For generations, women have been picking up fly rods to push the boundaries, defy gender norms, and catch big fish. The number of women in fly fishing has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks in part to social media. Visibility is leading a new generation of anglers to the water.
The influx of more women in the sport can be attributed to many amazing trailblazers already making waves in the industry. But it's definitely changing the way women feel welcome on the water. We salute the following women for their contributions to fly fishing—let them inspire you, too.
1. Hilary Hutcheson
Growing up in Columbia Falls, Montana, Hilary Hutcheson was lucky enough to have some of the best fisheries in the world right out her door. She began to fly fish as a kid on the rivers surrounding Glacier National Park and, by her teens, was guiding trips on her home rivers, Flathead and Salmon.
Today, Hilary owns the fly shop Lary's Fly & Supply in her hometown and continues to guide. Hilary's influence on the industry can be felt in many ways, from her work as a climate activist with Protect Our Winters to being a national board member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. She is a true trailblazer in the fly fishing world and inspires others to make a difference.
2. Capt. Abbie Schuster
Abbie Schuster grew up fishing on Martha's Vineyard and the rivers of the Northeast. But once she attended college at the University of Montana, fly fishing really cast a spell, and she began to pursue a career in the industry as a guide.
After years of guiding in the West, Abbie returned to her roots on the East Coast. She is the owner and operator of Kismet Outfitters in Edgartown, Massachusetts, guiding fishing trips and leading yoga classes on Martha's Vineyard. Abbie loves helping her clients not only land big fish but come away from each day with a broader understanding of the sport and a passion for conservation.
3. Kiki Galvin
At just 5 years old, Kiki picked up a rod for the first time, fishing on one of the Finger Lakes near her hometown of Corning, New York. She picked the sport up quickly and has made it her lifelong passion. Her love for fishing has taken her all over, but she has settled in Falls Church, Virginia, guiding on local rivers.
Having served as president of Chesapeake Women Anglers and vice president of the Northern Virginia Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Kiki is heavily involved in the sport. You can often find her volunteering with Casting for Recovery and Project Healing Waters, helping others through the healing powers of fishing.
4. Katie Cahn
Based out of far northern South Carolina, Katie Cahn is an avid angler, metalsmith, and mother. Taught to fish by her own mom as a young girl, she found her passion for the hobby early, which she is now passing on to her own daughter. But since battling cancer, Katie journeyed into fly fishing and became heavily involved in Casting for Recovery, which offers free fly fishing retreats for women battling breast cancer. Not only has she found personal healing through the nonprofit, she has helped many other women going through similar experiences find strength while on the river.
Katie is a very active member of the fly fishing community in the Southern Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains as a volunteer, ambassador, and guide.
5. Autumn Harry
At the age of 6, Autumn Harry began fishing on a spin rod with her parents. As a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, her connection is rooted deeply with the water and fish of Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada. Working to protect the lake has always been a priority in her life and has taken different forms. In 2022, after getting hooked on fly fishing a handful of years earlier, Autumn founded the first Paiute women-owned guiding business, Kooyooe Pa'a Guides (Coo-yoo-ee Pah), on Pyramid Lake.
Her approach to guiding is unique, as she wants every experience to be more about just fishing—it's about coming to these lands and learning about the people that live there and the importance of conservation and keeping these waters pristine for generations to come. Not only does she guide non-tribal members, but she's also an advocate for more people within her tribe to join in the sport. She has hosted numerous retreats for indigenous women to show them the beauty of fly fishing.
6. Jen Ripple
In 2010, Jen Ripple started an online publication called DUN Magazine. Over 10 years, her "small" magazine grew into one of the largest and most well-respected fly fishing publications. Jen has, without a doubt, become one of the most influential women in the sport, with her efforts having been rewarded by her 2023 induction into the Southern Fly Fishing Hall of Fame by the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians. Her hard work has meant more opportunities for all women to find a home within the fly fishing community.
Outside of her revolutionary publication, Jen continues her work to amplify women angler voices by serving on national and international fly fishing boards. Based out of her home in Wisconsin, Jen travels around the world spreading her expertise through speaking engagements and instructional courses.
7. Jeanine Blair
After learning how to fish from her uncle at five years old, Jeanine Blair has been casting ever since. Fishing has become a safe haven and one of her passions that she believes should be shared with others. As a mother of five, she passes this tradition to her daughters and shows them the many positive effects fishing can have on your life.
Jeanine is helping to break down barriers in the sport through her organization, Texas-based Fishanistas. With it, she created a sisterhood and a safe place for women to get involved in fishing. Her passion and enthusiasm for the sport are contagious, and she's proud to inspire a community of women and girls with how profoundly fishing can impact your mind, body, spirit, and environment.
8. Kayla Lockhart
Kayla Lockhard began fishing as a young girl on the waters of Minnesota, but it was when she first picked up a fly rod at age 24 that her life changed forever. Kayla quickly solidified herself as a force within the industry by promoting inclusivity within the sport, speaking openly about mental health, and volunteering with fly fishing organizations in her home community of Portland, Oregon.
Giving back through The Mayfly Project is one of her biggest passions. Through this organization, Kayla supports children in the foster care system by showing them the positive impact that fishing can have on their lives. When not volunteering with Mayfly, she can be found leading clinics, speaking about conservation, fishing in far-flung locations, and sharing her infectious love for the sport and refreshing honesty on social media.
9. Rebeca Granillo
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Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Rebeca Granillo spent every chance she could outside hiking in the Wasatch Mountains. As a young adult, she found fly fishing, and a job at Fishwest Fly Shop in Salt Lake helped her quickly build knowledge of the sport. Once Rebeca got comfortable with a fly rod, she began guiding and instructing around the community.
Through guiding, she realized the impact fly fishing can have on a person, regardless of age, income, or background. Rebeca is the founder of the Salt Lake City chapter of The May Fly Project and enjoys spending time volunteering with the organization. She has been an integral part of the community in Utah, creating the Wasatch Women's Fly Fishing Club to connect with more local women.
10. Angelica Talan
Angelica Talan was exposed to fishing at a young age while growing up in Ohio. But it wasn't until adulthood that a close friend in the community inspired her to take her first fly-fishing class. The connection she felt to the natural world and how it made her feel like a kid kept her coming back for more.
As a full-time mother, writer, and blogger, DC-based Angelica makes a point to take assignments that get her on the water in her element. She's also the diversity, equity, and inclusion, and social media liaison for United Women on the Fly and works hard within the fly fishing community to make sure women of color can see themselves in the sport and know how to get involved.
READ MORE: 7 Fly Fishing Clinics for Women Who Want to Learn to Cast
