Teaching Girls to Fly Fish

[Mato Kuwapi]

Yeah BOB!!! Great article. Get them out there!

The absolute best times I remember with my dad are those time when he took me fishing. He was 46 when he passed away from leukemia. I pretty much packed my rods up then and I'm sorry to this day that my kids didn't get the same experience. Talk about regrets. The best gift you can give your kids are the time you take them fishing. Boy or girl...doesn't matter.

The girls love fly fishing for different reasons...and they are better anglers for it.

[CO_Flyfisher]

I agree. I quite enjoyed the article, and the pictures are priceless.

My wife also fly-fishes, but doesn't love it quite like I do. However, she still does enjoy it and we usually go on at least a few trips a year to the mountains. My 5 yo daughter already loves those trips we take every summer and I can't wait for her to start fishing (I know she will just because of the way she is, its just a matter of time). I'm sure my 2 yo son will be hot on her heels!

[Eric D]

A good article.

[Flyguy5910]

I teach fly fishing here in ny and can tell you the amount of women getting into this great sport is on the rise. So far this year i have taught about 25 and the number goes up every year.

[tlerm]

That was a great article. I really enjoyed it.

It just so happens that my girls are now getting old enough to start (ages 7 and 9). And I also just bought a 7 ft 4 wt a week ago for the express purpose of teaching them.

Maybe, if I can get my girls hooked on fly fishing, I could also convince my wife to give it a try.

[SW Ladyfish]

Lefty says girls are easier to teach because, "they don't know it all already and they listen!"

We had 2 boats full of lady fly fishers, captained by ladies, on the Chesapeake this past spring. These were 23 & 21 ft. open center consoles...that's right...open (no porta-potty and no shelter) and not only did the guys fishing near us not notice...all returned safe and sound, and ready to go again!

The only difference taking girls fishing is that we can't pee over the side...without a funnel and a hose.

[RexW]

Bob, great article.

My daughter started when she was 11 and I agree with your rod comments, a shorter fly rod was much easier for her to cast. I intentionally did not try to teach her to cast myself, but I have been amazed and grateful for how many people (including Lefty) were willing help her learn. That plan must have worked, because she became a FFF certified casting instructor at 15. Needless to say, she can outcast me.

Take your kids fishing, it is a wonderful way to spend time with them.

Rex

[Crotalus]

I have been teaching my daughter the last few years. there are a couple pics posted in this thread from last summer http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...46&postcount=4

She got her own rod for her 10th birthday. She is very competitive with her brothers (11 and 7) and wants to outfish them. I need to get her waders next so she can go on a few "real" fly fishing trips like her older brother has.

[Mato Kuwapi]

I agree with Lefty...the girls are easier to teach...but then again...I'm a girl so that may have something to do with it. Must be the Venus vs Mars thing.

[Coach11]

I am a history teacher and baseball coach who also teaches middle school boys and girls at my school to fly fish. I find that the girls are easier to teach simply because most have not yet learned to cast a spinning rod and thus will readily attempt to put power on the backcast and guide the forward cast. Boys who have fished with lures want to power the rod on the forward cast as if casting a spinning rod. This habit is often hard to break in most 12 year old boys and rarely exists in the 12 year old girls. Also, middle school girls are generally more mature than the boys in their class and tend to listen more closely. Many of the boys feel that fishing is a "guy" thing and believe they know everything about it, even before I begin the instruction. This year I had four girls and four boys in my fly fishing class. The girls were the easiest to teach and the best casters hands down! Lefty was right . . . as usual!!!