Club dedicated to getting women hooked on fishing

By the time you read this, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades will be in its second day at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year is the 50th that manufacturers and retailers have gathered for the showcase of the latest and greatest products in the sport-fishing industry.

Retailers are looking for new products that will entice you to lay your money down on the counter, and manufacturers are hoping their products fit the bill.

Hopefully, the products that land on retailers’ shelves do what manufacturers say they will and aren’t just something designed to catch your eye and your money.

Having been to several editions of ICAST, I’ve found it’s a fun experience to walk the show and visit with company reps who often sound like walking sound bites, even when you simply ask, “How’s it goin’?” But my favorite part of the show is meeting people who have something out of the ordinary to talk about.

Betty Bauman is such a person.

I first met Bauman at ICAST 2005 while walking the aisles doing man-on-the-street style interviews for a television show I was producing. When Bauman told me she was the founder of what she calls the “No-Yelling School of Fishing,” I laughed.

But even as slow as I can be sometimes, I soon understood what she meant. All one has to do is grab a lawn chair, sit on the launch ramp at a local lake and listen to what happens when a man tries to teach a woman how to back a boat into the water. (Perhaps we should have the “No-Yelling School of Boat-Trailering.”)

Actually, Bauman’s program is called “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” Established in 1997, it tries to put fishing rods in the hands of women in a setting where they won’t feel threatened or pressured.

“Our whole target is to bring women into the sport of fishing in a nonintimidating atmosphere,” Bauman said. “We not only teach in a classroom setup, but we also show the ladies how to use the equipment hands-on before we put them on the water and give them a chance to experience the sport of fishing.

“We also include the social aspects that women like.”

Bauman said the motivating force behind the “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” program is that “there are a lot of women out there who would like to fish, but they are somewhat intimidated by the men in their lives and the more experienced anglers who just assume people know fishing skills.

“They put them out in a boat and wait until they have a fish on to tell them what to do.”

Prior generations call that the sink-or-swim philosophy, and the results can be disastrous. With that in mind, Bauman developed the philosophy that has helped her to successfully bring hundreds of women into fishing.

“Our theory is if you can practice before you go out there fishing, without someone watching over your shoulder, you’ll enjoy the sport more and have a better chance of feeling comfortable with your skills,” Bauman said.

What a novel concept. Who would have thought about giving women — or anyone who wants to learn how to fish or hunt — a foundation of knowledge before putting them in the field? We men generally won’t stop and ask directions either. (Yes, I fall into that category.)

In addition to learning about fishing gear and techniques, Bauman said, learning the language associated with fishing is important because that language often can be confusing and, therefore, intimidating.

“We have ladies who will be out on a boat, and somebody will yell, ‘Pull in the outrigger.’ Well, if they don’t know what an outrigger is, or how to pull it in, they’re pretty much handicapped.

“It’s like putting somebody on the football field — with a football — that’s never seen the game before and saying, ‘Here, go play.’ They won’t know what goal to run to, who to throw the ball to.

“Fishing, especially on a boat, is a team sport, and everybody needs to do their part. If one of the players fails, they often get yelled at and they feel bad.”

Bauman is trying to prevent the yelling by arming her students with the knowledge and practical experience they need before they hit the water.

While Bauman’s “No-Yelling School of Fishing” is based out of Florida, and focuses on salt-water fishing, she also brings her program to places such as Colorado where women learn how to fish for trout and bass.

In addition to classroom instruction, seminars include fishing adventures.

For more information, you can find a link to the “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” Web site on my blog, www.takinitoutside.com.

Doug Nielsen is an award-winning freelance writer and a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column is published Thursday. He can be reached at doug@takinitoutside.com.