Herbert (“Bert”) Ley was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in the Maryland suburbs, but his fondest childhood memories were summers spent at his grandparents’ farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. There, his grandfather introduced him to fishing with worms and bobbers on the pond, sparking a love for water and fish. Though his grandfather often spoke of trout in nearby streams, Bert never quite figured out how to catch them during those early visits.

Fast forward three decades: Bert was pursuing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Utah and began taking backpacking trips into the High Uintas. After one trip, he mentioned seeing trout cruising a lake shoreline. A friend suggested, “You ought to try fly fishing.” Bert replied, “That’s for those hifalutin East Coasters,” only to hear, “I’m from American Fork and that’s just how we do it out here!” With a push, his friend told him to buy a starter combo from Gart Sports and join the crew. In the summer of 1997, at age 40, Bert bought his first fly rod—and never looked back.

He soon immersed himself in the world of western fly fishing and conservation, joining the Stonefly Society and becoming a life member of Trout Unlimited. He made meaningful connections with the likes of TU leaders Dave Serdar, and respected fly shop owners Steve Schmidt and Byron Gunderson. His travels grew to include legendary rivers in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming—where he also gained a deep appreciation for the diverse and often confusing stream access laws across the West.

Defending Utah’s Public Waters

Everything changed on July 18, 2008—the day of the Conatser decision. Bert was at a barbecue at Victory Ranch after helping with a Fly Fishing Team USA event on the Upper Provo. That very day, the Utah Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling affirming the public’s right to touch streambeds while engaged in lawful recreation. Bert was inspired, but that inspiration would soon turn into activism.

Just months later, on February 19, 2009, Bert attended the first stream access rally at the Utah Capitol, organized by the Utah Water Guardians. He stood outside the House of Representatives chambers in full waders, trying to sway lawmakers to uphold Conatser. Their response was chilling: “The Court got it wrong.” A year later, the Utah Legislature passed the Public Waters Access Act, reversing Conatser and cutting off access to 2,700 miles of fishable streams.

Frustrated but motivated, Bert attended the very first public meeting of the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC) on August 30, 2010—and immediately committed to the cause. Under the guidance of founders Dave Serdar and Byron Gunderson, and with the legal support of pro bono attorneys Craig Coburn and Cullen Battle, Bert joined a growing movement to restore public stream access. Over the past 16 years, Bert has worked tirelessly—legally, legislatively, and publicly—to keep the issue alive and defend the rights of Utah anglers and boaters to enjoy the waters they own.

Conservation and Public Service

Beyond stream access advocacy, Bert served from 2015 to 2021 on Utah’s Blue-Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council and was elected Chair for the final 2.5 years of his term. This role gave him the opportunity to travel the state, evaluate potential Blue Ribbon fisheries, and advocate for their protection and management.

More importantly, it brought him closer to the people behind the scenes—the dedicated men and women of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ Aquatics Division, from field biologists to leadership. Bert credits them as some of the most committed individuals in fisheries conservation and is proud to have worked alongside them during his service.