Five years ago Mackenzie Morrison and Brittany Wagler created a recognized student organization (RSO) centered around fly fishing for women. The RSO’s name is Fish N’ Chicks, not to be mistaken with the British dish.
While there was a RSO designated for fly fishing at the University already, the founders felt that the club was “male-dominated,” in current club president Marguerite Johnson’s words. In hopes of creating a safe environment for women to freely learn to fly fish without fear, they started their own organization.
“With the club, I think what I like the most is getting out there with other women and me being able to teach them what I know, and the learning from them as well,” said Johnson. “And then just being outside and fishing with girls is always a fun time. Just a new way to meet people as well.”
Johnson has been part of the RSO for four years, and president for three. Fish N’ Chicks currently has 10 active members that participate in meetings and activities, but Johnson said that the amount of members always varies throughout the year.
Fishing is not the only thing that the club takes part in. The club also brings in speakers from different areas of the fishing field to give informational seminars, such as ethical fishing and stocking fish in Laramie. They also invite owners, especially if they are women, of local fishing companies to come speak.
In addition, the club volunteers with river cleanups once a year to keep the fish that inhabit the rivers and streams healthy and unharmed by trash.
The RSO mainly encourages women students to join, but Johnson said they wouldn’t turn down a man if he wanted to fish with the girls. The club does a lot of community outreach as well to get women in the community interested in fly fishing.
The club usually meets once a month during the school year. While they do not have meetings during the summer, Johnson likes to send out emails to members so that they can fish together when the weather permits.
“I love fly fishing because it’s a way to get outdoors and I feel like you have to have a little higher skill level,” said Johnson. “So it’s a little more advanced and it takes a lot of focus, so once you get the hang of it, it’s really exciting to be able to catch a fish or even catch a fish on a fly that you tied.”
Besides needing to pay the club dues for the year of $20, the sport is very affordable through the club. The club has received multiple donations of equipment and raises money through raffles so that beginners do not need to go through the hassle and buying all their own equipment to be involved with the organization.
Johnson said that learning to fly fish is a difficult task and that is why it is so important to allow a safe place for women to learn. It allows them the opportunity to fail and try again without being embarrassed or judged. The members of the RSO help each other learn the skills of fly fishing, bouncing the teaching role between each other so they may continue to learn and grow.
“It’s kind of exciting to master different skills along the way,” said Johnson.
Students interested in joining Fish N’ Chicks or wanting more information about the RSO may email Johnson at mjohn134@uwyo.edu or check out their RSO page at UWyo.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/fishnchicks.
