Casting into conservation: How cleaner water fuels the sportfishing economy
By Nick Werner
Embedded Files
When Jason DeArman moved to Indiana from Texas in 2001, he didn’t know much about the White River.
But as an avid angler and outdoorsman, he did what came naturally—he started exploring the water. What he found wasn’t the polluted, lifeless river many locals warned him about. Instead, he found smallmouth bass, a prized gamefish native to the Midwest.
Not only were the bass plentiful, many were lunkers.
“I was just dumb enough and naive enough,” Jason laughed. “I didn’t come from here. I didn’t have any preconceived notions about what the White River was.”
Today, Jason owns Two Forks Guide Service, a fishing guide business based in Indianapolis and Noblesville that draws clients from across the Midwest and beyond. His drift boat is on the White River almost daily throughout the season, taking anglers on float trips through stretches from Yorktown through Noblesville.
And his success wouldn’t be possible without a healthy White River.
A comeback story
A comeback story
The White River hasn’t always had the best reputation.
For decades, the industrialized communities on its banks treated it as a dumping ground for manufacturing waste. And when heavy rains overwhelmed outdated wastewater systems, sewage flowed into the stream.
A major fish kill in 1999 only reinforced public perception of the river as a dead, dirty waterway. The fish kill stemmed from a chemical discharge at an Anderson factory and affected 50 miles of river downstream.
But the river’s story didn’t end there.
Thanks to years of conservation efforts, fish stocking, upgraded wastewater infrastructure, better agricultural practices, and stronger community stewardship, the river has rebounded. The White River’s rebound has become a model for what can happen when grassroots supporters, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies team up to tackle an environmental problem.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that over the years, it’s gotten better in terms of numbers and size of fish,” Jason said. “Water quality has improved. The result is a really good all-around fishery.”
From real estate to rafts
From real estate to rafts
Jason balances his guiding work with a real estate career—he and his wife Kara are business partners—but fishing is clearly his passion. What started as a side hustle is now a thriving enterprise.
After seven seasons of guiding, Jason said most of his trips are with repeat clients, some of whom travel from as far as St. Louis, Chicago, and even Alabama.
“They’re coming for the chance to catch a 20-inch smallmouth,” Jason said. “And they know that fish is in the White River.”
He estimates most of his clients already know how to fish well—they come to him for his knowledge of where and how to find fish.
“I fish water that people overlook,” he said. “I can help clients catch 20-inch fish in a foot of water. That’s what people are paying for—the know-how.”
Conservation = livelihood
Conservation = livelihood
A healthy White River is more than just a nice idea for Jason. It’s the foundation of his business.
“I’m literally able to make money off of this natural resource,” he said. “And I don’t take that lightly.”
Jason has seen firsthand how land management practices upstream impact water quality.
“Cover crops, buffer zones, fewer nutrients in runoff—those things matter,” he said. “They help us avoid late-summer algae blooms and siltation, which can ruin the fishing.”
He also emphasizes how important combined sewer upgrades have been.
“That stuff’s evolving and getting better, and I think that helps a lot.”
Jason is active in conservation circles, too. He serves on the board of Friends of the White River and supports groups like the White River Alliance and Indiana Wildlife Federation.
“I try not to just be a taker,” he said. “I’m involved.”
Breaking the stigma
Breaking the stigma
Despite the improvements, Jason said the river still suffers from a stigma.
“People still tell me they think there’s human waste floating down the river,” he said. “Then I show them a photo of a 20-inch smallmouth, and they go, ‘Whoa.’”
Jason regularly takes people fishing who have lived in Noblesville or Yorktown their entire lives but have never floated the river just minutes from their homes.
“They just didn’t know,” he said. “Awareness drives this business. Once people realize what’s here, it changes their whole perspective.”
The future of Indiana fishing
The future of Indiana fishing
Jason believes that Indiana’s central location, relatively undeveloped waters, and improving environmental conditions will make it a hotspot for ecotourism in the years to come.
In some ways, he said, fishing here is as good if not better than storied destinations such as Montana, which has been suffering from drought and water quality problems lately.
“We have more water than the West or the South,” he said. “If we protect it, people will come and spend money here. We just need to be smart about it.”
Jason envisions the guiding industry growing each year, and he welcomes more competition—so long as conservation keeps pace.
“If we do this right, the White River can support more anglers, more guides, more businesses,” he said. “ But we’ve got to keep protecting the resource.”
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