Why 50/50 on the water?

Any fly fisher can understand that increasing participation in the craft can help create more advocates for the resources we all love.

And the largest opportunity for growth in fly fishing rests with women.

At last check, women make up about 25 percent of the fly-fishing population. Orvis, as you’ll see in the short video above, is actively courting women to become more involved in the fly fishing. It’s a sport that lends itself to both genders equally, and, as Hilary Hutcheson, a guide and fly shop proprietor in Montana notes, there’s no reason for women to be left behind in this endeavor.

Not only would increasing the numbers of female fly fishers increase the numbers of prospective customers for outfits like Hutcheson’s, or for companies like Orvis, but it would create more anglers who can help stand up for the places we love to fish and the access to them.

There are lots of reasons to grow fly fishing. There’s no reason not to tap the growing female fly-fishing populace, not only for the health of the sport, but for the resources the sport needs to stay strong.

By Chris Hunt.