Have you heard the saying, 'you don't know what you don't know?' There was a distinct moment where fishing became more enjoyable, meaningful, and enriching to my life, on and off the water. That moment was when I inherited a community of female angling friends. I say 'inherited' because I want to recognize that someone else did the work to create a space for us to find each other. In our case, it was a Take Me Fishing event for Women Making Waves in outdoor spaces. Fishing was great before that, but I did not know how much more I would love the sport until I surrounded myself with other women who were passionate, like me.

Our worldview, our experiences, and our passions were diverse while being relatable. Suddenly, I realized I had been a little bit of a loner prior to meeting them. Sure, I had lots of friends, most of which were male. The friendships I had with women were just different, and they filled a void that I now recognize as critical. I needed community, and the fishing industry has a distinct lack of women and people of color! It is getting better, but to move the needle further I believe we need to have more space and attention around female voices- to share their stories. 

At last, I am so proud to introduce you to my friends. We talk about industry double standards, the significance of community, and much more. This is only a sample of what is to come, but like anything that matters, we are taking time to get it right. 

Want to stay in touch with these amazing women? Here's how: 

Instagram

Gabriella Hoffman https://www.instagram.com/gabriella_hoffman/

Debbie Hanson https://www.instagram.com/shefishes2/

Cindy Nguyen https://www.instagram.com/sidtx/

Snookie https://www.instagram.com/snookiefishing/

Nicole Jacobs https://www.instagram.com/nicolefishing/

Ashley Nichole Lewis https://www.instagram.com/badashoutdoors/