Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Mans Sport

More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesn't require exceptional strength, stamina or height ? quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience, skills many women already possess. So why don't more women fish?

Successful fishing requires knowledge of various types of fishing gear, tackle, and an understanding of the quarry. Fish have a variety of feeding habits, behavioral patterns, etc. and these characteristics influence how to go about fishing for them.

Traditionally, men learned how to fish when they were boys from fathers and grandfathers. Even if this training was lacking, it's no big deal for a guy to hang out with other guys who enjoy fishing and learn the ropes from them.

For a woman, though, the process is apt to be somewhat more difficult. In my family of all girls, we learned the thrill of fishing as children from our father. Fortunately for us, our dad was an "equal-opportunity" fisherman...and he was a very patient man.

We learned to bait our own hooks, remove fish from the line, and clean the fish as well. We were rewarded with many an enjoyable Sunday on the lake competing for top family fishing honors of who caught the most and the biggest fish.

For women who weren't brought up fishing as I was, all is certainly not lost. Although learning from a boyfriend or spouse is not out of the question, a significant other may not be the best place to get your first fishing pointers.

Your honey may not have the patience that you will need to learn proper fishing technique and he may be a bit condescending as well?not exactly conducive to an enjoyable learning experience.

Try instead local women's fishing clubs. Check online for groups in your area that are specifically organized by and for women. Many groups are primarily centered on fly-fishing but not all are.

Also see if your community college or local university offers any fishing courses. Often fishing classes are offered in the adult education, physical education or recreation departments.

Of course, you can also start at your local library, checking out books on fishing and learning a few basic techniques that way.

Your local fishing outfitter or marina may have more information as well and would also be a good place for information and to network with other fishing women.

Another option is to go online and search for websites catering to women and the outdoors or, more specifically, women and fishing. One such website is www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.

Founded by Betty Bauman of Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 1997, LLGF "promotes networking among women anglers and emphasizes mentorship between novice and experienced members."

Other groups, both national and state, promote fishing for women. There are seminars, fishing adventures and special fishing events scheduled year-round in many areas of the country which are organized especially for women anglers.

Yet another reason fishing is a great hobby for women is because beginning your fishing experiences need not be prohibitively expensive. Especially when compared to other hobbies, start-up costs for spin or bait-casting fishing equipment are not tremendously high. Generally speaking, $200 or less can buy more than enough basic quality fishing gear for a beginner to get started. To start up a fly-fishing hobby will cost a bit more as the gear tends to be more expensive.

This, of course, doesn't include a boat! But, many fishing locations can be reached without a boat. Again, do your research to find areas accessible by car.

More women should consider fishing for an enjoyable and challenging hobby. Learning the basics of fishing is easy but perfecting those angling skills can take many hours of sometimes peaceful and sometimes extremely exciting time at the other end of a line.

E. A. Edwards is a free-lance writer with a variety of professional and personal interests. You will find more information about fishing and fishing gear on http://www.fishing-rod-guide.info.

---

Monster Hunt: Ledge Lunker Blues Part I

Originally published in Procats Online MagazineSummertime angling for trophy-sized blue cats on huge reservoirs can be tough. Peer across an expansive lake and the sheer vastness will... Read More

North to Alaska

For many fishermen Alaska is the ultimate "mecca" of fishing. Early childhood dreams of Salmon choked rivers and Bears of every shape and size basking in the... Read More

How to Fish Spring Trout Streams

Fishing spring creeks isn't easy. Don't expect large quantities of catches, but do expect a challenging experience which has a certain mystique about it. Catching just a... Read More

Planning Your Fly Fishing Trip

When planning for your fly fishing trip in Wyoming, there are several factors that should be considered. A little time spent planning will make your fly fishing... Read More

Do Fish See in Color

Fish do indeed perceive color. Every fly fisher knows that or ought to know that. Like humans, the retina of a fish have rods and cones. Cones... Read More

Do You Make Your Kids Fishing Experience Enjoyable?

If you take your children fishing with you, they can enjoy something for the rest of their lives, as long as you make it pleasant for them.If... Read More

Night Boat Fishing Checklist

Boat Fishing At Night ChecklistHere is an easy checklist of items you will need before you head out for a night fishing trip.** Two Flashlights with new... Read More

Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler

Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety of beautiful natural surroundings in which anglers often find themselves; a secluded stream up in the... Read More

Social Robotic Fish in Fish Farms

We have a problem in our fish farms, especially Salmon. You see for 500 plus million years the Salmon spawn up river and then swim down to... Read More

Choosing The Fishing Trip Destination Thats Right For Your Group

Try doing a web search on the words "fishing lodge" and you will come up with hundreds of thousands of matches. Visit any major sports show and... Read More

The Truth About Night Fishing

Why Night Fishing Beats Day Fishing Any Day of the WeekWithout a doubt, night fishing is better than day fishing for many reasons.One of the biggest reasons... Read More

Dry Fly Techniques

Dry fly angling is at the top of any fly fisherman's list of fun fishing. The visual dry fly catch continues to excite many anglers as the... Read More

Interesting Features of The Speckled Trout

For those who are interested in speckled trout, you will be happy to know that these fish are some great catches. One of the most interesting features... Read More

Teaching a Kid to Fish

Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be difficult, if you follow the right steps. There is an old Chinese proverb that states:"Give a man... Read More

A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques - Part II

Method 1EquipmentI fish baits at all depths, not just the bottom, in wide-open water. I always set up and fish deep lake structures. Besides an understanding of... Read More

Fly Casting - the Overhead Cast

The overhead cast is the most basic fly cast. Learn to execute it well and you will be able to easily adapt the skill to the side... Read More

Importance of Artificial Light While Swordfishing

The use of light, either chemical or battery powered plays an important role in catching swordfish. There is no question that the use of artificial light increases... Read More

Saltwater Fly Fishing -- A Tide Runs Through It

Saltwater fly fishing is all the rage these days. This excitement is quite understandable because there's hardly anything more thrilling to a saltwater fly rodder than a... Read More

A Technique To Catch Trophy Size Bass

There is a craze going on that produces big bass, it's called flippin. Flippin puts the lure where the big bass are.....in cover! You will want a... Read More

Bass Fishing Tips

3 Lures You Must HaveDo you know what the top 3 lures for catching Bass are? Though there aren't any specific statistics, a survey was conducted amongst... Read More

The Major Benefit Of Night Fishing

Number One Benefit to Night FishingI think the best thing about night fishing is that the conditions are generally the same as day fishing, but the results... Read More

Gear Needed for Fishing with Nymphs

Now that we've covered what nymph fly fishing is all about, let's next take a look at what sort of fly fishing gear you're going to need... Read More

Fishing The Henrys Fork.... First Test

All the books written on fly fishing all mention the Henry's Fork.They say you owe it to yourself to fish the Henry's Fork, at least once in... Read More

Chumming and Plankton Fish Catching Tips

In night fishing 95% of success is determined before your line is wet. It is recommended to start an evening feeding frenzy along the food chain with... Read More

Are You Holding Your Mouth Right To Catch More Fish?

My young stepson and I was fishing at Rush Creek in Ohio and using the same rod and reel, line and lure. Everything was exactly the same,... Read More

The Wet Fly Swing

The wet fly swing sounds like something one does at the square dance hall. Instead the wet fly swing is one of the oldest fly fishing techniques.... Read More