Competition between men and women seems to be in the news a lot lately. Biological Men are seen as unfair competitors to biological women. How does Biology translate when men and women go fishing?
Back in the day, my go to date was to take a girlfriend fishing. I would certainly stack the deck for success but usually, the girls figured it out fast. They just seem to be lucky! I made a nice lunch, had some proper beverages, and was the perfect gentleman.
Women fish with a different attitude than men. They are patient and enjoy all aspects of the day. Catching a fish is just a bonus. Ladies are also more observant than men. There is not much that a lady angler misses.
Men tend to be more competitive. They seek the most, biggest, and best fish. Their fish stories generally need to be Fact Checked and slant around 20% when estimating size or weight.
When a woman talks about the day of fishing, the number, size, and fish stats come last. The stories about the flowers, lunch, critters, and experience usually come up first. They had a great day, and they caught some fish.
When I was a guide, I always requested the kids or women fishermen. They were up for a good time, willing to learn, and easily entertained. They would readily take advice and let the rod do the work when casting. Every fish was a trophy! My daughter is a great fisherman. She can row a drift boat, paddle a canoe, net a fish, and out fish most men. Fishing with kids and ladies makes the day go fast and fun.
Guiding men is often a battle of egos. Many men are already experts. They have fished everywhere, caught everything, and brag big time. 5 minutes into the day, that often goes out the window. I give advice 3 times when guiding men. If they fail to listen to my advice, I start telling stories about Custers Last Stand or Lewis and Clark. Some days were long.
There are sports where men and women need to be segregated. Football, baseball, wrestling, track and field, and other sports where the male physiology will overpower most women. This is not an insult, just a fact.
Fishing and hunting are sports that are perfect for Hunters and Gatherers. Women are perfectly suited to cast a fly, captain a boat, or pull a trigger. Their skills and attitude will quickly make up for any physical challenges. They may have to make a few more trips when packing out an elk, but the elk will get back to camp. The girls are also excellent fly tiers.
Maybe we need to come up with a new name for women fisherMEN? How about Fish Babes, Anglettes, Lunkerettes, fisherfems, or…
Female fisher ladies will always have a seat in my drift boat!
Montana Grant
