My Experience with Take Me Fishing in Rhode Island
For someone who considers herself a rather "outdoorsy" girl, my experience picking up a rod was limited. I, of course, went a few times with my dad to the local pond as a kid. Aside from a flyfishing lesson in Townsend, Tennesee, I hadn't really ever been fishing.
When I got invited to join Take Me Fishing (TMF) on a 2-day fishing excursion in Rhode Island – I was intrigued. I always say I'll try (most) everything once, so why not?
TMF is a nonprofit that works to get women out on the water and learn to fish. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, it can be intimidating for women to take up space on the water. So, I packed my suitcase and headed to Rhode Island. Over the course of two days I got to try my hand at offshore fishing and flyfishing
Offshore Fishing
Offshore fishing was a truly awesome experience. Early in the morning we loaded up and headed 10 nautical miles out to sea. I won't lie – I got so seasick and spent a good portion of the day throwing up off the side of the boat. However, that didn't damper my overall experience.
During our day on the water, our boat caught 99 fish! Admittedly, I only caught one of those fish. But hey, I had an amazing time, and I now feel confident that I could get my fishing pole all set up on my own. Previously, I wouldn't have known where to start.
Fly Fishing
The next day, we headed to a state park near Providence for a fishing lesson. Some folks opted for regular fishing on the shore or a kayak ride. Me? I was drawn to try out fly fishing again.
From my two times doing it, I can say I really enjoy it. I can see myself getting super into it when I'm older. My teacher for the day was Ed Lombardo. He was awesome and has an impressive resume worth checking out (as well as bookable excursions). He was so kind and explained everything in a very digestible way. As someone who suffers from bouts of social anxiety, he made me comfortable the entire time.
Final Thoughts
TMF offers experiences throughout the county. I really believe in the mission they're trying to accomplish, and I feel that women getting out on the water can be life changing for them. According to some stats they shared with us, 1 in 5 female anglers feel that fishing has taught them they can accomplish anything. And I really believe that.
If you've ever pondered taking a fishing class, you really should. While just a couple of days, it truly opened my eyes to a whole other world. I do hope to one day invest more time, money, and energy into getting out on the water with a rod.
