my girlfriend could cast better...

The 2018 season is in full swing up on the Green. Not only have enthusiastic people returned to fool fish using metal, but guides have also begun the migration.  I'm reminded of family reunions... televised baseball, alcoholic beverages, and smiles reaching from one ear to the other. It's an opportunity for us to catch up on experiences that have occurred since we last dipped oars in pursuit of scaly creatures. 

In one recent gathering, a young guide was sharing a story to the rest of the group.  Maybe it was the warm weather or rowing in the consistent tailwind throughout the 15 mile float earlier in the day that caused me to focus on one particular sentence in his story. He told a fellow caster that his girlfriend could cast better.  Was this meant to be an insult? Furthermore, why does it matter what type of sex chromosomes are found within the cells of an organism managing line to fool a fish? The fish don't care what chromosomes are involved. Fish only care about the fly presentation. 

I share this story not for sympathy, but for awareness. The current administration has done a fantastic job igniting people to act to stop the spread of hate and injustice. The #metoo movement, for example, has brought widespread awareness that people, both women AND men, have suffered from sexual assault in and out of the workplace. This movement has since expanded to include marginalized people in marginalized communities. 

Back to the Green... there is still a stigma attached to women within the fly-fishing community.  Women don't have the intelligence required to identify an insect, read water, or, heaven forbid, row a boat. These thoughts are not isolated to just the public, but within the guide services as well. Why else would someone remark that his girlfriend could cast better?

Fly Fishing Expos are an excellent way to socialize, network, and support this small community. These expos will sometimes offer a casting competition for cash prizes.  Generally speaking, the men's division typically has higher cash prizes compared to the women's division in casting competitions.  Why is that?  The accuracy of fly placement and distance is the same regardless of who is holding the rod.  

I'd like to end this post on a positive note.  The upcoming Wasatch Intermountain Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo held in Sandy, UT is unique in that it provides the same cash prizes for both the men's and women's divisions in the casting competition.  Hopefully, more of these mental barriers will continue to be demolished.  The community of people that enjoy fooling fish need to support each other on and off the water regardless of the sex chromosomes residing in their individual cells. 

I'll continue to break these barriers one float at a time.