Local teen wins Youth Fly Fishing National Championships

Local teenager wins national fishing event. Photo: Alex Smith

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Riley Goode isn’t just celebrating his graduation from Park City High School this season — he’s also celebrating a national title.

Goode won Overall Champion at the 2026 USA Youth Fly Fishing Team National Championship on Colorado’s Lake George, earning a spot on the U.S. team heading to the Youth World Championships in Ireland later this summer.

Born and raised in Park City, Goode has been fishing his whole life, encouraged by his parents, Stacey and Kirby.

“Anglers view international competition as an opportunity to elevate American angling on the global stage,” USA Angling writes on its website.

Goode is one of 12 members on the co-ed national team, all between 14 and 18 years old. The other members hail from Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Arkansas, Montana and Utah.

The national championship was limited to 24 anglers and included both opening and closing ceremonies. The competition, designed to test technical skill, strategy and competitive readiness, involved two sessions per day over two days on private water with river and still-water bank portions.

While the youth championship is a marquee event, USA Angling also sanctions adult, women’s and masters competitions throughout the year in both still water and freshwater categories. Ice fishing has a place within the national competition structure as well, and the organization also runs a youth conservation program.

In the fall, Goode plans to attend Colgate University.