For Women Only

A common discussion topic amongst many fly fishing guides and instructors today is the growing interest of women in the sport. For many years, as with many other activities, fly fishing has been seen as a man's sport and up until now, women simply have not taken up the sport. In many ways this is odd as some of the most respected individuals of the sport have indeed been women. Off the top of my head, I can think of 2 who are very much respected and have done a lot to promote the sport and instruct others. Who wouldn't argue that Joan Wulff is not one of the greatest casters and instructors of our time? As well, how many of us men have used the book by Helen Shaw when we learned our fly tying? I know I have a copy and it did me well when I was a teenager.

Recently, the Federation of Fly Fishers awarded its annual Order of the Lapis Lazuli, the Federations highest award to Joan Wulff. This is considered a very high honor to be selected by the FFF for this order. This years award was interesting in that not only was it the first time a woman had been a recipient, but it was also the first time that the 2 individuals received it in the same year. In fact, Fred Stevenson of Huntsville, Alabama also was named to the order. I am honoured to count Fred as a personal friend of mine and I can attest to his dedication to the sport of fly fishing. I recently spoke with Fred, and he was excited by the fact that a woman had won the award, and humbly refused to say much about his own notable achievements and the respect he has garnered.

It is interesting to note that the first known English literature about fishing was written by Dame Julina Berners in her "A Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle." Quite often Izaak Walton is regarded as the first English author to write about fishing. Berners even provided her readers with 12 fly patterns.

I am sure that there are many reasons we could cite for the decline of fishing in general including fly fishing amongst women, but, rather than focus on that, it is great to see a great number of the 'fairer sex' becoming not only interested in the sport, but excelling at it. In fact, several casting instructors that I know of claim that it is far easier to teach a woman, generally speaking how to become a proficient caster than it is a man.

Because of the growing popularity, there are numerous clubs and organizations that cater especially to women which provides a place where she can nurture her improvements and skill without the intimidation of men close by that think they know better.

Even some rod manufacturers are becoming more sensitive to the special needs of women while fly fishing. R.L. Winston introduced recently their Joan Wulff Favorite, a rod featuring smaller grips to fit smaller hands. As well, there are several others in the Winston lineup that also are recommended for women.

Clubs are also no longer the domain of men only. Many of the older clubs are attracting new female members and of course, there are several women only fly fishing associations. I also came across Casting For Recovery, a retreat for women suffering from breast cancer. Staffed by women fly instructors, the aim of the retreat is to provide women who are a victim of this terrible disease a place where they can go to have fun, find support, and at the same time, discover a great activity that provides both physical rehabilitation as well as have a "place of solace where emotional well-being can flourish."

For those women who want to learn more about fly fishing, or perhaps men who want to introduce their female friends to the sport, there are many resources available on the Internet. I hope the following will prove useful to you, and tight lines! Let me know who wins the next mixed casting tournaments in your neighborhood!