My first fishing memory
I would have been about 8 or 9 years old; we were fishing at a pond belonging to one of my parents’ friends. If I remember correctly, we had been out there for a while and hadn’t really caught anything. Given that my parents’ friends had little boys, my sister and I ended up using their kid-sized Superman fishing rods.
We sat our rods down since we weren’t catching anything. My mom picked up one of the rods and cast it out just for fun. The next thing we know, the rod is almost bent in half with something huge on the other end. After she was reeling for what seemed like forever, my dad went and got a net. She ended up catching an 8-pound carp with that little Superman rod. It was crazy to all of us that the line never broke, or that the little rod didn’t snap in half.
Who got you hooked on the sport
While I have fished my entire life, I have grown to love it even more these past few years. Growing up, my dad was always working. He worked night shift, so he had to sleep during the day. He would take us fishing for bream at a neighbor’s pond whenever he had time off. Much like the Trace Adkins song, “She Thinks We’re Just Fishin,'” I never really realized the memories that were being made.
Growing up and moving out makes you really miss the small things that weren’t really small things. I take any chance I can get to fish with my dad, nowadays. The crazy thing is, we don’t really talk to each other much when we are fishing. Just getting to spend time with him doing something that we both love is enough for me.
Even on the days we don’t get a bite, one of us almost falls in or when we are miles from the boat ramp and the motor won’t crank … My dad is the one who got me hooked on fishing, but daughter or not, if I start to out fish him, it’s on!
Perceptions and attitudes
Fishing is mainly a male-dominated sport. I feel like women are viewed as being incapable of getting their hands a little dirty. I can’t tell you how many times I have been fishing with a guy and he assumes I need help casting a line or taking the hook out of a fish’s mouth. Or being at the boat ramp and hearing, “You can back the boat in pretty good for a girl.”
Being a marketing major, I got curious and looked at the statistics — 9.7% of all anglers are women, compared to 90.3% who are men. Gear and marketing in the fishing industry are predominantly male-oriented. You can go into any sporting goods store and there isn’t nearly as much fishing gear for women as there is for men. I’m sure there are lots of women who love to fish but don’t because they fear being singled out.
Advice for aspiring female anglers
Whether you’re just fishing as a hobby or for a career, being in a sport where you’re the minority can be super intimidating. One thing I like to joke about is the fish are going to bite whether you’re male or female; bass are not biased! Just like with anything else, practice makes perfect. You are going to have bad days where you don’t get a bite; fish can be super unpredictable. The key is to keep showing up. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
As a new mom, it is easy to get lost in the day-to-day routine. Fishing is where I can come to find myself. It is an escape from the real world and one way to be closer to God and His creation. Some girls shop or get their nails done, but for me, fishing is my therapy.
You can follow McKenna on Instagram: kennadenney
