National Women’s Fly Fishing Day – June 27, 2024

History of National Women’s Fly Fishing Day

Fly fishing is thought to have begun in the second century in modern-day Rome. The practice of simulating a fly floating on the water’s surface became widespread.

Around the 16th century, England manufactured longer, more robust rods with hand-crafted lines. Fly fishing gained off when Europeans landed in the Americas — radically changing the fishing industry.

In the 1800s, technology began to gain traction and evolved into the current approaches we use today. The first brass free-spooling fly reel, which was subsequently adopted by anglers in the United States, is thought to have been invented in England. In the mid-19th century, a fly reel and fishing rod were prevalent among mountain men.

To the untrained eye, fly fishing appears to be a predominantly male-dominated sport. However, if you dig a little further, you’ll uncover the long-standing and enduring legacy that female fishers have left behind. Joan Wulff was the one who forever revolutionized the sport. She won first place in the National Dry Fly Accuracy competition at the age of 16 in 1943. She went on to win 21 more casting titles before capturing the National Fisherman’s Distance Fly Championship with a 136-foot cast against an all-male field. Joan Wulff was recognized as the ‘World’s Best Fly Caster’ by the early 1950s when women’s rights were severely restricted.