Women Fly Fishers – PART II
Where Are They?
Call me what you will, but I like women fly fishers. I think they are pretty darn cool. Let’s just say an exra DOSE of cool in my ancient hippie-dippy lost dialect.
In the past seventeen years, they have come and gone with regularity. Heck one of my favorite females, who was willing to actually take a huge chance and fly fish with me? She’s gone gone, if you know what I mean. I was lucky to have known her, and a tough memorial service for me.
There is an underlying problem with that last sentence, one that goes deep into what DEFINES fly fishing culture today. It is the same thing that assaults the male side of the spectrum (we now have a spectrum I guess) of the fly fishing community. Just to clarify that last parenthetical; I have zero problems with “spectrum.”
The problem is a simple fact of life – AGING. The fly fishing community, in a time when it should be making bold outreaches to women and minorities, seems to ME to be more satisfied with SHOWING OUT themselves – first and foremost. Day-in-day-out the social media impressions on fly fishing is astounding. It is larger, broader and more outfacing than ever in the history of the sport. And that’s a factor of delivery when we get down to the brass tacks of it. BUT, many of those social media impressions, people are beginning to realize, are a mile wide and an inch deep.
A Guy Thing
In an interview with a female friend, with time on her hands and direct daily exposure to a contemporary fly fishing male, she said, “… women don’t like the way men tell them what to do,” when it comes to teaching about and learning about fly fishing. She went on to say, “… women teach women better,” than men do. I agreed with her, but told her I thought the “younger” male generation has become much more in tune with the nuances of teaching female fly fishers interested in the sport.
That doesn’t erase the sourness of a male instructor’s insensitivity though. That is one of those things that lasts a long, long time.
There wasn’t a single time I saw Lefty Kreh teaching, that he did not say, “women are so much easier to teach than men,” and personally, I have found that to be 100-percent true.
TESTOSERONE’S OPINION
Now, I decided to go back in and add a little perspective here that, well, nobody around me and my age group talks much about … anymore. That is the inequality that comes from the beauty of women that gives them advantage in fly fishing popular culture, compared to the banality of fly men who can’t even participate in my “Topless Fly Guys” campaign as a response to the women fisher’s in-your-face T-n-Ass fest. The young fly men, the ones that are visible, are very proud of their beer-foam-beards and flat brims, while their counterparts on the female side? Quite the opposite, well shaven by appearances, and mostly very clean, well oiled and ready to show out. So my belief is; men in general, would rather be titillated that do the titillating. Go ahead and admit it. Why else would images, like the one below even exist. Be sure to note the camera to the right as well?
And this kind of inequality pays off royally because of these instinctive drives. Women fishers and fly fishers enjoy a marked BASE advantage in social media and all types of content – at times and not all of them – simply because of their gender. The first one I noted and talked with, Austin Texas living “Fly Fish Chick” about fifteen-years-ago, was so overwhelmed by male pursuers (socially and in reality) she actually disappeared (socially) quickly for her own safety. She was a true pioneer, in women’s social fly fishing, who was smart enough to turn back from what laid ahead. NOTE – I think her disappearance may have also coincided with landing a male of our species?
One thing I noticed early, specifically from the young ladies and women who dove into the fly fishing pond’s shallow social end, was and still is – a blatant attempt to LOOK single. They don’t show out wedding rings, husbands or children – very often. I wonder why? And these numbers of social fly fishers, in the women’s atmosphere, expanded greatly with COVID and the money and time that was unleashed on the fly fishing world. Life on the fly was an “in” a shortcut to social stardom – just add fly fishing, and add thousands of followers. Simple provable mathematics.
THIS IS MY OPINION on a topic that has never been very sensitive, or talked about much at all ANYWHERE. I would love to be wrong about this topic, but I am a journalist looking at facts, and photographs and mathematical statistics.
Let’s Just Chat About It
I reached out to my writing sidekick, ChatGPT with the question about why there are so many more males in the USA who fly fish than females in the USA who fly fish? With that query, this is what I got:
“The gender disparity in fly fishing in the USA likely stems from a combination of cultural, historical, and practical factors. Here are some reasons why men tend to outnumber women in the sport:
1. Historical Context
- Fly fishing has traditionally been marketed as a male-dominated sport, with imagery and stories centered around fathers, sons, and male camaraderie. This historical narrative has created a perception that the sport is primarily for men.
2. Cultural Expectations
- Outdoor sports, including fishing, have often been viewed as “masculine” activities, while societal expectations historically directed women toward other hobbies and responsibilities.
3. Marketing and Representation
- Until recently, most fly fishing gear, advertising, and media targeted men. This lack of representation can discourage women from seeing themselves as part of the sport.
4. Access and Social Dynamics
- Men may have more opportunities to be introduced to fly fishing through male friends, family members, or professional networks. Women, who might not have similar networks, could face additional barriers to entry.
5. Gear and Comfort
- Fly fishing gear has traditionally been designed for men, which can be a barrier for women who need properly fitting waders, rods, and other equipment. In recent years, however, companies have begun producing gear specifically designed for women.
6. Perceptions of the Sport
- Fly fishing can be seen as requiring extensive time, travel, and financial investment. These factors might not align with the interests or priorities of many women, particularly those balancing work and family responsibilities.
7. Trends and Changing Demographics
- There is a growing effort to increase diversity in fly fishing, with organizations, events, and media focused on encouraging women to join the sport. This includes women-specific fly fishing clinics, social media groups, and prominent female ambassadors in the fly fishing community.
Closing the Gap
As these efforts continue, more women are taking up fly fishing, and the gender gap is slowly narrowing. The shift toward inclusivity and representation is helping to challenge outdated stereotypes and expand the community.” – COURTESY CHATgpt
REASONING
The reason I am giving a lot of thought to this topic is because, as I look at my YouTube Channel, a disturbing and glaring statistic shines through the numbers: ZERO women watch that Channel. Z E R O. Now, if that is not disturbing enough? how about all these young fly fishing women, equally enhanced by their Instagram and Ticktock and YouTube accounts, who do the same thing we see from young guys these days – SHOW THEMSELVES OUT, and nothing more to expand the sport. Nothing. To a swath of these fly folks, fly fishing is a “missing tool” in their kit of self-promotional efforts, to add subscribers, watch time and gas money to the next video location. IF hang gliding would get more viewers? They would be hang gliders. Heck, maybe they are glider pilots by now; remember fly fishing is an extremely small niche. I could have told them that … if they had ever asked.
BE SURE TO READ THE FIRST STORY: The Joy of Fly Fishing: A Perfect Sport for Women and let me know if, a) you are a woman, b) if any of this makes sense to you, c) what would you say about the lack of women in this sport and how would you try and reach out? d) do you know a woman in the sport?, e) what does she have to say?
Category: Adventure, Body-Mind-Soul, Causes, Fly Fishing AI ChatGPT, Industry, Life Observed
