Boat fishing: Why more and more women are taking up fishing

The morning still hangs grey over the harbour. Carabiners rattle on the jetty; somewhere, an outboard engine starts up. There’s the smell of wet rope, coffee from a thermos flask, and that special sense of anticipation that only a day’s fishing on the water can bring: anything could happen today.

And sometimes, just one glance at the slipway is enough to bring old memories flooding back. There’s a boat on its trailer, the engine gleaming, the rods neatly arranged on deck, the bow motor folded up. Shortly afterwards, it’s not the expected ‘bloke in a baseball cap with that boat licence look’ who gets out of the car, but a female angler who knows exactly what she’s doing. Reverse gear. A quick glance over her shoulder. Trailer into the water. Boat clear. Engine on. Off she goes.

How gender roles are distributed in fishing

That’s how easily a cliché can be debunked. And, in truth, it never really applied to the water anyway. Because the water doesn’t care who’s at the helm. The wind isn’t interested in clichés. A zander doesn’t take the bait any differently just because a woman is holding the rod. Boat fishing has never been just about strength, never just about technique, never just a ‘man’s game’. If you want to be successful on the water, you need a feel for the wind and the drift, a steady hand during the fight, clear decision-making, an overview of the boat and the courage to head for a different spot to everyone else every now and then. None of this is masculine. None of this is feminine. It’s simply good boat fishing. And a boat runs smoothly when it’s steered by someone who knows what they’re doing – regardless of gender.

Boat fishing isn’t just a man’s world. It’s a world of the great outdoors. A world of fishing grounds. A world of weather, technology, concentration, freedom and moments you can’t plan for. That’s why it inspires people who love being outdoors, who want to explore new fishing grounds, who seek out the fish rather than just waiting for them – and who find that special feeling on the water, somewhere between adventure and tranquillity. More and more women are doing just that. They stand at the bow, operate the bow motor, read the contours on the fishfinder, trailer their boat, plan trips, take part in tournaments, bring friends along or simply enjoy the quiet morning out on the lake. Not because they need to prove they can do something. But because they can. And because it’s fun.

Perhaps that is the most beautiful and important message of this topic: there’s no reason not to do it. Anyone who fancies a dip, who loves boating, or who wants to learn to fish should head out onto the water. Just like these women:

• ​​Babs Kijewski – the world is her fishing ground
• ​How AngelAnni became a brand and the fishing boat became a classroom
• ​How Charlie Abbing turned her hobby of boat fishing into a career