Wow, what an amazing week this has been! No, I don't mean giant browns on dries or anything remotely like it, but some great folks doing awesome things!
It all started with my departure to Ashton to meet with the powers-that-be of the Patagonia fishing line, including Yvon Chouinard, some buyers and guides from other shops, and April Vokey who is one of their fly fishing ambassadors. April has become a household name when mentioning women in fly-fishing, but she has also amassed some fame without taking her gender into account.
I was a bit apprehensive about meeting April, chances were that her fame had gone to her head or that she had developed what is so common in male guides, a guide ego. But my apprehension was quelled the moment I met her! Here was a gal with a big sincere smile, polite, yet self-assured, happy to meet other women in her profession! Good thing, because that night we became room-mates for one night!
To be involved in bringing back the Patagonia Women's fishing line, discussing the pros and cons of this or that feature, sitting there with Yvon Chouinard, April Vokey , all the other Patagonia folks and some other gals who are living their dream was a fabulous experience! It is so nice to be invited into the Patagonia family, to hear Yvon's passion for this planet, to hang out over coffee before our meeting and 'solve all the problems of the world' ! On top of this company's commitment to the environment, the folks who work for them, the quality of their merchandise, the rigorous research and testing of their products, we, the lowly dealers, are welcome to be part of it all. No other company we deal with can boast that kind of involvement! I am proud and happy to be in this position!
Well, April did not come to just participate in this meeting. Her next stop was Ketchum, Idaho to be the featured guest in a benefit for the ISSU, a non-profit organization supporting wild steelhead and salmon, something about which April is so very passionate.There were dinners and meet and greets, a fabulous presentation by April about swinging flies in BC, which is what her passion is and how she makes her living as a guide. Scott and I also had the pleasure of spending part of the day with April at Silver Creek. But the reason she came her was not to socialize but to teach classes, which is another integral part of her profession. She taught 3 full day casting lessons and 2 intruder fly-tying classes. I had the opportunity to sit in on 1 of each.
April has a great teaching style. She is very organized in her approach, thorough in her explanations, kind in her criticism and genuinely interested in her students' improvement. She pretends to be strict, but if she is, you don't notice. Patience and enthusiasm are her fortes. Both of those classes were quite enjoyable and everyone walked away believing they had learned a new skill or honed a skill they already possessed.
In a nutshell, the days and evenings April spent with us were a blast!
April reminds me of myself at her age. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming to be accomplished like her, I have long since missed the boat on that. I was on a different path back then, busy raising a child as a single Mom. Also I had chosen the flying profession, giving glider rides with weather as my biggest enemy and inevitable stumbling block. No, what I mean is that we both had the courage to walk into professions so utterly dominated by men, and to give those boys a run for their money. This is not an easy path! You have to be better than they are if you want to get respect! I can still hear the hesitation in my passengers' voices when they found out that I , the woman, would be taking them flying. I still get the: 'I don't want to go fishing with a woman' line when I'm guiding.
April has made sure that everyone knows that she can hang with the boys! She does not cut any corners to prove this fact. She took her casting certification from the toughest source in the industry just to prove a point. Watch out, fellow male guides, this gal can and will give show you off! The great thing is that she is not pushy about it. She is totally professional and humble, you'd never know that she is so accomplished and has become quite famous. Keep it up, April! Looks like you are on your way to become the next Joan Wulff!
So, if you would ever like to go steelhead or salmon fishing in BC, if you are looking for a hosted trip just about anywhere in the world, if you would like to book a fishing or casting school at your fly-shop, or if a fly-tying school strikes your fancy, consider booking April Vokey! I'm sure you won't regret it!
Flygal Ventures
Well, on top of all the fun, April helped raise money for an organization devoted to our endangered wild Salmon and Steelhead runs. Thank you so much, April!
I did not take any pictures of April to respect her privacy, so no pictures on this blog. Thanks for coming to Ketchum, April, hope to see you again some day, I think you have inspired me to host some trips and go see more of the world myself!
Have a great day and see you on the River
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