J Michelle Swope

Washington Coordinator

J. Michelle was raised on the north end of the Hood Canal in Washington State. She grew up fly fishing and exploring the gorgeous rivers of the Olympic Peninsula. In 2016, seeing a great need for more active cold-water conservationists, she started Oly Women on the Fly, a group that focuses on teaching women fly fishing and fly tying, as well as conservation and stewardship.

When not sharing her knowledge of the fly with the people, you can find her guiding for trout, salmon and steelhead, teaching rowing, or fishing for that magical unicorn of the water on her favorite North Olympic Rivers.

J. Michelle has her Masters from Bastyr University in Applied Behavioral Science, specializing in organizational development and leadership training. She joined NFS in September of 2018 as the Washington Regional Coordinator. J. Michelle lives in Olympia, Washington, with the best fishing dog in the world, Duncan.

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Posts by J Michelle Swope

Clean-Up on the Kalama

As wild runs continue to decline and emergency rules around fishing closures are becoming commonplace, Native Fish Society endeavors to facilitate meaningful ways for local stewards to have...

NFS Lunch and Learn: White Salmon Spawning Survey Project!

Sign up to hear seasoned NFS volunteer, Ben Leyva, talk about his experiences on the tributaries of the White Salmon, and enjoy his presentation about the ongoing work. Native Fish Society will...

Volunteer Opportunity! Kalama River Cleanup

Join us from 9am - Noon on July 23rd to clean up the Kalama River! The Kalama River is a tributary to the Lower Columbia River and provides important spawning habitat for steelhead and cutthroat...

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Join Us for a Guaranteed Good Time for a Great Cause! We are back In-Person on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023 for THE BIGGEST PARTY FOR WILD FISH IN THE UNIVERSE! Our Silent Auction will be held virtually starting Sunday, April 16th, and closing on Saturday, April 22nd at 6:30pm PST. When: Saturday, April 22nd, 2023 Where: The Loft at 8th Avenue - Portland, OR What: A banquet and auction supporting the revival of wild, native fish, free-flowing rivers, and thriving local communities.