When New Wave Fishing Academy was started it was based around the mission of helping everyone become more successful anglers and especially those who do not have the family, friends, or easily accessible opportunities to push them into the sport. From our short time in operation trying to accomplish this mission there has been a very clear population that has a hard time breaking into the industry. From critics online challenging their skills as anglers to talking down or belittling their accomplishments there are a lot of unnecessary hurdles for women and young girls to get into fishing. While we know that these hurdles are not set up by those that represent the majority of the members in the industry they unfortunately are often the loudest voice. To combat this we started the "Women In Angling" blog series last year to highlight some of the top female anglers, ladies in the outdoors, and female fishing ambassadors while sharing their stories for those that just need a little push or some role models to look towards to get into this sport we all love! Despite what you might think; girls fish too!
This weeks feature is Jenn Fairbarn! Jenn reached out to us after seeing some of the other Women In Angling blogs and wanted to support the effort. As an avid tournament angler we thought the best way would be to do a feature to highlight why women should consider participating in fishing tournaments! Check out her story below:
"My love for fishing came from a very young age. I remember watching all the men in my family fish every summer and the passion they had for it. My dad always went up to Northern Ontario to fish with family friends, and the stories they all told always made me smile.
As a kid I fished in the summers at our trailer for sunfish, perch, and smallmouth bass. Since I didn't have a boat of my own, it was a lot of fishing off the point of two bays. The point was typically nothing but rocks, so snorkeling gear was part of our tackle box! Getting a snag and losing your lures meant having to go snorkeling to get them back.
One of my greatest moments as an adult was teaching my children to fish; especially my daughters. We started with simple worms on hooks and seeing their faces while reeling in their first catch was a mom win for me.
Despite growing up fishing it was a love that faded before being reignited when I met my spouse, who is an avid angler as well. He introduced me to tournament fishing, which brings a whole other level of excitement to my adventures on the water. The only reason I got started tournament fishing was he needed a partner and so I volunteered. Jumping into a world I was very inexperienced in, fishing with PROs that you see on TV or at angling exhibit and being one of 4 or 5 women in a field of 100+ , was extremely intimidating. My spouse and I tend to do research before we fish a lake. Understanding the geography of the lake and it's conditions as well as knowing the species of fish in them definitely helps.
On the tournament scene not catching fish has bigger consequences than while fishing for fun. They're hard to accept at first but we ALL have them; even the PRO's. Just being out on the water, while the sun is rising, and a light fog covering the water is an experience of its own. It's kinda like my church. Calm water and making that first cast is such a great feeling.
My tournament fishing preference is pike, and it's an absolute thrill learning more about different lakes and how pike behave in them. I spend a lot of my spare time testing new lures and studying different species. Trying to find local women who like to fish is extremely hard in my area, but I am always looking. I hope more women find this incredible hobby and step out of their comfort zones to do a tournament or two. It really is a different experience."
We would like to thank Jenn for sharing her story and passion for fishing with us all. You can connect with her on instagram where she shares her tournament success @jenn.fairbarn
For more female fishing, fisher woman, and lady angler role model be sure to check out the other Women in Angling features at the link below.
If you know somebody who is a great ambassador for Women In Angling (Or the outdoors) that deserves to be recognized and would be willing to create a post please reach out to us on any of our social media platforms so we can get in touch with them.
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To experience a day of fishing on the water with us be sure to check out our YouTube channel at the link below:
If you or someone you know is looking to get into fishing or you just want to become a more successful angler be sure to check out our "Zero To Hero Fishing Masterclass" for courses on everything fishing! The masterclass is built to help you learn how to find and catch fish like the pro's by providing all the information you need and a clear development path! Don't miss out check it out now at www.newwavefishingacademy.com/zero-to-hero
Have you ever wondered why lures don't come with instructions and wanted to know how to fish them? Look no further than our "How To Fish" series where you will learn what each bait is, how to use it, when and where it excels over other baits, our preferred setup to use it on, and the common mistakes anglers make when using it. www.newwavefishingacademy.com/how-to-fish