Fly Girls

The Dame Juliana Anglers

Written by Kristine Hedlund
Photos by Mark Susan

Dame Juliana Berners, a legendary 15th century angler (and nun), set the tone for women in the outdoors. Berners’ book, The Treatise of Fishing with an Angle, shone new light on the sport of fly fishing. Fishing with a rod and a line, she suggested, brings to the angler good spirits and enhances life. Even if the intrepid angler catches nothing, Berners allows that:

“…at the least the angler hath his wholesome walk and merry at his ease, and a sweet air of the sweet savour of the mead flowers that maketh him hungry; he heareth the melodious harmony of fowls; he seeth the young swans, herons, ducks, cotes, and many other fowls with their broods, which meseemeth better than all the noise of hounds, the blasts of horns, and the cry of fowls that hunters, falconers, and fowlers can make. And IF the angler take fish – surely then is there no man merrier than he is in his spirit.”

Berners goes on with these soliloquies, but she also bestows plenty of speculation and practice. Her Treatise is the first code or system of fishing as sport-- she reveals the arts of rod-building, line and hook-making, dressing flies and preparing baits. She tells us how, when and where to fish, warns us of the "twelve kinds of impediments which cause a man to catch no fish," to what makes a good fishing hole. Surprisingly, much of her thinking still holds true. Today’s fly fishers will find that, despite the strange terminology Dame Juliana was sound on the essential requirements for success on pond and stream: good gear, proper weather, and water with fish in it. The Treatise of Fishing with an Angle was written around 1420.

Following Dame Juliana's lead, female anglers have continued to gain ground on the good old boys for the past six centuries. Today, more women than ever are fishing.

Meet the Dame Juliana Anglers of Arizona, the Arizona chapter of DJA. Based in Phoenix, the group has a goal of bringing women together to fish, socialize, and to meet life long friends. Most of the DJA members come to the club with no fly fishing experience whatsoever; they simply have a curiosity about the sport and a desire to try it out.

As a novice fly fisher, I was excited to meet up with a few of the members at Oak Creek Terrace in Sedona to learn more about the organization and to see if they were as proficient in water as they were in enthusiasm.

Meet Our Anglers
Ida Fulbright: 56, single, Property Management Administrator, has been fly fishing for 8 years

Sue Davis: over 50, married, Equine Massage Therapist, has been fly fishing for 4 years

Virginia “Jenny” Kerr: Still young, married, Artist, has been fly fishing for 5 or 6 years

Janet “Jan” Michalske: 57, single, Health Care, has been fly fishing for 2 years

What motivated you to fly fish?
Jenny: My former boss always talked about fly fishing, and he gave me the book, A Different Angle, a compilation of short stories by various women. The stories had a mixture of life-long friendship, laughter and adventure, and I knew I wanted those things in my life. Shortly after that, I went to a fly fishing demonstration at a local park; from that point on, I was hooked. (Pardon the pun!)

Sue: I was looking for a hobby completely different than the horse industry. I watched the movie "A River Runs Through It" and then watched a great friend fish and was hooked! I have since taken several classes at SCC and various places around AZ.

Ida: I moved to Arizona the summer of 1999 and needed to find a hobby to pursue and look for new friendships. I fished growing up but never fly fished. I happened to walk into an Orvis fly shop, signed up for some casting lessons, and they pointed me in the direction of Dame Juliana Anglers.

Jan: A close friend asked me to tag along to a DJA meeting with her.

What type of rod and reel do you use?
Jenny: My favorite rod/reel is my Sage 4-weight w/a Galvin Reel. It’s so comfortable, almost like an extension of my arm.

Sue: Cabela 9', Winston 8' and Orvis 7' rods; mostly Orvis battenkill and Cabela large arbor reels.

Ida: I am an Orvis girl. I just traded up my old 5-weight two-piece Orvis rod for a 5 weight four-piece Orvis T-3. It’s so cool!

Jan: I prefer my Temple Fork Outfitter 5-weight 8’6” four piece, for easy travel.

What was the most difficult part of fly fishing when you were starting out?
Jenny: I learned to fly fish on my own through books and videos, but that doesn’t mean I learned to cast correctly. Frustration quickly set in when I’d go fishing but didn’t catch fish. Then I heard about the local fly fishing groups and various casting clinics and I made it a point to attend and learn from knowledgeable instructors. I changed my (many) bad habits and I started catching fish. Casting incorrectly can be strenuous on the body, so once I learned the correct form, fishing became a much more pleasurable experience.

Sue: Tying on the fly and having it lay properly on the water, and also learning to read the water and picking the right fly. I still have to keep trying different flies or turn over rocks to get it right. Fly Fishing, for me, is a constant learning experience; I love having the chance to be one with nature.

Ida: Fly fishing is a sport that takes time to learn and retain. I thought I had a decent cast, but approximately two weeks ago (after I bought my new T-3 – who knows, maybe it was the new rod that helped me cast better?), Jenny Kerr and I took off for Granado Park to practice. She watched me cast and gave me some pointers. I had a “light bulb” moment where I felt the loading of my rod going into my back cast, felt the pause in the back cast and then felt the punch with the line coming forward, and then finally watched the line lay down straight in front of me. I’ve been back every weekend since then to continue my cast. It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been fishing; there’s always room for improvement and to finally feel that “light bulb” moment.

Jan: The most difficult part for me was learning the ballet of casting. I just continue to practice and pick up new techniques.

Do you prefer lake or stream fishing?
Jenny: I love wet wading in a stream during the summer. The water is cool on my feet and I feel more a part of the stream instead of just invading nature. I like to find a pool, riffle or undercut bank and work that spot until I catch a fish.

Sue: I prefer streams. I like to walk and listen to the sounds of the forests. The challenge of the streams, finding the fish, and putting the fly in a place where it will float to his feeding lane.

Ida: I prefer lake fishing. I did six years of stream and river fishing, but once the hot weather set in, I had to stop. That’s when I headed north. About two years ago the gals outfitted me with a float tube on Woods Canyon Lake and I had the best time of my life. They could not understand why it took me so long to try float tubing; now I’m hooked!

Jan: I prefer streams for the adventure of hiking, the serenity of the sounds of the birds, and watching the fish jumping.

Tell us about the feeling you get when you are standing in a stream at around 10 a.m. and there is no one else within miles (except for a stream full of browns).
Jenny: My favorite place to fish is Hermosa Creek just North of Durango, Colorado. It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the stream, but it’s a beautiful hike and I’m always rewarded with Columbine and wild berries along the way. I’ve even been so lucky to witness a coyote chasing field mice in the meadows.

When I get to the creek, I have to force myself to stand for a moment and survey the stream before getting in the water. I’m so excited to be fishing that those first few casts are disgraceful; but after a few minutes, I settle in and find my rhythm. The sun is warm on the back of my neck, but my feet are cool in water. There are no car sounds - only birds.

Now and then, a mountain biker rides by or passing hiker waves hello. I say a little prayer that the bears are sleeping and aren’t thirsty (or hungry). As I move up the stream, I can see the silhouette of a fish as it glides through a riffle in search of a place to hide. I happen upon a pool or undercut bank and wonder if there’s a fish hiding. What kind of fly do I use? Cast. Cast. Cast. Did I see movement? Try a new fly? Cast. Cast. Cast. Strike and set the fly. In that moment, everything falls into place and I can’t help but grin.

Sue: The sun on your back and a soft breeze blowing in your hair while you spot a nice brown or a rainbow top feeding about 40 feet in front of you! Your heart beating so fast, but you still yourself and prepare to cast and get your fly far enough up stream so it floats right down to his feeding lane and talk the fish into the eating stage. Getting the fish to come out of hiding and take the fly is poetic and challenging, and what an exhalation when you know you have him! Sometimes I just stand there and look out over the stream and thank God I have the opportunity to be there.

Ida: It’s a nice quiet meditating moment – enjoying nature, watching the birds fly overhead, and listening to the animals, the stream flow, the breeze and the sound of letting your line out and getting ready to cast. Then there’s that wonderful feeling of catching a fish, yelling, “Yippee,” and listening to your excitement echo down the stream.

Jan: The feeling is truly indescribable. It’s all a combination of relaxation and just being in tune with nature. You need to experience it.

What is your advice for women wanting to try Fly Fishing?
Jenny: Practice, practice, practice! So often when I say that, I get the “eye roll.” I go out casting for 15-30 minutes several days a week, so I speak from experience that it pays off. Recently, I floated the Yellowstone River, and I could cast the distance I needed, accurately and with a good presentation. I had a 30 fish day! I don’t get it. People plan these adventurous fishing trips to wild and beautiful locations and they spend a lot of money. They buy new equipment, clothing, flies… but they don’t practice their cast. When they finally get to fishing, they can’t make a cast that’s long enough, accurate enough or with good presentation, so they don’t get the fish. Usually, they end up blaming the guide! Hmmm…

Sue: Join a club, take lessons, carefully purchase supplies, and don’t be in a hurry to gear up until you try products out. Talk to anyone who has fished and pick their brains. And work to fish-tight lines.

Ida: Be patient with yourself. There is a lot to learn, and each time out you’ll gain a little more knowledge. The sport will grow on you even more when you commit to participating with the organization. Numerous activities are planned that match any budget, ranging from close to home trips and casting clinics to informative meetings. Hopefully women will find that organization, feel comfortable and welcomed, and participate in the group’s events.

Jan: Get out of your comfort zone. Enjoy the challenge of reeling in a good-sized fish and just enjoy the outdoors. Enjoy the camaraderie of women sharing a sport and helping each other. It is truly a time to enjoy the beautiful land we live in.

If you are interested in learning more about the Dame Juliana Anglers, check out their website at www.damejulianaanglers.com or e-mail them at dja@damejulianaanglers.com.