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Ladies Only Fly Fishing 101 a way to cast wider net

By Scott Hewitt, Columbian staff writer
Published: August 18, 2018, 6:01am
3 Photos
She sure does love fish: J. Michelle Swope of Olympia has been fly fishing since she was a girl. Now the chair of Trout Unlimited’s Women’s Initiative in Washington and a professional fly-fishing guide and instructor, Swope will visit Vancouver to teach a Ladies Only Fly Fishing 101 class Aug. 25.
She sure does love fish: J. Michelle Swope of Olympia has been fly fishing since she was a girl. Now the chair of Trout Unlimited’s Women’s Initiative in Washington and a professional fly-fishing guide and instructor, Swope will visit Vancouver to teach a Ladies Only Fly Fishing 101 class Aug. 25. Photo courtesy of Melyssa Graeper Photo Gallery

Many women love to go fly fishing. But not many women are members of Trout Unlimited, an environmental-conservation organization launched by anglers in the 1950s. Instead of stocking lakes and streams artificially, they wanted to protect and nurture freshwater fish habitats sustainably.

“The membership of (Trout Unlimited) doesn’t match the demographics of the fly fishing community, in general,” said Melyssa Graeper, Trout Unlimited Pacific Northwest volunteer coordinator. “There are very few women members, but there are a lot of women fly-fisher-people.”

That’s why the whole national Trout Unlimited organization has launched a Women’s Initiative, she said: “We are trying to reach out and say, ‘This isn’t an old white guys’ club, this is a conservation organization, and plenty of women are interested in conservation.’ ”

There are “two camps” of women who might be interested in Trout Unlimited and its Women’s Initiative, Graeper said. The first camp consists of women who might already be Trout Unlimited members.

If You Go

What: Ladies Only Fly Fishing 101.

When: 8:30 a.m. breakfast, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. instruction Aug. 25.

Where: Firstenburg Community Center, 700 N.E. 136th Ave., Vancouver.

Cost: $50.

Register:www.tinyurl.com/clarkflyfishing

Information: www.tu.org; www.facebook.com/ClarkCountyTU

“They have fought long and hard to be seen as equals among their male peers and don’t want to set themselves apart. They already know this is an everybody group, all the time,” she said. And they’ve been busy delving into activities, such as fly fishing, all along, she said.

One of them is J. Michelle Swope, an Olympia-based fly fisher, professional fly-fishing teacher and guide, and chair of Trout Unlimited Women’s Initiative in Washington. Swope will visit Vancouver’s Firstenburg Community Center to teach a Ladies Only Fly Fishing 101 class Aug. 25.

While open to all women, Swope’s class is aimed mostly at that “other camp” of potential fly-fishing females, Graeper said: “Younger millennials who are still intimidated but want to learn. But there’s nobody to teach them; they don’t know where to start. This class is for those women.”

Maybe you want to surprise your husband or boyfriend with fly-fishing skills you developed independently, Graeper said, so they don’t have to teach you. And maybe it’s best to do it that way, she joked: “If my partner tried teaching me to drive a stick, we’d probably get divorced.” On the other hand, maybe you want to learn on your own so you can go on your own — no males necessary.

No supplies needed

You don’t have to bring anything but yourself to Swope’s class, which includes an 8:30 a.m. meet and greet over coffee and pastries before instruction gets underway at 9 a.m. Swope will cover knot tying, rod selection, setting up rod and reel, entomology, how to “read” water, fly fishing etiquette and more.

At about 11:30 a.m., the class will break for lunch and then walk over to LeRoy Haagen Community Park to spread out and practice casting.

The class will end around 2 p.m.

This is a hands-on class, not a lecture, and all equipment will be provided — along with breakfast and lunch. But if you do have a fly rod, bring it along and Swope will check it out.

Space is limited to 15 participants, Graeper said, so you’re urged to register as soon as possible. The price for the class is $50, and that also makes you a member of Trout Unlimited.

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