Girls Are Easier to Guide/Instruct/Coach Fishing

It's the way God made us, guys. Don't hate...

12/24/20252 min read

man in blue shirt and black shorts standing on river bank during daytime
man in blue shirt and black shorts standing on river bank during daytime

Since the mid-70's, I've volunteered or acted on a request to teach or guide folks of all ages, fishing. Even did some guiding for pay in the 70's and 80's. I was reflecting on those trips today, as I ponder "giving back" (some more), to a sport that I resorted to "for treatment" rather than medical professionals, many times. While reflecting, a clear difference arose in those I guided or coached.

Girls (and adult women in the early years mentioned) are easier to guide and teach. Some real life examples:

  1. I told my granddaughter to stop bouncing the rod tip when fishing a worm. She never bounced it again. A boy would bounce it with some extra bounce at least one more time, to either prove he could bounce the rod tip, or to make the point that he just wasn't bouncing it hard enough. Been there. Done that.

  1. I handed one of my rods set up for an advanced angler, to a student with "some fishing experience". I explained fingering and feathering the line, slipping a line pull in after casting due to a very overfilled spool. And the concept of catching the fish we were targeting, that day. And prepared to lay my other rod down and patiently babysit line tangles, lure hangups, and casting woes the rest of the day. Her casting was superior. No lure hangups. And once I decided that I actually could fish, I found myself trying to keep up with her fish catching. I guess if you count the largest bass she said she'd ever caught-she out fished me.

  1. I told the last extended school student to "pause on the back cast", fly fishing. Positive I'd have to remind her of that over...and over. Like I'm still reminding myself to do. Over and over. I never had to tell her again.

  1. Side bar-the learning curve for girls to nearly perfect or perfect, their fly fishing skills is about half that, of a male. It's a finesse and extreme attention to detail, way of fishing. Enough said.

This young lady (2022) got my award for "Most Persistent". No "give up" in her makeup.

Sure, the majority of fishing partners, students, guided fishermen, and tournament contestants have been males. We mesh well. We get why it takes us multiple gyrations and end arounds to get to the point that females get on the first take.