On, Off, Over and Under the Water with Tanner Stofferahn
Tanner Stofferahn loves all things design, outdoors (especially fishing) and the Midwest—and he combines these passions in the work he does from nine-to-five and beyond. His career with the Wild Rivers Conservancy gives him the opportunity to directly impact the preservation and restoration of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. He’s also a fly fishing guide, was featured in a fly fishing documentary and once spent the day as the co-pilot in a sea plane over the St. Croix with a retired fighter pilot.
We sat down with Tanner to talk about the uniqueness of the riverway, how the Wild Rivers Conservancy is working to save the local mussel population from extinction and the art of catching an elusive musky with the help of a well-designed fly.
Where’s home for you?
The Twin Cities (Minnesota) is home. Although I’ve moved around a few times, it’s hard to escape that Midwest familiarity, culture and outdoor space.
Can you tell us about your career path?
From nine-to-five, I run marketing and communications for Wild Rivers Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit working along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, which makes up much of the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.
My background and schooling is in visual design, which has allowed me to combine my love for sports, outdoors and, specifically, fishing. I’ve had the privilege of creating for brands like Routine Baseball, adidas, Rawlings, Major League Fishing (formerly FLW), 720Fly and TroutRoutes.
What else keeps you busy?
During our woefully too-short Minnesota summers, I operate a fly fishing guide service with close friends under the name Northern Drift Outfitters. While most of my days are spent in front of multiple computer screens, the guiding gives me an outlet to directly share my passions and knowledge with anglers of all ages and skill sets. I think it’s one of the best ways to get up close and personal with a river and move and think at the speed of nature.
Wild Rivers sounds like the perfect blend for someone in the creative and outdoor world. Can you give us a little background on the organization and what it does?
Yes, it is! After over 14 years of creative work I hit a point where I felt I needed to change up who the “client" was—who I could really help with my creative talents and passions. Wild Rivers Conservancy is truly unique in that it’s been around since 1911, when the St. Croix was heavily utilized to transport logs. It’s remarkable that protecting the river was top-of-mind in 1911.
Fast forwarding to more recent times—Executive Director Deb Ryun joined Wild Rivers Conservancy over 15 years ago as the first paid, full-time employee. With Deb’s leadership, we’ve grown to a staff of 13, plus another 10 to 12 seasonal staff in the summer, serving our mission of inspiring stewardship to ensure the rare ecological integrity of the St. Croix and Namekagon Riverway. We carve out space and resources to create positive outdoor experiences for both youth and adults, whether it’s taking a group kayaking or bringing them on trips with ecological experts. Hopefully that creates the confidence for them to return or visit an outdoor space on their own. Last year, we brought over 6,000 students to the Riverway. We also lead three-day kayak excursions for adults.
A large portion of our staff and partners also focus on natural resources work. Climate resilience, land protection and restoration, critical habitat preservation, water quality and terrestrial and aquatic species work are crucial if we want places like the St. Croix and Namekagon Riverway to stay sustainable.
Sounds like y’all are busy with some great initiatives. What’s your day-to-day look like?
I have the creative freedom (and sometimes challenge) of being a one-person department. I connect our supporters with the efforts of our team and partners through digital communications, press releases, social media, editorials and print media. I also connect audiences and communities with our events through copy and imagery that inspires people to get outside, as well as collaborating with the National Park Service to deliver messages. I love getting to learn something new about biology, climate change and ecosystems on a daily basis, and I’m not always stuck with a laptop. I’ve snorkeled with aquatic biologists sampling native mussel populations, geotagged six-foot sturgeon with the department of natural resources and monitored trout populations… I even flew as the co-pilot in a sea plane over the St. Croix with a retired fighter pilot. Funding is what makes all this possible for the nonprofit, of course. We rely on donations as a form of support, so I collaborate on a daily basis with our talented fundraising team.
What do you think makes the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers so unique?
The St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers were one of the original rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, which makes up less than one half of one percent of the nation's rivers.
The St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers stretch over 250 miles from their headwaters down to the confluence with the Mississippi River, and they go through equally as many changes. The northern areas are shallow, fast and free-flowing, while the lower river, toward Stillwater, MN, is home to pleasure boaters and river paddle boats, hiking, canoeing and kayaking opportunities and tons of amazing campsites. We estimate that over one million people recreate along the river each year. We’re truly lucky to have such a special place with clean flowing water—thanks to the over 40 native species of mussels that live in the riverbed—just a short drive from Minneapolis/St. Paul.
How do mussels impact the water quality?
First off, how about these names: Spectacle Case, Pimpleback, Snuffbox, and FatMucket. I’ve learned we have one of the largest remaining populations of these mussels in the US. That said, they’re declining in population and some species are now considered endangered. Five, soon to be six, are federally endangered. They’re crucial to the quality of water because they spend day and night along the riverbed filtering the water—one single mussel can filter over 15 gallons in a single day.
What makes them so vulnerable?
For one, they’re filter feeders so they come into contact with many pollutants and runoff from agriculture. This isn’t unique to our area—mussels are at the top of most threatened species in the US.
What is the Wild Rivers Conservancy doing to save the mussels?
We expand our scope of work to cover the entire watershed for the rivers, which is 7,900 acres, or roughly the size of New Jersey. Water quality starts with the health of prairies and forested land far from the actual riverbanks. Much of this land is private, so we work with landowners and land protection agencies to ensure these areas are well-managed.
Our Winged Mapleleaf Propagation Project is really innovative. We began partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in 2021 to research the optimal environment for the survival and growth of propagated mussels.
Mussels in the St. Croix depend on catfish as their hosts for microscopic mussel larvae, or glochidia, to develop into juvenile mussels. In early fall, the female mussels display a tissue lure to attract a host fish. The glochidia released by the female mussel then attach to catfish gills where they develop into juvenile mussels. Those juvenile mussels then detach from the host fish and fall to the riverbed as free-living mussels.
In spring 2022, approximately 3,600 microscopic juvenile mussels that released from channel catfish survived through the winter in USGS ponds in Wisconsin. They were moved to tanks in a USGS trailer along the St. Croix River and supplied with river water. By fall, over 100 of those juveniles had grown large enough to be seen with the unaided eye. With guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these juvenile mussels were placed in the Riverway and are now the first propagated winged mapleleaf mussels to survive through the winter in the St. Croix since 2005.
Any other Wild Rivers Conservancy initiatives you’d like to tell us about?
If you're reading this and you're from the Midwest, come visit! If not, I promise there are outdoor spaces near you that are worth exploring. There are groups just like ours around the US that could use your help through time, attention and monetary support. If you enjoy outdoor recreation, you have to get off the sideline and get involved in your community. There are too many threats out there putting these spaces at risk.
Well said. You mentioned earlier you’re also a fly fishing guide—where do you spend most of your time guiding and for what species?
I am! Fishing is something that really drives me and a day on the water in my drift boat helps me reset. I’ve been fly fishing for over 20 years and guiding for the last four. I’m mostly based in central to northern Minnesota, but if there is a river worth exploring, I’m up for a drive. Fly fishing is my usual method of choice, but I have just as much conventional tackle and often take anglers that prefer to fish with a baitcasting rod. Smallmouth bass on the fly is my focus May through August, but I switch to musky as fall approaches. The smallmouth is my favorite because they’re resilient, tough and strong. If you come from a traditional side of fly fishing, they are the perfect transition to get you hooked on the nontraditional species on the fly. They can sip a dragonfly pattern with the technique of a trout or crush a frog with the power of a train.
What’s a typical day like on the water with you?
A typical float is about eight miles, which is an eight-hour day. We fish from my RO Drift Boat with an angler at the bow, an angler at the stern and myself rowing from the center rowers seat. A drift boat is a super fun way to fish because it allows us to position easily in moving water and access rivers traditional boats can’t. All the fly rods, flies and gear are provided. And it’s all about creating memories and sharing knowledge with clients.
Do you tie all of your own flies? Any favorites?
I do! It reminds me a lot of design and creative work—the visuals don’t matter if the function isn’t there. To me, fly tying is as much about fooling the fish as it is about the act of fly fishing. Using natural fibers and synthetic materials to build shapes, densities and castability all come into play. Musky flies are my favorite to tie—each one takes over an hour to tie and they’re 12 inches when done. I enjoy having space to play with color and materials with the end goal of capturing an elusive musky.
How can people get in touch with you?
Anyone interested in fishing with me can learn more at Northern Drift Outfitters or @northerndriftoutfitters on instagram. Shoot us an email at northerndriftoutfitters@gmail.com or send us a DM—we’d be happy to take you fishing.
Any recent projects you’ve been a part of that showcase the area?
In 2023, I was featured in a documentary called Fly Fish Minnesota. Andrew from Bluff Line Media did an excellent job capturing the area. You can watch it here.
Any other Midwest fly guide shoutouts?
My business partner and best friend Collin Cody, also of Northern Drift Outfitters. And I have awesome local fishing buddies who are always up for a send… shoutout Phillip Clark, Brian Slater, JT Martin and Taylor Wells.
Anyone inspired to fly fish on the St. Croix or Namekagon should contact Hayward Fly Fishing Co. The owner, Stu Neville, runs a great shop and program.