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Serenity Season
Written By: Chris Wilkes - The Highland Hiker | Issue: 2018/09 - September
Fly-fishing is one of the few sports that is tailor-made for women every bit as much as it is for men.
Fly-fishing has so much more to do with finesse and presentation than it does with power and strength. The important stuff to do in a stream like spotting fish, knowing the feeding habits of trout or bass, matching what’s in your fly box to a hatch, and being able to make a proper presentation are certainly not specific to a gender. Let’s spend some time overcoming the two most common objections so we can improve the guy to girl ratio out on the streams a little bit.
“I’ve never fly-fished before.” As most guides and fly shop personnel could tell you, neither have 80 percent of the people that are contacting them about a guided trip, and a lot of people who I talk to about setting up a trip have never held a fly rod in their hand. So being a novice actually puts you in pretty good company.
“I don’t have time to take lessons.” Completely understandable. But consider this: Figuring out whether or not the sport is for you can be accomplished in a two-hour casting lesson. Fly fishing is all about the cast and, just like golf, tennis, or croquet, once you get the basics down then there is a place for you in the sport no matter your skill level. And don’t feel like you can’t book a fly fishing excursion without taking a lesson, either. Most guides are also instructors, so simply letting them know that you have never fished before will allow them to make preparation on some basics before you get in the water. That way you can catch fish while you learn, which is always the better way to go in my opinion.
The things that most fly fisherman love about the sport – serenity, peace and quiet, and just being outside – are certainly not a “guys only” type of list, and fly fishing is a great excuse to go to a lot of pretty places. The peak season is right around the corner, I hope to see you out there!
