Celebrating Women in Fly Fishing

This month is Women's Fly Fishing Month, and is something that is really close to my heart. If I had to pick one fly fishing issue that's most important to me, it's probably making the sport more accessible to women. A lot of it has to do with how I was introduced to fly fishing, but I also think an influx of women can bring a lot to the table that will make fly fishing better for all of us.

I Was Taught By Women Anglers

Unlike a lot of the angling community, fishing was not a staple of my childhood. My parents were Romanian immigrants, new to this country when I was born. They were acclimating to a new life almost as much as I was. It wasn't until I was in my thirties and living in South Florida that I picked up a fishing rod.

I had no idea what I was doing, but my two closest friends, Ashley and Kristin, were already seasoned anglers. Like most fisherfolk, they grew up with it. One day when we were fishing the freshwater canals for peacock bass, Kristin brought out her fly rod; a nine-foot five weight Loop. Watching her cast, work the white woolly bugger through the water column, setting the hook with a quick strip, having a direct connection from her hand to the line to the fish, and the deep bend in the rod as she netted her quarry...yeah, I wanted in.

Kristin handed me the rod, gave me some tips on how to cast, and let me fish it for a bit. I hooked into a couple fish and, well, you know how that all goes. I picked up my first outfit and brought it every time we went fishing. I was constantly peppering Ashley and Kristin with the usual questions: how do I cast better, what size flies should I be fishing, et cetera and so on. And like all good mentors, they showed me the way.

In my eyes, doing what I can to make fly fishing more accessible to women is my way of paying forward the kindness that Ashley and Kristin had shown me over the years.

Getting Started as a Woman is Tough

Generally speaking, fly fishing has a fairly sharp initial learning curve. However, there are some additional things that can make it a bit tougher for women. Jumping into a new sport is already fairly intimidating; doing so as a woman in a male-dominated space can make it even more so.

In South Florida, virtually all of the time we were urban fishing. Whether it was peacock bass in the canals, snapper and snook from the mangroves, or jack crevalle from the beach, there were always people around when we were fishing, virtually all nonanglers and tourists. Fly line cutting through the air was not a common sight, and even less so with a women at the other end.. We often drew a crowd, and while most interactions were fine, there were quite a few that weren't, and many times devolved into comments about a woman holding a fly rod.

Getting started in fly fishing is tough enough. Think back. Those tailing loops and tangles? Learning knots? Remembering what pocket you put whatever you're looking for? Fish that you can't figure out? Now imagine doing all of that, but with the increased attention of being a woman, fishing by herself among men. String together a couple bad outings, a handful of skunks, all while feeling the eyes on you, and you can see how a lot of women would be discouraged from keeping at it.

In light of all of that, women anglers are still deciding to pick up a rod and hit their local waters. I think that's great, and something that I want to support however I can.

Women's Fly Fishing Groups to the Rescue

Over the years, I've noticed a lot more women on the water, wielding fly rods. Statistics are showing a significant increase as well, with estimates of 31-35% of the fly fishing community consisting of women. Additionally, I think the women who had grown up with fly fishing are becoming more involved in their communities. Numerous women-oriented fly fishing groups have sprung up around the country.

Here in East Tennessee, one of the most active groups in my area are Girls Who Fly Fish. Based out of Knoxville, GWFF have been kicking ass and taking names. They are probably the most active fishing group in our area, with events every couple weeks (for women and men alike). And this is not just Fly Fishing 101 programming; GWFF are heading out to challenging waters, hiking miles of mountain trails to blueline for native trout, learning how to tie flies together, and even putting on instructional courses for children looking to get into fly fishing. Here in Knoxville, GWFF are an incredible asset to our sport and our local waters.

The Industry Needs Women

And it's that last bit that's really important. More women in fly fishing isn't the only end goal. More women in fly fishing is more people in fly fishing. That means more fishing licenses sold, more local economic activity, more funding for conservation efforts, and more stewards, protectors, and advocates for our local waters.

They're coming at a time when we need them most. The veterans of our sport have done a great job of carrying the torch, but it's no secret that our TU chapters are increasing in average age, and many of us are worried about who will step up to take our place. With increasing pressure from urban development, data center construction, climate change, and decreasing access, our natural resources need all the help they can get.

What Can Men Do?

If you're asking what you can do as a man to make the sport more accessible for women, it's not all that different from improving accessibility for anyone. Here are some ideas:

1. If you have a women's fly fishing group in your area, reach out to them and ask if there's anything you can do to help.

2. Ask your local Trout Unlimited chapter if they do a Women on the Water course. Most do one every year, and often are in need of volunteers.

3. Be respectful on the water. Give women the same space and privacy as you would any other angler.

4. Ask if help is needed before offering advice. Answer questions, offer a tip or two, and try not to overwhelm them with information.

5. If you have a wife or daughter, invite them to give fly fishing a try. If they get hooked, there is nothing better than sharing a hobby/obsession with them for life.

Physical Fitness and How It Can Improve Your Fishing Experience

We all know that fly anglers are, on average, a fairly aged bunch. While the sport does seem to be getting younger, most of us have already thought, "How many years of quality fishing do I have in me?" I don't know my number, but I know that I want to wade mountain streams for as many years as my body will let me.

For doing anything well into old age, the discussion has to start with physical fitness, and fly angling is no different. By focusing on your strength, endurance, and mobility, you're improving your current fishing experience, as well as protecting your future time on the water.

But It's Just Fishing, Right?

While fly fishing is obviously a pretty active outdoor pursuit, I think we forget just how much we're doing when we're on the water. Here in Southern Appalachia, I'm hiking several miles up mountain trails with around ten pounds of gear. Often, I have to descend down a steep ravines from the trail to the stream. Once on the water, I'm wading on slick rocks through fast currents and deep pools, often scrambling over boulders and logs in the process. I cast continuously for hours, hundreds of repetitions of similar movements. When I hook a fish, I may have to chase it downstream before kneeling in moving water and reaching out to net it, remove the hook, snap a picture, and release the fish.

I need to do all of that without getting overly exerted so I can use my finer motor skills to tie knots, change flies, apply floatant, and adjust leaders. I also need to stay mentally sharp enough to observe and understand water and weather conditions, both to fish effectively as well as stay safe. That's doubly important if I'm fishing in an isolated area with little to no cell phone reception, which is very common. And if I am injured while fishing, that could result in a lifelong injury that takes years off my fishing lifespan.

All of these factors lead to the inevitable conclusion: Better physical fitness directly correlates to better angling.

So I Need to be an Athlete to Go Fishing?

Definitely not. I'm saying that you can spend 30 minutes a day doing low-level exercise and vastly improve and extend the time you have on the water. And you can get started right now. Today. Let's do it.

Start Small

Go for a walk. That's it. Every day, just go for a walk around your neighborhood. Don't think about for how far, how long, or how fast. It can be as short as to the end of the block and back. Just walk every day. If you can do it at the same time, even better.

This is going to form a habit, which is defined as an automatic, regularly repeated behavior requiring little conscious thought. The simpler the activity, the faster the habit forms. Most people will form a habit of going for a walk within two to three weeks. Once the habit is formed, then start thinking about how far, long, or fast you want your daily walks to be.

Start Adding

Once you've established a baseline of physical activity, that will give you a foundation to add new things to your daily routine. You could jump right into it, go on YouTube, find some workouts, and start hammering away. However, the ways in which your musculoskeletal system interacts with itself, as well as other parts of your body, are complex. By seeking out some professional help, you can build a more effective routine and reduce the risk of unintended injury.

Well sir, looks like you're in need of a backeotomy.

The first and most obvious resource is your primary care physician. Most doctors jump for joy when their middle-aged, slightly overweight, chronic Lyme disease carrying male patient who hasn't been in their office in years tells them they want to get in shape so they can fish more. Many have detailed exercise guides that they can print or email to you. But more importantly, your primary care physician is knowledgeable and qualified to consider your pre-existing conditions when suggesting various exercises. That fat guy with the Lyme, though? That's not me; that's my friend. I'm a pristine physical specimen.

You might also ask your doctor if they could refer you to a physical therapist. That broken wrist that never healed right? That sore back, stiff shoulder, or crackly knee? Those are symptoms that can benefit from the attention of a physical therapist, often covered by your insurance. When you meet with your therapist, they will prescribe a number of exercises to improve your stength and mobility, and walk you through how to perform them correctly.

In addition to your doctor or therapist (or sadly, instead of, because lack of access to healthcare is as American as apple pie), you could try reaching out to a personal trainer to develop an exercise routine for you to follow. While personal trainers in the States are not required by law to hold any certifications, many gyms require their trainers to be certified. If you do go down this route, tell your prospective trainer specifically that you are wanting to develop a routine that you can do at home, explain your fitness goals, and ask them to walk you through their approach.

Other Resources

While I'd recommend developing your daily fitness regimen one on one with an expert, there are quite a few other sources out there for expanding your knowledge. This can make your appointments with your experts more productive, and you may learn a few new tricks. Here are a couple that are worth your attention:

1. Lindsay Kocka + Wade Well Online Training Studio: Lindsay Kocka is an avid fly angler and professional trainer with over 15 years of experience helping people move and feel better in the outdoors. She has an incredible Instagram with tons of helpful information. She was also a featured guest on the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer. Her Wade Well Online Training Studio contains exercises specifically designed for anglers and guides, and she offers a seven-day free trial.

2. Kelly Starrett, Becoming a Supple Leopard. Kelly Starrett wrote Becoming a Supple Leopard back in CrossFit's heyday (it's a cult, get help). While the book is fairly technical, it's incredibly informative, has lots of suggested routines, and is something to review with your doctor, therapist, or trainer.

Be Realistic and Keep a Schedule

Once you've identified what fitness areas you want to work on, and you have a collection of exercises that will comprise your daily routine, it's time to be real with yourself. How much time will it take and when will you do it? Don't jump from a ten minute daily walk to a 60 minute exercise regimen overnight. Figure out what you need to do on a daily basis, and assign it to realistic time blocks throughout your day. Whether it's doing everything in the morning or evening, or breaking it up into mini-sessions, figure it out and schedule it.

Schedule it. Get out your planner, or open your phone's calendar, and schedule it every day. We're interested in building habits here.

What Does This Routine Look Like?

First thing's first, I am not a medical professional, so please don't rely on my routine for your needs. I'm also a weird case, as I have chronic Lyme disease, which presents with muscle and joint pain and stiffness, as well as general fatigue. Your needs will almost certainly be different from mine.

Every morning, as soon as I wake up at 6:45 a.m., I do a fifteen minute exercise routine consisting of stretching and body-weight strength training. This is my baseline; I do it every single day for ease of repetition. I loosen up, hop around a bit to get the blood flowing, and then spend ten minutes doing a series of stretches, each on both sides or directions. I've included the stretch routine below. After that, I spend the rest of the fifteen minutes doing a set or two of sit-ups, push-ups, and squats.

Last Cast Alan's Morning Stretch Routine

Last Cast Alan's Morning Stretch Routine
Lumbar Rotation Stretch	Hamstring Stretch
Thoracic Rotation Stretch	Kneeling Adductor Stretch
Circular Neck Rolls	Chest Opener Stretch
Cat/Cow Stretch	Rhomboid Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch	Shoulder Rotations

I work a desk job, and I have a couple things that I do throughout my workday. I have a standing desk and typically spend two hours standing per day. I also have a Gibbon SlackBoard, which is like a slackline suspended by a skateboard with no wheels. I'm usually using this while working to improve my balance and core strength. I also have some small dumbbells and a resistance band for light arm strength and mobility exercises.

Lastly, I still go for my daily walks, usually an hour or two before bed. It's basic cardio, but also, it simply helps me relax at the end of the day.

How Does This Routine Improve My Fishing?

Within a week or two of starting each of these routines, I was finding more enjoyment in nearly every aspect of my fishing, both on stream and off. Here are some examples:

Hiking longer distances to reach less accessible water	Taking bigger steps up, down, and across obstacles
Wading with better balance and more confidence	Bending over, crouching, and kneeling quickly and comfortably to land and handle fish
More fluid and accurate casting with less fatigue and pain	Rotating my torso and shoulders to more easily grab my net, wading staff, and hip pouch behind me
Less exhaustion means faster rigging and fly changes	Less soreness and stiffness the next day, meaning more days on the water

These aren't obscure or theoretical concepts; these are immediate, concrete improvements to my fishing experience. Because I'm decreasing the wear and tear on my body and staying alert to dangers on the water, I'm protecting myself from future injury.

We'd like to spend the rest of our lives figuring out where the fish are, what they're munching on, and how to catch them. We read books, listen to podcasts, watch videos, and talk shop with other anglers to learn how to fish better. Take a small portion of that time, dedicate it to your physical fitness, and ensure that you'll be wading those mountain streams for decades to come.

Calling an Audible: Changing Focus to More Thoughtful Content

About six weeks ago, I put out a short update on LCL's roadmap for the rest of the year. Most of that is not changing. I'm still "deep-diving" on presentation techniques for the rest of the year as a way of establishing a solid foundation for more advanced techniques next year. Right now, I'm fishing almost exclusively dries.

However, what is going to change is the priorities for creating content on LCL. I'm going to be focusing more on thoughtful, polished content. Expect to see more articles like our recent features on rising tungsten prices and handling the mental stress of getting skunked. Upcoming articles will include the benefits of physical fitness for fishing, the hidden rewards of solving fishing puzzles on your own, and something that I am very excited for: the importance of women in fly fishing.

That's not to say that you won't still be exposed to my endless streams of consciousness regarding all things fly fishing. Day-to-day lessons I'm taking away from my deep dives, as well as random thoughts of the day, will move over to social media. Be sure to follow Last Cast Life on Instagram and Facebook. When I've learned enough to put together a more comprehensive article, these will be incorporated into a more coherent presentation for...normal people.

Thanks to everybody out there reading. Stay tuned, because things are just getting started!