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Hi,
In my TU there are 300+ members, and about 30 "regulars". Two of us are female in the latter group, and the numbers of members who are female of the 300 are not actually representative of anglers since virtually every woman who attends our Woman's Day intro class joins but most don't fish. Last year, of 70, I'd say that five are actual anglers (people who would fish on their own), the most we've had.
In our varsity fly fishing club at school, of 18, two are young women who both will fish on thier own. In the phys ed classes where fly fishing is one of two options, about half are young women, most just trying it with friends.
I haven't seen a woman on the stream yet this year, but David and I tend to go to very solitary places, so I don't think that counts. At the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum in June, only men took our cane rod making class, but the Willowemoc one evening had a female guide with 3 female clients, and no men.
Funny, in a state with a history embracing Carrie Stevens and Fly Rod Crosby... and I'd personally verify that men make women here absolutely welcome on the water. Seleme Dumaine is a predominant fly tier now, and we have a woman co-owner of a fly shop, a rod builder, a rod maker, a couple guides,etc... but I can almost name all of the active female anglers.
Stats are hard, but I'd say while our school efforts / TU efforts may make a dent in Maine's angling future, for now 3 or 4 percent seems more my impression.
Kat
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At the last club meeting I sat
next to two women.
When I do encounter some other fly
fishermen, which is infrequent, the
ratio is about one woman for every ten
fly casters seen. The percentage is
much higher for bait fishermen.
About four in ten.
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epiggott
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My original post didn't have %'s in it....Missouri State parks...maybe 3%, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin....I'd be stretching it to say 1%. The areas we're usually in I'm the only woman fishing...but then again, there aren't fishing people for miles and miles, men or women.
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Trouts don't live in ugly places
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In all the years I've been fly fishing - more than fifty of them - I've talked to several dozen women who said they fly fished. But if I had a nickle for every woman, girl or lady I've actually seen on the water with a fly rod in her hands, I'd have - well, a nickle.
They might be out there, but if they are, they're invisible.
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When nothing is certain, everything is possible.
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Just got back from Montana. Because of this post I was counting the "girls"...
Fished Yellowstone and saw several parties on Soca Butte that were girl groups or girls with guys.
Fished the tailwaters of Hegben Dam. There were 2 girls each fishing alone. There was also a pair of girls with a wading guide. I counted everyone I saw and there were 6 guys and 5 girls total in the area and all were fishing!
Floated the Madison on Monday. Saw 4 float boats and 1 kayak. The kayak was "girl powered". There were 2 floats that had a girl and guy fishing together.
I attended 2 FFF Conclave sessions. One had 5 guys, 4 girls. Another class was about 1/3-1/2 girls (class too big to count). Ken had 2 fly tying classes. One class of 4 had 1 girl. The second class had 12 with 3 girls.
While the numbers I saw do not support 50%, they were 30% or better. Now, Montana is destination fishing for many of us and how that impacts the numbers is anyone's guess.
Just reporting what I saw!
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While fishing in Michigan on the Ausable I happen across many more women FF's compared to other streams/diff. states.Most are paired with women FF's.I saw none with a man.Knowledgeable and seemed very capable.Last trip near JC's honeymoon spot I counted 6 guys/4 girls in 2 days of fishing.Nice quiet place the Ausable.
Mike
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About 2%. Not any in our FF club that I have ever seen.
Regards,
Bob
Fly Supplies
aflyshop.com
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The 25% figure seems way out of line. However, in "our" family we have several women flyfishers. My wife - probably because of me, has been fishing for about 20 years, and is a casting instructor. My sister, and severeal of my female cousins also are ardent flyfishers.
I think that this all has to do with what you are exposed to and learn to like/love. We (my family) were raised on a farm where a wonderful stream formed one border. Trout fising was a way of life for everyone - boy/girl didn't matter. In fact, my little sister actually started at a younger age (5 vs. 7) than I did.
In the case of my wife, she wasn't very interested until we visited a Montana Dude Ranch. She took casting instructions on the ranch pond one afternoon, and fell in love with the technique/technical aspects of our activity.
As an aside - I'm a casting instructor and sometime guide, and I find teaching/guiding women to be much easier than men....
Tight Lines