Women and Fishing

[Maryjl]

Go to any lake on a nice day look around how many women do you see? You see women fishing with their husbands or boyfriends, girls fishing with their dads. Take a good look at their faces and you'll see that they are enjoying every minute of it and most likely out fishing their male partners.
Most women don't give fishing much thought because its just something they do when their partners or families want to do it. They don't think of it as their sport. They think of it mostly as a mans sport, but an okay thing to do when they are with them. I know I use to be one of these ladys. I would be the first one to suggest it, but wouldn't dream of going and doing it by my self.

As I have gotten older my LOVE for FISHING has grown. I started learning more about it. I began doing a lot more on my own. I started baiting my own hooks and taking off my own fish. I learned how to operate and drive our boat. Theres not much I can't do on my own now when it comes to fishing. When the fishing magazines come I'm the first one to read them. I pick out my own fishing gear from advise I've gotten or adds I've read or things that just look good to me.

Now don't take me wrong my favorite fishing partner in the whole world is my husband (Guy). I love the time we spend together fishing. We have been married for 26 years now so I'm a firm beleiver that the couple that fish together stays together. I've just taken control of the sport that I love. I also have more free time then he does and know longer do I have to wait until he can go with me.

I just can't help thinking that there are a lot of women out there that would enjoy fishing more if they thought they also could take control over their sport. I'm writting this to tell you that you can and its easy.

How about the women out there that fished with their husbands for many years and lost them to death. They never fish again because they didn't think they could by them selfs. Yes you can. I met a lady a couple years ago that lost her husband, but still had the love and desire to go fishing and so she does. She even has the guts to still go to the same resort and stay and go fishing by her self. I admire that lady.

There is a lot of good information out there that can help. Like this web site for instance. There must be thousands of videos and millions of books on fishing. So if you want to take more controll over your fishing or just learn more about it the resouces are out there.

[Fishn'Lady]

I agree 100%! My hubby and I have been together now for 17 years, and been fishing all of them. I do however have to thank my older brothers for teaching me when we were younger how to bait my hook. One brother gave me the line, "If you can't bait your hook and take fish of yourself, then you shouldn't be out here fishing." OK, not a problem. hehehe.

Over the years I've learned how to operate the boat, the only thing that I would have to perfect is my launching and loading skills. Funny once a few years back we were at our local lake, it was packed! Just as many boats coming off the lake as going on and only one launch pad. The hubby tells me to go get the trailer and back it in, of course I said "WHAT? Are you crazy?" He reassured me that I could do it, so I proceeded on while he motored around waiting for our turn. I get up to the launch pad and start to back it down. Needless to say it took me a couple of tries since it was the first time ever I had attempted such a feat. The hubby pulls up closer to the dock, and the woman around the docks in their boats waiting for their hubbies says to him, gosh she is brave there is no way I could do that. He got a chuckle out of that.

Anyway, I come to this site religiously, probably 3-4 times a day to keep up with all the new posts. I also happen to have a bigger tackle box than him, I finally upgraded him for his birthday to a tackle box that is almost as big as mine but not quite. hehehe. Also, I am the lucky one that gets to untangle HIS birds nest if he backlashes the reel. He says here let me see your pole and then hands me his, "Geeee, thanks hun!"

So lets unite fishing chicks and get out there and fish and fish often, with or without our hubbies/boyfriends. And if you don't have a significant other, get out and fish anyway, and enjoy the fun of fishing. Nothing beats a fish slamming your lure and the rush you get from it. Good luck to all!

-----------

Hey! Your bobbers gone!

[Maryjl]

I think it might be a good time to bring this topic up front and hopefully hear some more good storys from Woman that Love to Fish.
Fishn'Lady, You do have guts I have never backed our trailer down a boat ramp. I'm the one that stays in the boat and drives it on after hubby backs in the trailer.
<><Mary><>

[fishinphyl]

Well ladies I was brought up fishing with my grandmother and father (mom was not real thrilled about it). At our house if you fished you baited your hook and cleaned the fish. I have driven a boat since I was barely old enough (probably wasn't) and I can back the horse trailer and the boat up.

My husband just started fishing 2 years ago and was not real thrilled about it. But now he is starting to realize that there is no cell phone (he leaves his at home) and nothing to do but enjoy the day. As long as I have enough goodies in the boat he is happy. He won't clean or cook them, but I really don't care. I purchase all the tackle, he asks what to use, I found the boat, and all the other goodies like a trolling motor, GPS, PFD, etc.

But of course now he is the expert at driving the boat and hardly ever lets me. Which I really enjoy doing. But when he screws up I just bite my tongue and chuckle under my breath. Like the last time the waves were coming in hard toward shore and I told him it was going to be tricky getting out. So he proceeds to try to turn around! I am sitting there saying back it out - back it out - back it out. Pretty soon the motor quits and he has floated into the chain that holds down the buoy!. Talk about embarassing. So he says "now what are we going to do?" I said YOU are going to go in the lake and untangle it - not me. But last weekend the wind was blowing and he said something about it and I said just back out - for once he listened to me. Unbelievable!

I wish some of my friends liked to fish but they are all still showing horses or have no interest so I am stuck with my husband as a fishing partner. But if I was like Mary and did not have to haul the boat and had my own place, I would be on the lake by myself - no problem.

My daughter likes to fish also, because she was raised in a boat. And she has her son and daughter started fishing also.

So bring those girls up fishing, teach them to be independent (I think I did too good of a job on that with my daughter - she is even worse than I am), and then either go fishing with them or get out of there way.

------------------
Phyl

[fishinphyl]

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...one old love
she can imagine
going back to...
and one who reminds her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...enough money within hercontrol to move out and
rent a place of her own
even if she never wants
to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...something perfect to wear if
the employer or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a youth she's content
to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a past juicy enough that
she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a set of screwdrivers, a
cordless drill, and a black
lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...one friend who always makes
her laugh. and one who lets
her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a good piece of furniture
not previously owned by anyone
else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...eight matching plates, wine
glasses with stems, and a recipe
for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a feeling of control over
her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

..how to fall in love without
losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...when to try harder...and
when to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...that she can't change the
length of her calves, the width
of her hips, or the nature of her
parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...that her childhood may not
have been perfect...but its
over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...what she would and wouldn't
do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...how to live alone... even if
she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't
take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

...what she can and can't
accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

------------------
Phyl

[craze4fshn]

Finally got a little time to come back to the gals site. Sure have missed alot of good info. Shame on me.
Been fishing since I was 9yrs old. Many moons ago. There isn't anything I won't fish for. Esp. love musky hunting.
Our neighbor oohs & awhs & the lures. Love swapping stories with him. His wife is a pan fish gal. Makes him proud to have her & the kids go with.
I fish with my husb.
Can do everything except launch. Look like a fool. (twisting & turning). No prob. running the boat up on the trailer. (18 ft crestliner with 100 horse). Have alot of fun when I get the gear off, esp. the cold water stuff, & see the looks on the mens' faces. The best compliment & I'd kiss him if I saw him again was "Gee, even I can't do that."

We gals need to stick together. We don't just cook... you betcha, we clean, fillet, get hooked, break thumbs ( musky lure got hooked on the side of the boat on W. Battle, line got wrapped & ow...) Cont. to fish though....
Keep up the great work on this site.
Remember "Girl power." Char

[Maryjl]

HI Char, Nice to hear from you. Sorry it took me so long to respond, but I've been up to our camper. I spend as much time as I can in the summer up there. Its so nice to hear from other women that like to fish. I'm really looking forward to the Fall fishing.
<><Mary><>

[craze4fshn]

Sad few days for us. The motor is shot. Took it to the boat/motor Dr. Not too many choices. For now, we decided to have it rebuilt. That will take 2 or 3 weeks. (#4 cylinder is weak). Ha Ha dead is more like it. Shore fishing isn't on the agenda. I guess the only gd. thing is that it is repairable & the heat & humidity have made us stay close to home.
Char

[fishinphyl]

Hey Char sorry to hear about your motor. Been there done that. Seems like something happens to ours at least once every summer. Hard to see it happen so late in the season though. Hope they get it fixed fast!

------------------
Phyl