran groups. I began to apply that experience to the autistic community. Fishing has not only been good for therapy, but an incredible outlet to share more about autism with a huge population of anglers.
Can you describe the autistic condition and provide more details on what it means to be autistic?
Don: Autism is a spectrum consisting of complex brain disorders. There are different degrees of autism, ranging from high functioning to low functioning. The condition is often misunderstood, to say the least.
They say that when you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Every single person with autism is completely different.
For example, my son is fantastic, and I wouldn’t change him for the world. For one, he has no filter, which many of us likely envy a bit. He doesn’t care what people think of him, and he doesn’t have a care in the world.
What kind of impact does fishing have on someone on the spectrum?
Don: I have been building custom fishing rods for a long time. I was helping a vet group in South Florida to learn how to make rods and go fishing as a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy. I saw how well that worked. So, I began to look at how it might positively impact those in the autistic community.
Getting out on the water to fish is a way to rewire the brain. Fishing becomes the sole focus for many people while they are engaged in the activity. So, people concentrate on the act of fishing instead of everything else that’s going on in their world. It’s a way to remove external complications and internal brain chaos all at the same time. Fishing is a fantastic form of therapy.
Can you give us an overview of the different parts of Autism Anglers?
Don: Autism Anglers officially started on March 25, 2018, on my son’s birthday. Thankfully, I had a great group of people that got behind the idea and wanted it to succeed. They helped move things in the right direction, including assistance with funding, legalities, 501(C)(3) paperwork, and other things so that we could operate legitimately and professionally.
Now, my wife and I run the day-to-day operations. She’s mainly behind the scenes, while I’m predominantly in front of the camera. Landon, our son, is also a face of the organization. He loves being on camera and taking over the show.
My initial motivation was to spread the word to anglers about autism. Within a short time, gear and tackle donations began to pour in. Those donations were the catalyst for the launch of our “Ausome Anglers Program.” For the last four and a half years, we’ve shipped tackle out to applicants across the country. To date, we’ve shipped approximately four thousand pounds of tackle.
What’s the central premise of the “Ausome Angler Program”?
Don: We created the program to provide gear to autistic anglers. Since inception, we’ve been busy building a bond with the fishing community so they know that we are trustworthy and doing this for the right cause. We appreciate the support from anglers and work hard to redistribute the donations to our applicant pool.
We’re also working on a program that matches fishing guides to families with autistic anglers, giving them a unique opportunity to get out on the water. So, we’re excited about this next chapter of our organization.
Autism Anglers continues to grow and change. We are very excited about the future and look forward to garnering more attention from anglers for the autism community. We now have more than ten thousand followers on Facebook, so things are trending upward.
What are the next big projects on the horizon for Autism Anglers?
Don: Our next significant initiative is the matching program between guides and families with autistic anglers. We’re also developing an advanced rod and reel combo that’s high quality. It’s a great alternative to the cheaper ones you find in big box stores. We’re planning on giving away a ton of those combos when they arrive.
How has the fishing community responded to your organization, and how are they involved?
Don: The fishing community as a whole is exceptionally generous and willing to help. Right out the gate, we connected with Feel Free Kayaks and Sixgill Fishing, two great companies that advocate for our cause. Sixgill produces a special edition rod and reel with our logo, a great way to create awareness. Justin, the owner, has a special needs child. So, our organization closely aligns with his family’s story, making for a special relationship.
What are some ways for people to get involved and support Autism Anglers?
Don: I would encourage everyone to jump on our website, autismanglers.org, to check out all that we offer and the types of things we do through fishing for people in the autistic community. There’s also an easy way to make monetary donations via credit card, checks, or PayPal.
We’ve got many excellent sponsors, and are always looking for more companies willing to get involved and support the cause. Companies don’t necessarily have to be in the fishing industry. For example, one of our platinum sponsors, Stars Companies, is a beauty supply company. They have nothing to do with fishing, but are great partners for our cause. So, we would love to hear from anyone interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities.
Additionally, as we discussed, we are always looking for people to donate gear to redistribute it to applicants interested in being a part of our “Ausome Angler” programs.
Finally, we are active on Facebook and Instagram and would love to have people follow us to show their support.
For those who have loved ones on the spectrum, what are their options for connecting with you and plugging into the organization?
Don: The best way to start that process is to visit the website and sign up for an Ausome Anglers box. We would love to send gear out to get them started. We also have a fabulous newsletter packed full of great information and resources.
If you have any questions for Don or are interested in their amazing organization, please visit autismanglers.org. If you want to get a loved one outfitted with fishing gear, reach out to Don and his team to start the application process for their Ausome Angler program. For those interested in donating to the organization, the site is full of great information that explains more about how the program works. This is an outstanding opportunity to support the autistic community through the platform of fishing.
