Women Making Waves with Take Me Fishing Episode Transcript

Narration: This episode of Outside Voices is presented by Take Me Fishing dot org, a trademark of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. 

[Music starts]

Steph: our mission is “the water’s open to everyone” and we're committed to making people see themselves or letting people see themselves in the outdoors and feel like they can be comfortable taking that step to learn how to fish and figure out where to go and have the confidence and the tools to get there.

Narration: That’s Stephanie or “Steph,” Vatalaro, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation or RBFF. 

Steph: I'm an angler, I grew up in a fishing and boating family. My dad's a fishing guide, my husband works for a boating organization. And I love the outdoors. I love being on the water. It's my happy place.

Narration: Stay tuned to hear more from Steph about how Take Me Fishing dot org is working to make sure the water, truly is, open to everyone.

[Music ends]

Conversations from the fishing trip
Everyone say hi, “hi!”, It’s my first time fishing! [Cheering] Here we go!

[Intro]: You’re listening to Outside Voices Podcast. We’re using our Outside Voices to redefine what it means to spend time outside and connect to nature. I’m your host, Sarah Shimazaki. Let’s get started.

[Play In the Field recording of canal tour, cicadas] 

Narration: In case you missed it, this episode is alllll about fishing. And, my very first time fishing. Ever. Earlier this summer, I got to travel to tropical Orlando, Florida, the ancestral homelands of the Indigenous peoples collectively known as the Seminole, thanks to the folks at Take Me Fishing dot org. As part of their campaign, Women Making Waves, I got to join an all-women’s fishing and glamping trip with a group of incredible female anglers. I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous about a lot of things going into this trip-- not only was it my first time fishing and my first time in Florida, it was also my first time since the pandemic, as a fully-vaccinated person, getting on a plane and spending a significant amount of time with strangers. Add to that my, let’s say, healthy, fear of alligators and crocodiles, it was basically a trip pushing me way out of my comfort zone. And whew, lately, amidst the pandemic, I have definitely been all about prioritizing my comfort zone.

So, how did it all go? Well, you’re about to find out. You’ve actually been listening to sounds from part of our fishing trip in the background here. Before fishing in the lake, we got to ride on a pontoon boat through the Dora Canal, an incredibly lush and green wildlife corridor surrounded by trees covered in hanging spanish moss and home to, well...wildlife.

Conversations from the fishing trip:
“So where do the gators live?”
”That’s what I want to know.”
”Can you point me to the gators? I’ve never seen a gator before.”
”That thing? Sticking out of the water?”
”What is that? It looks like a …”
”Is that a snake?”
”Yeah, it looks like a snake.”
”Oh no, I don’t like snakes”
”No, that’s not a snake…”
”I thought it was a snake!”
”That’s a Anhinga, a snake bird”
”What?! A Snake bird?”
”I saw that! I was like, ‘it looks like a snake, but I think I saw wings!”

Not only did I document my experience, capturing moments like casting my fishing rod for the first time… during which, somehow, the music on the boat turned on at the perfect moment 

Conversations from the fishing trip:
”I’m going to give you some more line.”
”Cool, there you are. And then, flip the veil”
”This?” “Yep, that’s your veil. Exactly. Now fire away.”
”Just go back?”
”Yep, go back and then send it forward”
[Laughter]
”That’s exactly right, the only difference is let go of the line and then you’re flying, you’re flying. It’s okay, that’s good! FIRST CAST!!!”
[Cheering]
”Amazing. Yay! So go ahead and flip your veil back over”
”That was a good one!”

I also got to chat with three of the eight women on the trip, all passionate anglers with beautiful connections to fishing- their reasons why they fish range from fishing being a way to relax and spend time in nature with loved ones, a way to feed their families, or simply a way of life, passed down for generations.  

Ashley: I actually can't think of a time where fishing wasn't a part of my life, I was raised by a single mother, she is Indigenous as well. And for Quinault, salmon fishing, it's the heartbeat of our culture. So there was never a time where salmon or steelhead or trout wasn't a part of my life in some way or another.

Narration: If you recognize that voice, it could be because you a) know it’s the same person instructing me and cheering her head off when I made my first cast or b) you know and follow BadAshOutdoors and all her adventures on the water. That’s Ashley Nichole Lewis.

Ashley: I am a member of the Quinault Indian Nation. I use she/her/hers pronouns. And I am a lifelong Fisher.

When I think back to my childhood, I think of, you know, my family was of very modest means. And so we didn't have like, big, you know, trips out of the country or anything like that, or nothing like that. It was always to local campgrounds and local lakes, and we would camp and ride our bikes, and then we would go fishing. And my mom really drove all of that she wanted us to spend our time outdoors, appreciate the outdoors, and know about, you know, fishing and, and hunting and camping and these things. So to me, it's the thing that you look forward to doing all of the time, or I did as a child. And some of the best memories that I have are, you know, sitting in the back of a boat or off the bank with my mom and my brother, and whittling sticks and doing kids stuff and casting for trout and catching cutthroat and rivers and that sort of thing.

Sid: my parents have taken me out on the water since I was in diapers. 

Narration: Cindy, or “Sid” Nguyen, also grew up fishing.

Sid: I grew up born and raised in Texas, I fish from Texas, all the way up through the Carolinas, and pretty much anywhere, there's a puddle in the world that I can get to.

Narration: If you follow Sid online, at Sid TX on Instagram, you already know that she’s a PFG or Performance Fishing Gear fishing athlete with Columbia Sportswear. She also identifies as first-generation Vietnamese-American.

Sid: growing up, my parents really instilled like, the fact that they wanted to make sure that we knew where we came from, and how hard it is for everybody back home to have what we have, you know fishing was a big part of that they would take us fishing, we would catch you know, not at these all extravagant cbcs that you see on my Instagram, but it would be like Kroger or Whiting or flounder, little things like that. And we would come home and Mama would prepare it and like my whole family would come over and have dinners with us. And my mom's house has always been kind of like the the center point for our whole family. it was always important to sit down and have dinner. this is pre iPhone, pre-social media, things, it was easier back then. my dad was adamant about us all sitting down and having dinner together. And a lot of that time when we did that it was around something that we harvested and prepared as a family. So that's why fishing is so important to me. And I feel like that's, that's why I want to share that part of it. Because it's so cool. Like sport fishing is so awesome. And all these things that we do in the industry are great, but like when it comes down to it, the things that mean the most are like, why do I fish a fish because my family got me into this. And every time I get on the water, it takes me back to my childhood, which were the best years of my life.

Narration: So, every year Take Me Fishing dot org publishes a special report on fishing, which you can find online, to understand current trends in participation. Their most recent report from 2020 reveals many interesting findings, like this one statistic I want to zero in on: 91 percent of current adult fishing participants also fished during childhood or what they’re defining as under the age of 12. Which means that the remaining 9% of people who currently fish, tried it for the very first time when they were over the age of 12. That was certainly the case for me and it’s also a part of Jenn’s story.

Jenn: I never grew up doing that stuff. Like my parents didn't really teach me it wasn't a way of life for us. We really just wanted to blend in.

Narration: That’s Jenny Anderson, also known as Jenn.

Jenn: I was born in Korea, and my parents were as well. And when we came here, we try to fit in and do all the normal things and getting outdoors just wasn't really a priority. We did it like we went to state parks once in a while and did some car camping but not really like fishing or hunting or any of those things that like a lot of my friends have grown up doing so. I discovered it later. And I'm so glad I did. I don't think it's ever too late to find your love for whatever outdoor activity you do.

Narration: You may know Jenn by her social media handle, Girl of 10,000 Lakes

Jenn: Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota is where I'm from. So that's kind of how I got the handle. But I'm a mom, I'm a wife. I'm an author. I love fishing, and just being around the lakes and the water. It's totally my jam. And I love nature. And Minnesota is a great place for all that stuff.

It wasn't until I met my husband that I truly was able to get introduced to it. He really just, you know, no judgement at all about my lack of experience, he took me out really genuinely wanted me to learn and showed me the ropes and made me feel comfortable being in that environment. And I feel like that is kind of what probably brings a lot of people to the outdoors to try these very niche activities. They need someone to kind of guide them through it without judgment, and you feel safe doing it with them. And that was my husband for me.

Narration: Like Jenn, I also didn’t grow up fishing. I’ve been reflecting on why that might be because my family loves spending time outside and we love to eat seafood, I mean, I am Japanese and Filipina after all, but it wasn’t something we ever got into. I think as I got older, it just never occurred to me to go out of my way to try fishing, I just assumed it wasn’t really for me and I had no idea where I’d even begin. That’s why I’m so grateful I got to experience my first time on Take Me Fishing dot org’s Women Making Waves trip. As Jenn said, you need someone to guide you through it without judgement and you need to feel safe and comfortable.

Conversations from the fishing trip:
”Yeah, you’re good at that!”
”Girl you got this. Let it sink.”

The women on the trip- Jenn, Sid, Ashley, Nicole, Snookie, Annie, and Clara-- cheered me on every step of the way, including…. that moment my rod bent and I knew something had hooked onto my line.

Conversations from the fishing trip:
”You got one Sarah!”
[Cheering]
”First catch!”
”Slow down, feel the tension. You’re doing perfect, you couldn’t be doing more perfect right now.”
”First fish for Sarah!”
”Oh my gosh it’s a big one I think”

Narration: Well, it didn’t end up being a fish. I really thought I was reeling in a big one and, well, it was big

Conversations from the fishing trip:
”Or is it the brush pile?”
[Laughter]
”Oh my gosh, it’s getting hard to reel”
”Hold it taut like that… my friend, you have your first brush pile.”

Between the camaraderie, the adrenaline rush of thinking I caught something, the beautiful nature around us, I knew, even though I didn’t catch anything, that-- and, pun absolutely intended-- fishing was an activity I could see myself getting hooked on. There are a whole host of reasons why someone might transition from a first-timer to a long-time angler. For Ashley, getting hooked or stuck on fishing was deeply personal.

Ashley: I think really, the reason why fishing stuck for me is because I was raised off the reservation. And that was an intentional move for my mom because I think she was always kind of running away from some of the things on the reservation that she really struggled with when she was growing up. And so she wanted to try to make sure we went to different schools and things like that and, and a lot of ways that helped our family and helped her heal and a lot of ways it also disconnected us from our culture. So for me as a younger teenager, fishing was a way for me to reconnect and find my identity as an Indigenous woman. And I didn't know how to do that. I had no idea and I remember going to this seminar and hearing an elder of the Nez Perce common say that you want to learn about your culture, the best thing that you can do for yourself, spend time on your homelands and So I thought, Okay, I'm gonna go to the Olympic Peninsula and I'm going to spend time these places that I'm, you know, sort of familiar with,

Fishing was the kind of medium for me experiencing places because I didn't really know how to be on my homelands. But I knew about fishing. And so

I would go and fish for salmon and steelhead and I meet other guides, they really took me under their wing and showed me you know, good places to fish and, and the best places to like, learn about, you know, our peoples history, because there's like some landmark amazing places that are like, even to this day, when I take people through there, I'm like, you need to know what happened here. It's cool. And so I think fishing has always stuck in. But it's also kind of like, paralleled this journey of finding my identity as an Indigenous person. So to me, those things are really deeply entangled. And that's, that's how I still kind of like appreciate my heritage. And in a way, like, drive that forward and and almost, there's like a sense of resurgence, like when I go to fishing on my homelands, like it also exercises a treaty right that my family's fought very, very hard for. And so it just kind of like, pushes that along, like, we're still doing this, we're still engaging in this. Like, it's never not been a part of my journey, and it never will not be a part of my journey. And so that's Yeah, fishing is very entangled in my life story, I think. 

Narration: At Outside Voices, I am always interested in this intersection of cultural heritage and the outdoors. Our stories focus on Black, Indigenous, and people of color and the ways in which our ancestral cultural practices are deeply connected to nature. And you know, there’s an element to fishing that naturally fits quite beautifully at this intersection: food

Sid: One of my favorite questions to ask people is what would your last meal be? My last meal would definitely be fish soup 

Narration: Again, that’s Sid. And Sid’s mom-- sounds like a fantastic cook.

Sid: I don't know that I'll ever be able to cook the way she does with the stuff that I bring home. But there's some dishes that my mom makes with fish that I'm like you can't go to the store and get this you can't go to a restaurant and find these recipes. You have to you have to teach this kind of stuff.

the fish soup that my mom makes is a tamarind-based soup. And it's kind of like a sweet and sour and a little bit of spicy and it's so comforting. You know and you eat it over like white jasmine rice, if you want and it's got all these vegetables in it so she puts pineapples in there, elephant ear vegetables, celery, tomatoes, and it's just it's a hot and like such a comforting thing. She usually makes it with red snapper. In Vietnamese you call it Canh Chua. If you’re Vietnamese, you know that dish.

When I come home from fishing, I don't even have to clean fish anymore. Because they love it. They just love they're like what do you have? Like, if I don't bring something I was like, why did you even go?

Narration: Jenn’s parents also have some delicious fish-based recipes.

Jenn: So they make really good like an oven baked trout dish with like, you take a crab meat and mayo and some shrimp and you like make this topping for the salmon or the trout and you chop it and you stick in the oven and it gets nice and brown and crisp on top. And it's just a really fun way to eat. Salmon trout. They also love making different kinds of stews, there's like really spicy Korean. A type of stew where you use the different parts of a fish including the head. You really make the most of the meat that's on that fish. Otherwise they just like frying it as well. It's really simple with some rice and kimchi. So yeah, really, really easy dishes.

They're actually always so surprised whenever I bring home a fish, like “I can't believe you you're an angler!” I mean, they don't use that word because you know, “angler” that terminology isn't really something they’re used to, but “you fish now?” And yeah, because they know me as someone who's very, like, fashion forward and a city girl and I love going to restaurants and eating good food and all that stuff. But on top of it my hobby has become fishing. But yeah, it's fun to take them with me. Like when we go camping, I try to give them a rod or haven't come on the boat with us just experience how thrilling it can be. But really, at the end of the day, they just love being able to eat what I catch, and I love being able to provide fish one when I can.

Sid: Nothing goes to waste, right? So my family like we would go out we buy bait, we catch Bay or whatever. And like if that shrimp that we caught didn't get used for bait, it's gonna go home and go into some ramen noodles. You know? I mean, like, no, not gonna chum the water up when I leave. I'm taking this home and I'm gonna make another dinner at some powerway we're gonna have dinner tonight.

There's a lot of fish out there. Like lady fish, for example, people think they're trash fish, you know. But don't don't tell my mom, I threw back a lady fish. You know, she will not have that. Lady just have to know how to prepare a fish and cook it and you can make anything taste pretty amazing.

MID-ROLL:

Narration: You may be a little hungry after all that, so grab a snack, and we’ll be right back. [Music starts]

Earlier, we introduced you to Steph from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and their initiative, Take me fishing dot org. 

Steph: We are all about breaking down the barriers to participation. So we provide all the basic “how-to” information, what equipment you need, how to tie a knot, anything that can prep you for going out in the water.

It's like kind of like a one stop shop for anybody who wants to get started, it’s take me fishing.org.

Back in 2013 or 14, we launched our Vamos a Pescar campaign. That was kind of the start of it for us. We saw a real need- the Hispanic population was really growing in our country. And we knew that we needed to just not just provide information in Spanish language, but in a culturally relevant way.

In 2018, similarly, we saw this huge opportunity to get more women empowered on the water, and launched our Women Making Waves campaign. And it's been really rewarding and fantastic to see this community of women growing in the sport coming together, giving each other opportunities.

what I would love to see is young women coming in with resources and representation to have that level of support, that they feel like they can be belong and feel empowered.

Narration: Take Me Fishing is also working to reach and represent anglers of color. At Outside Voices, we often talk about how diversifying the outdoors is not just about increasing participation in outdoor activities, but also about celebrating the ways we are already outdoorsy and meeting people where they’re at. That’s exactly what Take Me Fishing is doing with “Stories of Anglers”

Steph: the idea was that we would focus on these unexpected anglers and boaters and showcase their stories. And I think we will do more of that moving forward. we have a New York City DJ, who goes fishing in the city when he's not DJing to relax and unwind. We've got this woman, an African American woman who runs a program called the Fishonistas. And her goal in life is to like teach other women to fish and find faith in God, you know, all of these kind of unexpected stories, we want people to identify that this is an opportunity, and this is something for them. It's really important.

Narration: Be sure to check out Vamos a Pescar, Women Making Waves, Stories of Anglers, and so much more at Take Me Fishing dot org. [Music ends] And we’re back.

Conversations from the fishing trip:
"We are going into it aren’t we, into the thick of it. It’s just so swampy. Swamp vibes.”

Narration: So, I spoke earlier about getting hooked on fishing and this element of getting to catch your own fresh food and cook delicious meals, is definitely pulling me in. 

While fishing in Florida, I learned from one of the other participants, Annie, who also lives in the Bay Area, that summer time is Chinook Salmon or King Salmon fishing season where we live. Meaning, I could sign up for a spot on a chartered boat to take me out past the Golden Gate Bridge and into the open ocean to bring some salmon home. So, mere weeks after catching brush grass in Lake Dora I was on a boat again, this time on the Pacific Ocean, excited by the prospect of getting to catch my own food.

Well, I didn’t catch anything, though I got really close-- The salmon got away at the last moment-- but I did take home a few pounds of salmon thanks to a few other anglers on board who caught extra fish. I will say this: connecting to your food is truly a powerful, powerful way to connect to nature. I grew up gardening, but actually being a witness to catching, gutting, and filleting a once live-fish honestly filled me with so much respect for the land and waters and our planet … and reverence for how nature truly provides for and supports us. And loves us.

Through Take Me Fishing dot org, I learned that simply participating in fishing directly supports conservation programs, because when you buy a fishing license, 100% of those funds go to projects like habitat management, conservation education, boating and fishing access, research, and fish stocking. And, there’s more we can do to ensure we’re taking care of the natural spaces we love and spend time on. Ashley is currently getting her PHD in environmental and Indigenous history, to help understand and facilitate those relationships.

Ashley: I don't think it's enough to say, here's how you tie a hook. I think what we need to say is like here's how you tie a hook on your line. And here's how we release the fish because this is important to release fish for this reason. I think we can't say like to a new angler, cast towards structure and look for shaded areas without saying because habitats important and fish depend on that to live and and some of the reasons of why we have or don't have this habitat. I think like we need to create more complete experiences for new anglers and, and even for myself to understand like, this isn't just about the actual sport of fishing, and that we can make better decisions for these places. And I want to inform stakeholders and business leaders and anglers and politicians and help them like also like go through this journey like But that being revealed to them to like, I want to be the one that drives that. 

Narration: In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, author Robin Wall Kimmerer says, “Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”

Ashley: Fishing and my Indigenous community have given me so much. I’m able to live the life I’m able to because the fish were there for me to catch, the places were there for me to access. And I want to make sure that other people have that, because I think that’s the key to getting people to care about it, so I hope I can help that.

Narration: As Ashley says, getting more people to care about the earth is about getting more people to access and spend time in nature. Because when you love something, you want to take care of it, right? But what happens when you grow up thinking fishing and these outdoor activities weren’t meant for you? 

Jenn: as a woman, you'll go into the bait shop and people, especially me as someone who isn't white, get looked at funny, like, “almost like, why are you here? Are you lost? Do you need help finding something?” It's like, No, I know exactly what I want in here. And I know what I'm looking for. And if I want help, I'll ask for it.

Narration: The fear of being judged or othered in an outdoor store, has definitely kept me from trying out a new activity like fishing. It’s one of the many real and perceived barriers to outdoor activities. But even when you do try a new activity and become something of an expert at it, representing that activity can be a double-edged sword.

Jenn: I feel like I'm always representing fishing, I feel like I always need to, I don't know, in a good way, in a bad way. I feel like I always have to kind of be on my A game, especially as a content creator who does a lot of fishing, I need to hold my rod correctly, I have to cast correctly, and I have to do all these things the right way. Otherwise, many men do call me out. And so it feels like there's sort of this expectation to be better than a lot of people, you have to do it the right way. And I get that I do want to, you know, represent fishing in the correct way. But it's also like, it's fun. It doesn't have to be so you know, straight edge and following all the rules of holding the rod correctly, or whatever. As long as you have fun, you catch a fish, who cares? But yeah, I think as a woman, it's, it's awesome to be able to encourage other women to try fishing because, you know, take me fishing, they say that, if you see yourself represented in fishing, you're likely to want to try it as well. So that's sort of my goal, too, is to help other women feel inspired.

I've had several young Asian girls, reach out to me after seeing my whatever, Instagram or Facebook or whatever video I created. And they have questions about my technique, or where I've gone fishing and had success in the Twin Cities area. And I'm so happy to answer those questions. Because if it means that they are gonna purchase a fishing license and get outside and try this for the first time, then I'm all for that.

Narration: As Jenn has mentioned, she’s also a mom. With a newborn who was five months old at the time of our Take Me Fishing trip. Taking up space outdoors is about showing up as you are-- which is exactly what Jenn did during our trip.

Jenn: I've pumped on a fishing boat, a canoe, on an airplane and a kayak. Where else in many public spaces at the DMV like anywhere because as a lot of new moms know you need to pump or breastfeed consistently to be able to continue to produce otherwise you can get mastitis and all these problems. So if I want to go fishing for a long day, I need to bring my pump with me. And it's just the reality of the situation. And I think a lot of people do appreciate it, but I know a lot of people get turned off by it too, because they're like, oh, I don't want to see that. But hey, this is real life. This is how life is, you need to be able to feed your babies. And I want to still be able to fish and this is how I got to do it.

Narration: This is why community spaces like Women Making Waves for women or Brown Folks Fishing for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (an online community that you should definitely check out, again that’s Brown Folks Fishing), and others, are so important when it comes to increasing participation in fishing-- it’s all about creating safe, supportive spaces to learn something new or connect with like-minded people.

Ashley: I think when I fish solo, there's a lot to be gained from like the mental health aspect and just enjoying nature. But there is something very special about fishing with a group of people and fishing with a group of women, it's like, you go from being like, Alright, we're gonna do this thing together to like, now we're on an adventure together, where a pack and we roam together, and we're gonna figure this thing out together, and we're gonna help each other. And it becomes it becomes like a team dynamic, that grows relationships in a way that just like maybe like hanging out in another setting, or having lunch or something, it doesn't give you that same sort of, like sense of like teamwork and relying on each other, and it builds your relationships a lot closer. So that's what I really loved about the last couple of days is, you know, I got to spend time with you and be there and witness the first cast and, and these moments and seeing some of the other women like have a great time and, like help each other out. And it makes us all feel like we belong in those spaces too, because we’re like “my group is here, my team is here.”

Jenn: these women we’re with are just top notch people all around. they're welcoming, they're here for the same reasons that I am to hang out with other people who are like-minded, who love the outdoors, who love fishing, and we all come from different backgrounds, which is really cool, from all over the country. So it's people that we probably wouldn't have met if it wasn't for this event. So, so far, so good. I really want to come back. I hope they invite me back again, because this has been awesome and I wish I would have caught a fish and I wish you would have as well. But, you know, it's, again, not about the catch. It's really about the experience of being with these people and the camaraderie and the environment we're in and being the encouraging atmosphere that we had. But if you catch a fish, that's a bonus, and I'm hopeful that you'll you'll catch your first one very soon.

Narration: My first experience fishing was the best it could possibly have been. And not just because we avoided running into any giant gators.

Conversations from the fishing trip:
”Base of what tree?”
”Oh! He’s really little!”
”Oh I see! Amazing.”
”Oh my god. It’s cute, actually.”
”It’s a little baby”

One of my favorite audiobooks of all time is Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. It is a fantastic listen by the way, since Trevor narrates it himself, but that’s not why I’m bringing it up. In his book, Trevor says, “People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.” 

I bring this up because organizations like Take Me Fishing dot org know that increasing participation in fishing is just as much about education as it is also about investing money and resources into the communities that need them most, because they haven’t enjoyed equal access to the activity. That’s why they’re investing in Women Making Waves and also beginning to address gaps in representation and participation for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

Sid: I feel like, working with take me fishing org and the ladies in our group, this is going to become something bigger and better every year as we go along.

Narration: So, I still haven’t caught a fish. I’m working on it! But hey, if there’s anything I learned, fishing isn’t always about the catch, is it?

Ashley: I have friends that can go out fishing, and if they don't catch a fish, they haven't like succeeded in their mission. It's a bad day. And I try not to position my experiences like that, because I don't want to have a bad day when I go outside. I want to have all of the good days that I can and not to say that every like they're all peachy and perfect. Because I've had some bad days too. But I think it's kind of like the way that you approach those spaces. like am I here to conquer? And if you don't conquer and figure out how to trick the fish into eating something that's not a food. You failed. I think when you set yourself up like that, it changes your experience. Yeah, it makes it always great are always terrible. And nothing in between, right?

Narration: This conquering mentality is much too prevalent in outdoor spaces. For us at Outside Voices, and I know for the folks at Take Me Fishing dot org, fishing is about so much more. 

Jenn: I'm a mom, I have a two year old and a five month old. So now it's really about taking my kids out and sharing that experience with them. I didn't grow up doing this stuff and being able to introduce that to them at an earlier age. I'm hopeful that maybe they'll want to do it too. And if not, that's okay. But at least they had the opportunity to learn that this is an activity that is open to them as well.

my son loves to pet fish every time we like bring one on board. He's like, Oh, crappie or Oh, northern pike and he’ll try to pet it. It's so sweet. And he’s hugged pan fish before because he thinks they're like stuffed animals or something. But usually we're just trying to entertain the kids as much as possible while are trying to get some fishing done. It can be done. Just make sure you bring like toys, or Legos and snacks and milk and all the things for naptime if you want to be able to last for you know, several hours on the water.

Jenn: I wrote a children's ice fishing book called 123 ice fishing. It's like a fun lift the flat book to introduce kids to ice fishing. And it's about a mama bear taking her kids on the ice taking your son on the ice specifically, and it's about me and Harland my son. I wrote a book about it. And it's really fun because it's like about fishing terminology and how to do it on the ice and like how to cook your fish after you catch it. And it's coming out soon. I had already sold a bunch last year but ran out and now it'll be back this fall, so that’s what’s on my mind right now is to get this book out there and have it available for hopefully some kids and parents who want to introduce their kids to ice fishing.

Sid: everybody can get out there and do it. I grew up fishing with literally a soda can and some mono and a hook. Like my parents didn't even give me a rod. Okay, so they were like here, just throw this and catch fish and I did so much fun. I'm not gonna lie, I still do this to this day. Like if we’re somewhere. And like all the rods are getting taken up and all these kids are sitting around like, y'all don’t need a rod, here. Let's just wrap this mono up around this bottle and shoot out there and we catch so much fish that way, just hand lining fish. It's so much fun. And I think those kind of memories is like, what I want to see more of I want to see families doing more of that. And, you know, sitting down and having dinner together especially around something you harvested, it means so much, so much to me

my dad is the reason why I fish, my parents both are the reason why I fish and why I love to do what I do. And hopefully, you know, people listening to this podcast will see how important it is and continue to show their children how to do the same thing. You know, maybe it's not fishing, just get outside

[OUTRO- to play before post-roll]

Narration: Thank you to the entire team at Take me fishing and the amazing women who made my first fishing experience so welcoming and memorable-- Nicole, Snookie, Clara, Annie, and of course Jenn, Sid, and Ashley for letting me share their stories with you all on Outside Voices. 

Our beautiful logo and cover art was designed by Brooklyn Bell and this lovely music you hear at the beginning and end of every episode was performed by Olivia VanDamme and produced by Jamison Blue Stegmaier

All credits, links and resources can be found on our website: outsidevoicespodcast.com

You can also follow us on Instagram, @OutsideVoicesPodcast

Outside Voices Podcast is a project by Resource Media. This episode was made in partnership with our friends at Take Me Fishing dot org, a trademark of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.

Until next time. 

POST-ROLL:

[Music starts]

Steph: I want to communicate with everyone that fishing is easy to get started in. And it's not necessarily always about catching the big fish. It's about good conversations with friends and family on the water. It's about supporting each other trying something new. It's about creating amazing memories. And the mental health and wellness benefits you get out of it are amazing.

And we try to make it simple on take me fishing.org. So check it out. See if it's for you.

Narration: Definitely be sure to check out all the helpful resources at Take Me Fishing, there is for example, a map you can use to find all the best fishing locations near you, I figured out how to get my California fishing license through their website, and there’s just a LOT of information there, especially for beginners like me. One last time, that’s take me fishing dot org!

[Music ends]