Written by:
Abigail Panak
Introduction to fishing
My first fishing memory that I can remember was when I was really little and my dad would take my family out all the time to go sand bass fishing. We would have about four rods out, and one time all four rods got hooked up almost at the same time—so it was chaotic but so much fun!
My dad got me hooked into fishing from the get-go. I’ve been fishing with my family since I was a baby.
Experiences and challenges
A positive experience that I, as a woman in the fishing community, have encountered is the support from so many people!
A negative, though, is that a lot of people still believe that women can’t fish, so they say things like, “Oh, I bet your boat captain caught all your fish,” and just snarky remarks toward us since we’re females. But that’s the stuff that drives us to stay with it and do better.
Perceptions and attitudes
The majority of the fishing community now has really accepted female fishermen, and it’s been really supportive!
Support system
Yes, I have found some great groups of females that really encourage other women to just stay strong and always stay confident—and that we do belong there too.
Representation and visibility
I do believe that women have been really represented in such a strong and amazing light these past few years in the fishing industry. The amount of women that are joining leadership roles in the fishing community is incredible.
Changes over time
When I started fishing, there were pretty much no other females fishing. So seeing it totally flip over the past few years has been so fun—getting to know other female anglers!
Equality and inclusion efforts
I think the inclusivity and equality side of all of this is gradually getting a lot better, so I’d love to see it all slowly grow and watch all the phases. I can’t wait to see it grow in the next years.
Personal achievement
I wouldn’t say this is specifically personal—it includes my fishing partner, so I’d like to share our achievements: winning state champs two times out of our six-year career and qualifying for Nationals five times.
Fishing style
I personally like to finesse fish. I like the slow fishing that makes you really dig deep and grind it out. It can also be so fun catching big fish on spincast reels!
Advice for aspiring female anglers
I would definitely say—whatever anyone tells you or says about your passion for this sport, don’t let them diminish your fire for what you love to do. If anything, use that and be more determined to do better than the people that discourage you.
