Celebrating 20 Years of Women Fly Fishing

Fly fishing has a literary history dating back to the 12^th century. The scope of fly fishing literature over that time would surprise many non-anglers. Beyond the where-to and how-to books typical of most hobbies, fly fishing literature ranges from scholarship to poetry. Some of the finest writing of any kind that I’ve enjoyed over a lifetime of reading has been in fly fishing books.

Robert Ruark. Charlie Fox. Ernest Schweibert. Robert Traver. Ed Zern. Patrick McManus. John Gierach. You may not recognize the names, but to a fly angler like myself, these writers are just a few who influenced both my fishing and my writing with a lyrical and captivating style that elevated their writing above any restrictions of genre.

In the twenty years the newsletter of the Delaware Valley Women’s Fly Fishing Association has existed, many of the articles have stood out as contributing to this great tradition of fly fishing literary excellence. As editor for eight years, it was my dream to introduce these works to a wider audience, in a more permanent medium than a quarterly newsletter. After fifteen months of work, that dream has become a reality. Those fine writers now have their chance to be added to that list of greats in the field.

“A Woman’s Angle: Celebrating 20 Years of Women Fly Fishing” is now available as a high-quality soft-cover book. This is my first published book, fulfilling another even older dream of mine. But despite the lionization I’ve basked in during the week since publication (which included a signing table at one of the largest fly fishing shows in the world), and the fact that some of my own works are included in the book, this is not about me. It’s about twenty very fine writers who ably share their passion for fly fishing; who open their hearts and minds to reveal their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, to the benefit and pleasure of any who read their words. And those reveal more about the writers than the surface topic would suggest, as is true with all art, whether done with paint, words, music, or other media.

During the past twenty years, women have gone from being a ‘double-take’ sight on fishing streams to being the fastest-growing demographic and most-wooed market segment in the sport. This book subtly documents this change, and shows that women have indeed become influential in fly fishing and worthy of respect in the field. But this is no feminist manifesto. These are great fly fishing stories, plain and simple, written by fly anglers for the enjoyment of other fly anglers, of any gender.

My personal reaction to the release of my first book is one of childish enthusiasm, my mood swinging between rampant egotism and stunned humility; I’m overwhelmed by the positive reaction generated in less than a week. But I am so proud and happy that this particular book is the one. This is important; this is a collection of stories that needs to be shared; these are writers that can make readers think, feel, laugh, smile and nod, and want to grab a rod and run out to the nearest body of water to try this ‘fly fishing’ thing.

I’ll be spending most of the summer out at shows, festivals, and signings, drawing attention to this wonderful collection of wonderful authors. I hope to see you there. Various fly shops throughout Pennsylvania and some select gift shops in the Pennsylvania Wilds will also be selling them. Online, check out the book at www.wellsborobookstore.com. If it’s not immediately available there, phone them at (570) 724-5793.

Then go out fishing! And afterwards, relax with the latest addition to nine centuries’ tradition of great fly fishing literature.