The Mayfly Project Los Angeles

05/10/2026

FISH ON & ON! 🐟✨

That’s a wrap on our 5th season and our final outing of 2026!
We celebrated in style with 🪰fly tying, 🎒new gear, 🎣fishing, and of course a 🪅 piñata party!

From learning "River & Lake Etiquette" to mastering the "Rule of 3" for safety, it’s been an incredible journey watching these young anglers grow.

These first five years have been truly unforgettable, and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing kids, dedicated parents, tireless mentor volunteers, and donors who make this community so special. You are the heart of this project! 🫶🏼

Applications for next season will be posted soon. Keep an 👀 out for our post.

Video Cred: Jason Foreman

04/30/2026

🎣 Seeking Wisdom & Catching Waves! 🌊
​Outing #4 of The Mayfly Project Los Angeles was one for the books! We traded the lakes and riverbanks for the surf zone and headed to the beach to learn the art of salt-water fly fishing.

​Our theme for the day was Seeking Wisdom, and our amazing mentees truly leaned in asking great questions, staying curious, and showing what it means to be a true angler.

​Here’s a look at our day:
​📖 Reading the Water: Learning how to spot where the fish are hiding in the surf.
​🦀 Conservation & Habitat: Discussing how to keep our oceans clean and full of life.
​🛡️ Safety First: Perfecting our "shuffle" to stay safe in the sand!
​🐚 Bracelets & Buttons: Celebrating our milestones and new skills.
​From fly tying to landing fish, the energy was electric. There’s nothing quite like the sound of the waves and the sight of a perfect cast meeting the ocean.
​A huge thank you to our mentors and community for making this beach day so special. We’re already counting down to the next one!

Photo Cred: Jason Foreman

04/22/2026

On this Earth Day, we celebrate conservation efforts of our The Mayfly Project youth! This truly makes the old adage of teach them to fish a reality.

🎣 The Therapeutic Power of Fly Fishing 🌊

​"The Therapeutic Power of Fly Fishing" is a constant conversation in our community. Whether we’re at the water's edge or sharing stories, people always ask: How did you start? and Why fly fishing? 🤔🛶

​Our very own The Mayfly Project Los Angeles Lead Mentor, Jane Winer, was recently asked these questions by California Fly Fishing Magazine for their April 2026 Spring Edition! 📖🌸

​🔗 Read the full story here: https://calflyfisher.com/stories/the-therapeutic-power-of-fly-fishing/

​📍 From Seattle to Los Angeles ☀️

​In true West Coast fashion, having mentored in Seattle and now leading the way in LA, Jane "reeled in" the authors by identifying our WHY. 🎣💪

​At The Mayfly Project Los Angeles, we strive to:

​✨ Create a safe, fun, and engaging experience that is culturally relevant and fosters a sense of belonging
​🌲 Help them learn something new in the great outdoors
​🧠 Provide a much-needed "brain break" with mentors as their "guide on the side."
​💎 Building Character, One Cast at a Time

​A simple act becomes a memory beyond measure! Every outing showcases and strengthens our Angler Characteristics:

✨ Patience & Grit
✨ Seeking Wisdom & Lake/River/Ocean Etiquette
✨ Love of Nature & our Local Ecosystem 🌎

​Each trip brings a new purpose, the thrill of adventure, and the gift of a hobby that lasts a lifetime. 🎣❤️

​👉 Visit the California Fly Fisher website to dive deeper into "The Healing Power of Fly Fishing":

https://calflyfisher.com/stories/the-therapeutic-power-of-fly-fishing/

​

04/18/2026

🎣 Big Wins & Big Smiles at MacArthur Park!

​Talk about Building Grit! 🌧️ We started our latest The Mayfly Project Los Angeles outing in the pouring rain, but a little water wasn't going to stop this crew. Our mentors and kiddos geared up with rain ponchos and leaned in.

​As the sunshine finally broke through the clouds, the fish were ON! ☀️🐟

​We had a total blast working hard to land those legendary MacArthur Park Carp right in the heart of Downtown LA. These feisty, slimy fish added a whole new level of excitement to the day—there's nothing quite like the thrill of a carp on the line!

​Highlights of the Day:

​Catch & Release: Every fish was handled with care and returned to the water.
​Teamwork: Watching our mentors and kiddord high-five after a tough land.
​Pure Joy: Seeing the pride on our the kids faces holding their catches!

​Huge thanks to everyone who braved the elements to make Outing 3 a success. It’s amazing what happens when you combine a little determination (ie.GRIT) with a lot of community.

​Tight Lines & High Fives! 🤚✨

Video Cred: Jason Forman 🔥🙌🏼

04/11/2026

🎣 Fish On! Los Angeles Outing #2 Was a Splash!

The Los Angeles crew hit the water for Outing 2, and let’s just say the fish were definitely invited to the party! 🥳
This time around, we leveled up from land drills to the real deal, practicing "Casting and Line Management" on the water for the first time. The result? Total chaos in the best way possible. Think tight lines, bent rods, and big smiles! 🐟✨🪵

The Highlights:
Patience is a Virtue (and it looks like Bluegill): Our focus on "Patience" wasn't just a lesson, it was a magnet! The bluegill came out in droves to play, keeping our kiddos busy and their reels spinning.

Rural Vibes: We escaped to a regional park that felt worlds away from the city. That "rural lake" energy was exactly what the soul ordered. 🏞️

The Sandwich Situation: A massive shoutout to Sienna Deli in Westlake Village! The kids officially rated these the *Best. Sandwiches. Ever.* 🥪🏆 (Fueling up is half the battle, right?)

We’re already hooked and heading back to the fly bag to prep for Outing #3!

Tight lines, everyone!🎣🙌🏼

Video Credits: A huge round of applause for Jason Forman for capturing the magic! 🎥🫶🏼

03/23/2026

Fish on (dry land)! 🎣 Our 5th year of The Mayfly Project Los Angeles is officially underway!

We kicked off the season with our favorite kind of "pre-work": building trusting relationships with our incredible new mentees and their families. 💙

We swapped the river current for park grass, focusing on simulating the on-the-water experience. By mastering casting and knot tying skills in a safe, fun environment, these kids are building the confidence they need for our first official water outing this coming week!

As we enjoyed the beauty of our surroundings, we took a moment to say thank you and honor the Tongva Nation people, who have lived in and loved this land for thousands of years. By keeping it clean and better than we found it, we are being good helpers to the Earth and showing respect to the families who were the very first to call Pasadena home.

A huge thank you to our foster and adopted parents, guardians, and caseworkers for the support, and to our 32 dedicated mentors.

Tight lines, everyone! 🏞️✨

Video Credits: Jason Forman and a team of us mentors as his photo and video support 🫶🏼🙌🏼

The Mayfly Project

01/19/2026

FREE Fly Fishing opportunity for Foster or Adopted children between ages 8-18 in Los Angeles and surrounding counties.

Learn more and register here: https://themayflyproject.com/register-a-child/

Registration open until Feb 15, 2026.

12/16/2025

We apologize for any harm caused by the Hacker that compromised our The Mayfly Los Angeles page. It is now secure.

If you see any posts that are in question, please contact The Mayfly Project Los Angeles Lead immediately.

Please do not reply to this post with any information.

You may contact the lead directly using an email or phone number that is knowing to you already. We will not be posting that publicly at this time.

Your safety is most important to us. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
The May Fly Project Los Angeles Lead Team

02/18/2025

We are excited to announce our 2025 dates for The Mayfly Project Los Angeles and Surrounding Counties. Registration is open until March 13.

As our communities recover from the winds, fires, and rain, give the gift of this free opportunity.

This FREE Fly Fishing opportunity is for Foster or Adopted children between ages 8-18 in Los Angeles and surrounding counties.

Learn more and register here by March 13: https://themayflyproject.com/mentee-registration-form/

01/22/2025

Heartfelt thank you to our The Mayfly Project Los Angeles team and community. Every smile, every cast 🎣, and every high 5 from our kiddos makes all we do have a special place in our hearts.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

Tight lines!
Jane 🫶🏼

✨MENTOR HIGHLIGHT✨

Please join us in celebrating Jane Miller, lead mentor of our Los Angeles, CA project!!

We're always so impressed with Jane Miller, Lead Mentor for our Los Angeles Project. She works so hard for her local project! Please help us give thank her by giving her a shout out!

12/09/2024

The Mayfly Project Los Angeles mentors wrapped gifts for the Orvis annual Holiday VIP shopping event Dec 8 and celebrated Susan's, retirement. As manager of the store, she and her team have been great supporters of our program that serves youth in foster care. Thank you all for your dedication and support of our local community! Happy holidays!