On the water with Kymmy: The Fish Don’t Care
Investing in Women is Investing in the Future of Fishing
Every new woman who discovers fishing has the potential to become far more than just another angler.
She might introduce her children to the water, encourage her friends to give fishing a try, volunteer at community events or inspire another woman to pick up a rod for the very first time.
She might become the reason a family spends more weekends outdoors together.
She might become a mentor.
She might become an advocate for our waterways.
She might even become the next face of a fishing brand.
That's not just good for recreational fishing.
It's good for the future of the entire industry.
For years I've watched more and more women discover recreational fishing, and it's been one of the most encouraging changes I've seen.
Some have been fishing their entire lives.
Others picked up a rod for the very first time only recently.
Their stories are all different, but one thing connects them.
Fishing has become much more than simply catching fish.
It's confidence.
It's friendships.
It's time with family.
It's learning new skills.
It's discovering places they may never have visited otherwise.
Through Lady Anglers Downunder, I've been fortunate enough to hear countless stories from women across Australia.
Some started fishing because their children wanted to.
Some because of their partners.
Some because they simply wanted to try something completely new.
What amazes me is what often happens next.
They don't just become anglers.
They encourage their children.
They teach the next generation.
They invite friends along.
They volunteer.
They answer questions online.
They build communities.
One woman often inspires many more.
That's the ripple effect.
Which is why I believe supporting women in recreational fishing isn't simply about supporting women.
It's about investing in the future of the sport.
When brands support people who are genuinely encouraging participation, they're helping fishing grow.
Not through advertising.
Through people.
Over the past twelve months, I've personally experienced how much encouragement from a brand can mean.
Rapala has surprised me with several care packages during that time.
There was no formal partnership.
There wasn't a list of deliverables.
It was simply Rapala acknowledging the genuine support I'd shown their brand through using their products, sharing my experiences and tagging them along the way.
Those gestures meant more than they probably realized.
Not because of the tackle itself.
Because they reminded me that what I'm building matters.
That encouragement fuels motivation.
And motivated people keep contributing to our community.
Now, let me be clear.
I don't believe women should be supported simply because they're women.
Just as I don't believe men should be supported simply because they're men.
Support should be earned.
It should come through authenticity.
Community.
Knowledge.
Integrity.
The ability to positively influence others.
Gender shouldn't be the deciding factor.
Contribution should.
I genuinely can't wait for the day we stop saying...
"Female angler."
...and simply say...
"Angler."
The day when nobody thinks twice about who's holding the rod.
The day support is based on character.
Not gender.
I genuinely believe we're already moving in the right direction.
Every woman who picks up a rod, every brand that supports positive role models and every person who encourages someone new into our sport helps keep that momentum growing.
Long may it continue.
Because after all...
The fish certainly don't care.
Final Thoughts
Every woman who discovers fishing brings something unique to our community.
Sometimes it's knowledge.
Sometimes it's enthusiasm.
Sometimes it's simply the confidence to encourage someone else to have a go.
And every one of those contributions helps strengthen recreational fishing for the next generation.
If supporting that journey also happens to make good business sense...
Then everybody wins.