During the recent, annual get together for Orvis Endorsed operations from around the world, our founder and head guide (yes… even at 81, he is still guiding daily), Lincoln Westby was honored with the Orvis Company’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

During the awards ceremony, Simon Perkins, President of Orvis, had this to say about Lincoln:

“The Orvis Lifetime Achievement award is presented every year to individual who has meant so much to this industry over the course of their lives. These are people who have shaped this profession in ways that leave a lasting legacy on customers, peers and other professionals, natural resource, and more.  Past winners have included legends like John Kowalski, Doug Gibson, George Hunker, Carolyn Parker, Matt Libby, Sandy Moret, Lonnie Allen, and Paul Roos.

In reading that list, “legends” certainly feels like an understatement.

I am honored to announce this year’s recipient is Lincoln Westby. Lincoln, as many know, is one of the most iconic individuals in world of saltwater fly fishing. I’ve been lucky enough to be on bow of his boat, and you can feel it when you are standing up there - his knowledge, perspective, care and love of the resource, of the next generation of guides, of this industry. But let me tell a little about his story. 

He was born on the water. Literally. His father was a lighthouse keeper on a tiny little island 30 miles from Belize City.  His mother went into labor on the island and the family tried to make the trek across the open sea. Apparently even pre-birth Lincoln knew he was at home on the water and decided to enter this world before they reached dry land. (Lincoln, your mom must have been a hero!)

Early on, Lincoln worked in the kitchens for some of the first tourist hotels and lodges in Belize, using culinary experience he had previously acquired when traveling Europe while in the British Army. Through this work he got exposed to sport fishing, and then specifically fly fishing, which was not popular in Belize at the time. He became intrigued. He also heard about how permit were one of the most challenging species to catch.  This intrigued him as well. Combining both was an ultimate challenge that called his name. and he became one of, if not the first to pursue permit with a fly in Belize.

He soon became a guide and started a career guiding at what have become some of Belize’s most renowned lodges in saltwater fly fishing. The Bauer crab, one of the most famous crab patterns for permit fishing, was developed by Lincoln and Wil Bauer on Lincoln’s boat. In 1997, he and his wife opened Blue Horizon Lodge, which became known as one of the world’s premiere places to catch permit. His guiding career has spanned nearly 40 years and thousands of permit have been caught by fly anglers on his boat.

In terms of guiding, his resume is as impressive as they come. But, like the fellow legends in the sport, what he has given back over the years is even more impressive.

He has long been a leading advocate for permit conservation. He has been a guide’s representative with the Belize Tourism Bureau.  He worked to promote and lobby for the Catch and Release law in Belize. That successfully passed and now all bonefish, permit and tarpon are protected in Belize. For two decades, he committed himself to leading grassroots discussions on banning gill nets.  Earlier this year, after all of that relentless work, gill nets were officially banned.

After 40 years, he is still guiding as much as possible, but he is also putting in significant time passing on his knowledge and skills to the next generation of guides in Belize.

As I mentioned, his resume is as accomplished as they come.  With that said, all you really need to know about Lincoln you can learn in a matter of seconds just talking to him. You’re unlikely to meet a person who is more gracious, friendly, willing to help others, always smiling, and respectful of everyone he meets.

Lincoln, thanks for being you, thanks for all you have given to us anglers and to all you have given the industry and the natural resource. Congrats on being the recipient of this year’s Orvis Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Congratulations Papa Linc!