Women Connect Fly Fishing - Northern California Council, Fly Fishers International (NCCFFI)

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WOMEN'S FLY FISHING NEWS & EVENTS

By Debbie Bond – NCCFFI Board Member

Women In Fly Fishing-

Hi all, this is the time of year some of us start regrouping, while hopefully including some steelhead fishing! For myself, I'm still on the mend from breaking my foot in June, so part of my fall plans are to reconnect with my "Fisher Sisters". A great starting point, often overlooked, is to reorganize fly boxes, clean lines, and go through gear. Another "get together" can be sitting down and tying some flies and having a "secret Santa" with your club women's group. I was part of the Ohio Fly Fishers women's Secret Santa group last year and loved it. Hopefully, next year, as a group of women fishers, we could involve as many clubs as possible and do a widespread Secret Santa tying event. Great way to connect! Ideas? Send them to me.

With respect for the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, now is also the time to recognize our veterans in our communities, including those who are members of our fly clubs. Thank you!

An organization that needs no introduction is Project Healing Waters, with its support of veterans and disabled veterans. This organization reaches out to all, and in keeping with the support of our Women In Fly Fishing, I'd like to introduce Gold Country Fly Fishers' own amazing woman veteran, Laura Horton. Any veterans, especially our women veterans, who are looking for a connection in the community of fly fishing or would like to volunteer in events, can reach out to Laura through her info below. GCFF is also the proud and grateful recipient of one of Laura's special wrapped fly rods we will be auctioning at our holiday party this year.

Stay safe fishing, tight lines and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

And bring in the holidays with the familiar ring that - Women Fly Fish Too!

Debbie Bond

For information about Bear River Fly Rods, Contact Laura Horton Bear River Fly Rods Info@bearriverflyrods.com www.bearriverlyrods.com

Women and Fly Fishing - June 2025

June 27th is International Women's Fly Fishing Day -- Go fishing!! Use this day to go fishing- Catch, admire, release with care. And don’t forget, keep 'em wet!

1) Spread the word –
This is how we get people into fishing! Make a playlist of your favorite fishing songs and pack a waterproof Bluetooth speaker to sing along with while out on the water. Normalize the presence of female fishers in the fly fishing community, again spread the word! Our numbers are growing as we speak.

2) Find new fishing spots -
Use maps and links to find a new fishing spot in your area. Invite a friend or family member who is new to fly fishing to join you, and use the hashtag #nationalwomensflyfishingday to share your images online and with friends. Keep a log of where you have been, how the fishing was, what the conditions were at the time you went, what fly/nymphs you used, whether there was a hatch or not.

3) Enjoy. Share. Teach.
Make plans for a Bucket List trip -- or even plans for a local waters day trip!

Tight lines!! To all you Women Who Fly Fish Too. And don’t forget - YubaFest is coming up September 6, 2025 and we will again be supporting women in the fly fishing world.

Send me pictures of your outings that I can use on a big display board in our "Women Fly Fish Too" booth between GCFF and NCCFFI booths.

I look forward to connecting and fishing with you all,

Debbie Bond NCCFFI- BOD
GCFF Damsels

Northern California Council- Women Connect Fishout June 22-25- Update

June is Flyfishers International’s Women in Flyfishing Month. This year we traveled up to the Upper Sacramento River!
What an amazing trip! Six of us joined up to fish as many areas of the upper Sac that we could, and I think we covered most of them.
Our first day out we stopped at Ted Fay's Fly shop in Dunsmuir for some intel and pick up flies. Then off we went!
We were able to cook most of our meals at the house, one of them was an amazing stove top smoker that was used for salmon- it was REALLY good!
We are already looking at what we would like to do for next year- please stay tuned!

Click Here for the FFI Women Connect Home Page

Women and Fly Fishing – March 2025
By Debbie Bond

Hi All,

In planning for the coming year with our group of women fly fishers, the Gold Country Fly Fishers Damsels have made some reservations for Pyramid Lake. This would be a great fish-out opportunity to meet and coordinate with any women fly fishers who would like to join us for the days of April 10, 11 and 12.

Two guide boats have been reserved with the option to add one more boat with a guide for a total of 8 spots. (4 spots are reserved with 4 still open.)

If you are interested or have any questions, reach out to me, Debbie Bond at mntsparky@gmail.com. Robin Denegri, also from the Damsels at Gold Country Fly Fishers, and I will be managing this event together. RSVPs for a spot on the boats need to be received by March 10th at the latest.

Fishing should also be great from the shore at that time.

Here's a story from Robin Denegri:

“I Like Pyramid.” My first experience at Pyramid Lake was a Fish Out led by my friend Ed Tom, of the Gold Country Fly Fishers, 13 years ago. I was hooked on fishing at Pyramid, and I try to fish there at least once a year. Our GCFF club had a ladies group then also - all of THREE women. We fished together and went on several club fish outs, but never too far from home.

As our numbers grew our wish was to organize a “Damsels Only” fish out at Pyramid. Well, it was a sell out and we filled the trailer and we needed two guides since there were 8 of us. We purchased ladders (painter’s ladders that have the level platform), and we caught fish! Sometimes even with triple hookups and lots of shrieking!! There was a group of men fishing near us and NOT catching anything and one close by mumbled, "What are all these 'girls' doing here!" Ha! Pyramid fishing technique is usually, and up until now, only from shore. Ladders, float tubes or standing on the rocks. It can be cold and most of these techniques require waiting for the fish to cruise by. For the first time, fly-fishing from a boat is available and I have booked that boat and guide service. Several of us have fished with Joe Contaldi and he is a great guide and teacher. We will be the first to fly fish off a boat. Four have signed up and there is room for four more. So…let's do it!

RSVP -- even if you want to make your own arrangements, we are planning to do a potluck on Saturday night to celebrate and share in the chant that "Women Fly Fish Too".

Debbie Bond
GCFF Damsel's Chair
NCCFFI Board