More women fishing great for Wyoming’s water and land

“When more people – including women – are introduced to flyfishing, Wyoming’s waters, lands, and communities benefit.

"When more people spend time connecting with the natural world, catching fish, and experiencing unique wildlife encounters, new conservation values are instilled and a feeling of connectivity to place is ignited.

"We are fortunate to have fantastic fishing opportunities on the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge and all across the state. It will take every single resident to ensure these places are protected and can thrive for future generations, so connect with your local Trout Unlimited chapter, grab a flyrod, and get out on the water!"

By Amelia Howe, Wyoming Field Manager for Trout Unlimited’s Angler Conservation Program

A beautiful Wyoming trout caught during the Trout Unlimited Women’s Fly Fishing Event in early September on the Green River in southwest Wyoming. WYTU photo by Clint Kendall.

When it comes to conserving watersheds and protecting cutthroat trout in Wyoming, Everyone must have a place at the table. Trout Unlimited’s (TU) efforts and successes come from years of trusted collaboration with anglers, community members, legislators, landowners, state and federal agencies, and non-profits — the list goes on and on. Many individuals, especially in the fishing community, find their way to conservation work, volunteerism, or a passion for protecting a place through shared experiences on the water. As anglers who care about the future of our river resources, it is our responsibility to invite people into the sport we cherish in order to cultivate a powerful community of individuals to support the rivers, trout, and watersheds that play an important role in Wyoming.

When more people — including women — are introduced to fly fishing, Wyoming’s waters, lands and communities benefit.

Every year as summer inches to a close, the Seedskadee and Upper Bear River Chapters of Trout Unlimited come together to host a Women’s Float on the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The event welcomes anglers of all experience levels, even encouraging women who have never cast a flared before to learn a new skill and experience the beautiful refuge.

The genesis of this event came from a place of eagerness to get more women involved in fly- fishing. According to national data gathered by the Outdoor Industry Association, men made up 69 percent of fly-fishing participant data, while women sat at 30 percent. Statistically speaking, that’s a big gap, and Wyoming women have made observations while out on the water that back this up.

“I had been fly-fishing for a few years and was always disappointed that I very rarely saw another woman angler,” said Hillary Walrath, Trout Unlimited’s Salinity Control Coordinator based in Green River, Wyoming. “When I invited friends, the response I often received was that it was too intimidating, and they didn’t want to learn how to fish from their spouse.”

Walrath, and other TU community members, along with Seedkadee NWR staff saw an opportunity to create something that was organized by women, for women, with the hope of creating meaningful introductions to fly fishing. In 2014, the first Women’s Float on the Green River commenced, and the event hasn’t slowed down since.

Learning something new, like fly-fishing, can be intimidating. Walrath and her team solved this issue by allowing women to attend the event with a friend and by ensuring this space was welcoming. All the fishing guides, who are tasked with rowing drift boats, managing risk, and providing on-the-water instruction, are volunteers who return each year to support the event.

Since 2014, the TU Women’s Float has introduced over 150 Wyoming women to fly-fishing and to the Seedskadee NWR. As one of the premier brown and Bonneville cutthroat trout fishing locations in the state, Seedskadee is the perfect venue. It is also a place that Trout Unlimited and its Seedskadee TU chapter, has spent hundreds of volunteer hours and over a quarter million dollars working to conserve.

“It is so important that we help people overcome the initial barriers to angling and spread the love and passion for our local rivers and natural resources here in Wyoming,” says Walrath. “It has been incredibly gratifying to watch these ladies start fly fishing in their own right, and even begin taking their families with them.

Getting more women involved in fly-fishing will not only benefit the individual and the growth of the sport, but Wyoming as a whole. When more people spend time connecting with the natural world, catching fish, and experiencing unique wildlife encounters, new conservation values are instilled and a feeling of connectivity to place is ignited. We are fortunate to have fantastic fishing opportunities on the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge and all across the state. It will take every single resident to ensure these places are protected and can thrive for future generations, so connect with your local TU chapter, grab a fly rod, and get out on the water.

This opinion piece originally published in the Casper Star-Tribune on October 14, 2022.