March 11, 2007 marked my first fishing trip with a group of seven women, a newly formed women fly fishing club in Reno, Nevada, called the 'Sierra Nevada Sisters'. Sierra Nevada Sisters was formed five months prior, meeting once a month, every third Thursday at the Reno Fly Shop. To be honest in my wildest dreams I never saw myself organizing a new club much less a women fly fishing club. It was the interest of women coming into the Reno Fly Shop, where I was an employee until December 2008, that encouragement and a need arose to start a Women's Fly Fishing club. Each meeting brought an average of twelve women anglers eager to meet other women and excited to learn about the sport of fly fishing.

The last five months prepared the women for their first fish-out to Pyramid Lake, cutthroat trout being the prize. Each month a special guest presenter was brought in to teach us about rigging and knots, a slide show presentation on fishing Pyramid Lake, and an evening learning about the palate of a cutthroat trout. To ready the women and ensure their success two casting sessions were set up to orient the girls with their new dancing partner, a fly rod.
Sunday morning, March 11, 9:00h the women anglers met at the Reno Fly Shop eager to meet and carpool to our first fish-out. Owner Dave Stanley made equipment available for those ladies in need of waders, boots, rods and reels and even a step ladder. It was the first time the Reno Fly shop witnessed such a group of females gathering to obtain fishing licenses and last minute tackle before venturing on to their angling day.
The beach, Windless Bay, was chosen as it would be an ideal beach where we could spread out comfortably and stay together as a group. It didn't hurt to know that two male customers had given me a good report of hooking into nice size "cutts". The day was perfect, sunny, warm temperatures with a slight breeze, causing some nice riffles on the water. As I placed step ladders in the water the girls put on their waders and rigged their lines with the help of two guides, Richard Dickerson and Harry Prall. These two exceptional men helped the women who were novices to Pyramid Lake rig their lines and select the 'lucky' fly.

Once on the water the women began their ascent up the rungs of the step ladder, Pyramid Lake is unique in the use of step ladders as it becomes a casting platform. The first part of the morning was spent learning to cast a 24ft density compensated sink tip from Rio, stripping in Wooly Buggers and Beetles from a dropper. Our more novice ladies were casting a floating line learning the nymph technique with an indicator, Red Copper Johns and Red Chironomids being the fly of choice.
The women traded back and forth learning to cast and fish with the two fishing techniques. In the end, a floating line with and without an indicator was an easier system to use for our more novice anglers. The morning found the lady anglers tangling lines, adjusting their casts, and listening to the guides edge them toward success on how to manage their lines.
The first fish on for the day was a cutthroat hooked by myself, using a sink tip line and a Martini Olive Worm, the fish weighed in at four pounds. I still get excited when I have a bend in my rod and a nice fish in my hands. The morning for us all was an opportunity to enrich our awareness by the magical scene; the lake has many different shades of blue played against the stark, foreboding shoreline. It is an unbelievable body of water and when there isn't a fish on line it doesn't hurt to have unparallel beauty of scenery to gaze at with reflective thoughts or trying to figure out what strip or fly you should be using.

After three hours of fishing and only one fish hooked, it was time to take a lunch break. The lunch break offered an opportunity to take in some nourishment but also to 'let go' of any frustrations from the morning learning experience. Lizz Stanley, one of our more season anglers, heated up some homemade chili, with side dishes brought from the collective group.
Sitting comfortably, and enjoying the feast (I firmly believe food always tastes better in the outdoors), engaging in conversation I learned more about the women who have joined me in this circle of 'fate'. I believe our lunch became a form of communion, a bond I will never forget. Part of the scene included a two year old toddler, Tanner, son of Lina Jensen, who was part of Lina's cheerleading team with husband Matt. Lina shared with the group that her son was blind from a rare type of cancer and the doctors are in a quandary whether he has beaten the cancer and if he will see again. Quietly Connie, one of our novice anglers, shared that she had lost her husband due to cancer and on this particular day it was her birthday. I believe the sharing of our stories showed us common threads of hope and inspiration that strengthened our respect with one another and added to the heighten blessing of this day, a communion.
With food in our bellies and a well earned rest the ladies eagerly waded to the water with rods in hand. During the morning Paul White, photographer/writer, for a local Reno newspaper had spent the first half of the day recording this momentous event. Paul was about to leave for another engagement when Lina, hooked into her first cutthroat on the fly. Lina's guide, Richard, was there to coach her into netting her first cutthroat; I wasn't sure who had the biggest smile, Richard, Lina, or Lina's husband, Matt.

For Beth Shipley the day was not only going to be a test of her angling skills but also a day of conquering her fear of water. Beth is a non swimmer and due to a childhood trauma involving an incident, Beth had a huge fear of water. By the end of day, Beth was all about being an angler with a nice size cutthroat as her prize. Beth and angler Connie had many moments of struggle with laying a line out, there were many times Harry and Richard worried that the girls were tiring and encouraged them to take some time to relax on the shore.
The girls refused to come out and seemed only appropriate that simultaneously they hooked up with a respectable size cutthroat. For me and the guides, we were beaming with pride; the guides worn out with their efforts called it a day. There were a few misty eyes from their guides, myself included. To wrap up the day in emotions, it was like a great big hug to watch this day unfold. The ladies who had more angling experience may not have caught a fish, but their casting skills had greatly improved. Our novices who did catch their first 'cutts', had a positive 'first' experience that will help in evolving their angling career.
Patient instruction and providing humor was the key ingredients for this first fish-out for the Sierra Nevada Sisters and once again I am reminded it is not always about fish, but it is why we come together. Starting a club and joining a club can provide an opportunity to learn, about fishing and fish. It is an opportunity to get to know an old friend, a parent or a child or meeting a new friend. Fishing trips are a wonderful way to get to know a person, or become reacquainted. I find every time I fish is an opportunity to discover something about myself that I did not know and every time I fish is an opportunity to go to a place I've never been.
I once heard, "What's the point of fishing if you're not learning from it? What's the point of doing anything if you're not using what you've learned to build a bridge to the world at large?"

For information or questions on starting a Women's Fly Fishing club you can contact me at kateflyonly@gmail.com.
For several years now I am the Good Will Ambassador for the International Women Fly Fishers (IWFF); website address: www.internationalwomenflyfishers.org.