The first International Wild Trout Symposium was held September 25-26, 1974 at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone National Park. The event was cosponsored by Trout Unlimited and the Department of the Interior US Fish and Wildlife Service, based on the idea for the event that originated with Frank Richardson, TU Executive Director and past FFF President Pete Van Gytenbeek, John Peters of the EPA at a 1973 luncheon in Denver. The concept received the enthusiastic support of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and past FFF Senior Advisor, Nathaniel P. Reed. The sponsoring group was joined and the Symposium hosted by Yellowstone National Park's Jack Anderson. Willis King was also on the Organizing Committee.
Over 300 anglers, writers, students, and professionals from every trout region in the United States and Canada met on common ground to talk about wild trout and establish a new tradition. There were panels covering Anadromous Species, Water Quality and Quantity, Habitat and Species, Regulations and Politics and a number of Special Sessions. Presenters included a number of familiar names such as Roger Barnhart, Gardner Grant, Ray White, Bob Wiley and our good friend A. Starker Leopold. Dick Vincent presented his well-known paper on the effects of stocking catchables on wild trout populations and Wilfred Carter head of the International Salmon Federation discussed Atlantic salmon management.
The initial consensus was to hold these Symposiums every five years and 1979 added the Federation of Fly Fishers as a cosponsor. John Townsley joined the Organizing Committee. Frank Richardson was Chairman. Gardner Grant and Mike Owen, the respective FFF and TU Presidents, were Assistant Chairmen.