Get to know John Hall
John Hall grew up in the Mississippi watershed. Originally from Charles City, Iowa, he began fishing the Cedar River and other waterways at 11 years old. “I grew up fishing for smallmouth bass in Floyd and Mitchell counties, and I still do today,” Hall says. 
Today, Hall describes being a fisherman as his “primary passion and purpose.” One that he shares with his five-year-old son, fishing and wading through Iowa’s waters.
Hall has been a Corridor resident for 18 years, residing in Cedar Rapids the last two. In that time, he has of course become acquainted with fellow outdoorsmen. This includes Steve Shriver, another member of the Wings2Water board. It was in a conversation about the outdoors that Hall says, “Steve perceived that I had a passion for that, perhaps beyond just being a participant in outdoor pursuits. He thought I might be a good fit for the Wings2Water board and connected me with Marty (Marty Lenss, a founder of Wings2Water).”
In 2022, Hall officially joined the Wings2Water team, and it makes complete sense. Hall has spent years in the Midwest waters and says he felt truly drawn to the organization’s mission. “Ultimately, this vision to clean up waterways in the Mississippi watershed just hits so close to home for me. I literally play in the watershed as often as I can and have for 30 years,” he says.
Looking at the big picture, Hall says we can’t deny that water quality has improved since the Clean Water Act of 1972 and an environmentally conscious effort to improve waters across the country over the past few decades. “If I zoom out, in some respects, things have improved,” Hall adds. And it’s that progress that he wants to ensure isn’t stalled or reversed. “But we still have existing water that we need to improve and existing water that we need to protect…There’s beautiful water in Iowa. We have a chance to protect and expand it for ourselves and future generations. I would hate to see what we do have for quality water have less quality in the future.”
The Mississippi watershed is one of the largest in the world, covering 1.2 million square miles according to the National Park Service, “including all or parts of 32 states…” When you drive the countryside of Iowa, like Hall does, the waterways you see are linked to the Mississippi River and watershed. This connects millions of people, communities, economies, wildlife, and water. The water is used for drinking, recreation, business, and more. Through this connection, Hall knows that Wings2Water can grow across many states, more airports, and other organizations that need a program to protect water and improve water quality.
