The Fly Fishers of Davis (FFD) sponsors this annual $1,500 scholarship (one per year) in support of a graduate student conducting research in fisheries biology and/or riparian or limnetic ecology benefiting California’s recreational fisheries, with preference given for research on a sport-related fish species. Applicants for this scholarship must be in good academic standing as a graduate student at UC Davis, and engaged in research relevant to recreational fisheries in California. The scholarship is administered by the Fly Fishers of Davis. FFD will receive and review applications, and will select a qualified student whose research best matches its interests. FFD will make the final selection and award the scholarship directly to the student. In the event that no research proposal matches the interest of FFD, no award will be given.

The selected candidate for this scholarship agrees to: 

1. Give a short presentation on his/her research to the club at a monthly meeting to be arranged with the club.
2. Establish and maintain contact with FFD by visit, letter/e-mail, or telephone for the period of the scholarship plus one year.
3. Appropriately recognize FFD for support received in any publications resulting from this research/thesis.

Application Requirements for all Scholarships:

• A completed Application Form (see next page).
• An enrollment verification from the Registrar’s Office (https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/records/verifications.cfm)
• A cover letter (limited to 2 pages) describing your qualifications, interests, career goals, participation in conservation activities, and how your proposed research project is relevant, applicable, and beneficial to sport and commercial fishing. Please also include your GPA from Winter Quarter 2024. The person awarded the scholarship may be asked to provide evidence of their academic standing prior to the award.
• A written statement (limited to 3 pages), outlining your research project and how it will benefit California recreational and commercial fisheries. The statement should be appropriate for and easily comprehensible by a lay audience.
• This scholarship is intended for a project not previously funded by a CABA scholarship. If you are submitting a proposal for a project that received a previous CABA Scholarship, please include a specific explanation describing how your current proposal is different from the previously awarded project.
• All applications must be signed by a faculty advisor and submitted in PDF format via email to Lowell Ashbaugh, Conservation Chair of the Fly Fishers of Davis, at ashbaugh.lowell@gmail.com by Tuesday, December 2, 2025.