What keeps women from fishing independently?

[Jennie@ifish]

I'll tell ya!
You know, there was a thread on here a while back asking just that, and I couldn't think of a darned thing.
I have now!
I'll tell you what I hate to do, and would love some tips on this.
I am paranoid of hurting my hands. As a pianist, typist, my job, everything I do, is with my hands.
I am petrified, especially after a story from Bill about getting two trebles stuck in his hand with a thrashing chum attached, of disengaging Kwikfish or Flatfish from these big beautiful babies.
They thrash, they pulse! They are wild!
It is so nice to have someone who is not so nervous about it on board the driftboat.
Sometimes, I just want to clip it, but I hate to decorate the salmon and leave that terrible mouth piece on those beauts to travel their way up the river.
I want to know.... Is each hookup different? Of course it is, so is there any hints anyone has to offer to help me overcome this fear? I mean, duh, be careful, yada yada.... But grab the hook by the shaft? Hooks? Quick pull? Slow pull? Clip the hook if it is too bad? Long handled pliars? Siwash hooks?
What???
Just went out back and hooked up with three salmon. One landed... Nice 25ish pound buck, a little dark, so I let it go... I don't need any more meat!!! The fight and the fishing was awesome! Two hours on the river.
Thank God Bill was there to release him. He was a wild one!!!! Took me a while to get him in.
All caught on a sardine wrapped K 13.
The water is dropping like a rock. Think we caught it at the end of production today... You can see bottom everywhere.
I want to not worry about this hook in my hands thing...
Is it just an experience thang?
Jen

[WheresMyBobber]

You sure set yourself up for abuse with that title. Although I will say my wife always has me remove the lure for the same reasons you mentioned.

For me I'd have to say it's an experience thang (you should have plenty of that by now!), coupled with some patience, a good long handled needle nose pliers, and calm nerves. By patience I mean waiting until you can get the fish positioned just right so you can get a good grip with your pliers and get it right the first time. I always try to grap the bend of the hook with the needle nose and give one quick yank. If you have a treble with 2 or more points buried it's just a matter of taking the time to get a good look and figure out the best way, which may entail removing one point at a time. With a Kwikfish with both hooks attached to the fish somewhere, it's trickier, but still "do-able" if you take your time.

But in reality I don't know if it's possible to keep from hurting your hands. I can't count how many times I've stuck myself doing this, and even the pliers will bite you once in a while. You just can't always control a frantic fish fighting for it's life. Sometimes you don't even know it happens until later when wonder where that blood is coming from.

I'd bet you're probably as good at doing this as most of the people reading this thread!

[Jennie@ifish]

Gloves? Anyone use sturgeon gloves?

[jcw]

Gloves might help you relax but you'll be less dexterous. Like 'WHERES' said, you just have to think things through and you have to do it qickly. I never do that, especially when it comes to releasing fish. I want that beautiful creature back in the water ASAP and I'll gladly offer a few drops of blood to expedite the process. I'd
feel strange without a few teeth marks on my finger tips anyway. Like I hadn't been fishing lately, shudder.

Treble hooks are nasty things that absolutly do not lend themselves to gentle removal so all my plugs and spinners and the like are equiped with siwash hooks. And I've never had many problems landing fish. I'm not saying it can't be done, I just don't want to take the time. I fish barbless most of the time. If I loose a fish that I would have kept....I'll get over it.

[STGRule]

I guess you just have to think of it as the hazards of the job. I have more problems with line cuts than hook wounds, about 1000:1. I keep a small bottle of anti-bacterial soap, triple anti-biotic cream and bandaids with me all the time when I'm handling fish. You can cut yourself on paper too, but it doesn't stop you from handling paper. I've had the horror of a hook in the hand. But only once. It hurt, and it healed. I think the main reason I don't fish alone is I just prefer company. For me it just isn't fun unless I have somebody to share the thrill with. Just about anything you do has a risk or peril attached. It's all in what your willing to risk. If it's treble hooks, then don't use them. It might mean a reto-fit for some lures and maybe not as many landed fish. It's all in what you comfortable with. Do what you want with whatever you want to use. It only matters to you. :smile:

[BlueWater]

Jen,
Mabey on reason more ladys don't fish alone is the way they were started in the sport. Most young fisher ladies start out by fishing with there fathers ect. and deep down from a young age the girl makes an association of male companionship and the sport of fishing. Because of this fishing is not a solitary but communal activity.
In suport of this theory think how many ladies you know fished as young persons when at home and then did not fish after moving out af the house. Then, only after meeting a companion(sp) did they start fishing again. This connected them again with the communal side of the sport.
In closing based on this loose theory we as parents of young girls, wanting to create independent fisher womans, should encourage communal as well as solitary fishing time as they grow up to adults. This way they will not be deprived of the joys, self discovery, and realization of self esteem (which is so important in young ladies) that only happens when doing an independent activity.

There it is.
BlueWater :smile:

[Jennie@ifish]

I grew up fishing with my Dad, yes, but I fish by myself all the time now.
I really enjoy it, and almost NEED to fish alone 1/2 the time.
It's my time. My get away. My peace.
I crave it!
J

[Jennie@ifish]

Interesting take, letsfish.
You must fish with a different crowd than I do.
I've never met this crowd!
The guys I see fishing, well, I must say, all of the guides on ifish, Bill Hedlund, Dudley Nelson,
Tim Jaurez... Gosh, I see some of them in church, and have never heard or seen them act like you describe! I guess there are different classes of fishermen, just as in everyday life.
Fear? None whatsoever. I have always been treated as a perfect lady while fishing.
Where do you fish? Remind me not to go there!
Jen

[rainycity]

Well,Besides the neandrathals that let`s fish mentioned,
I always just figured it was because they couldn`t back the boat in..*J/K*

[WheresMyBobber]

Lets fish -

Do you mean that some guys actually swear and/or tell dirty jokes while out fishing together?

How dare they! That type of behavior should be limited to the work environment or at home in front of the children.

[Jennie@ifish]

Truthfully, I think it is all in what you CHOOSE to see in a person.
I do alot of "looking the other way".
I like it that way!
And shhhhh! Don't tell anyone, but I think some of the gals could gross you out worse than the guys! :smile: :smile: :smile:
:smile:
J

[ 11-03-2001: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]</p>

[Hookset]

That issue releasing fish really hits home. Even though I TRY to be patient, carefully inspecting the hook arrangement in the fishes mouth, problems always arise. There is no magical fool proof technique to always avoid those sharp hooks. I also have a fear of losing some expensive stainless pliers over the side which doesn't help.

What you could do is wear a glove as you suggested and keep them handy. Use a laynard with the pliers, keep the loop around your arm. Did I mention to always use pliers? Have a pair that's easy for you to handle. If they are to small, you won't control the head enough, to large you'll have difficulty gripping and controlling the pliers. I recently tried a long handle forcep type locking plier with a single finger loop on each end for a handle. Didn't work, not enough gripping strenght with large fish like salmon and the smallish jaws didn't support the hook enough to control the weight of the fish.

Guess I should avoid commenting on the ugly hook removals....... I should listen to my own words here and purchase some gloves. Second thought, nahh, gloves are for _ _ _ _ _ _ _. :tongue:

Gregg

[RW]

Yes, letsfish hit the nail on the head. I have fished a lot alone, and I have run into the morons that none of us want to admit are human.

Jen, The topic you put up is fishing ALONE, not with the good guys, the guys you talked about fishing with are great, they respect women. Try truly fishing alone or in a drift boat like I now do and things will change for you. You fish with guides and or Bill all the time, and if you bank fish alone it is in your back yard. I bank fished alone for several years putting up with guys **** almost everyday.... Hey sweetie, what's a nice lookin' girl doing out here all by yourself. Really made me feel comfortable!!!!! And that is only one of the many quotes that I can write on ifish.

99% of the guys out there are great, and many of them have helped me be a better fisherman. But the few sure help keep the weak hearted women off the rivers.

Personal safety is the #1 concern for most women that fish alone in the wild. Knowledge and skill are the #2 and #3 reasons.

I will continue to fish alone about 45% of the time and love every minute of it. There is nothing like the solitude of drifting the river and catching and landing fish all by yourself. Just my .02 cents. I have always been a straight shooter and will continue to be..... RW

[letsfish]

I can count on my hand the number of times I have seen a woman steelhead/salmon fishing alone.One was yesterday on the lower Wilson and the other was a real fanatic.Probably twenty years ago on the Kilches I had canoed down from the county park in search of chum.Finally ran into hordes of them up from the logging brige.Well one of the people fishing from shore was this woman who was getting ready to head back to to her family in the Oregon City area.I remember thinking, and still do, how much I admired her,how true she was to the sport,her sport.That's when I must have first considered why don't I see more women fishing (especially alone).
Jennie your hang up with the hands is a personal thing male or female.And those hooks can be nasty,perhaps why I see more women fishing alone crappie fishing.Though I recall seeing them alone in crowds of others.
But I think if I were female,I would be really turned off at the comments that some idiots would likely throw my way.I would even fear for my safety.I know, if I were a parent I would fear for her and discourage any lone trips.
Imagine a lone female teenager in neoprenes standing alone beside a steelhead hole in pursuit of a nice steelie.Imagine the leering eyes,hearing the snickering(from some obviously bawdy joke-probably relating to her) from some passing group of fishermen.
Imagine the the fear.
Wouldn't you fear, wouldn't you at least tire of it?
Wouldn't you do something else?
Think of what you hear some guys talk about when by themselves.Doesn't it disgust you?Don't you feel ashamed of their jokes, behavior, and animal pack like mentality when in this ribaldry groove?
If you don't feel disgusted, but enjoy that groove,and participate with the "pack"- YOUR THE REASON we don't see more women alone enjoying the smell of the molding leave air,the sight of angel hair-like strands of fog over the coast range, the bounce of the drift boat, the flash of piscatorial silver.

[Jennie@ifish]

Kim,
You are correct about my current circumstances, but Kim, I've been fishing alone for years before I met Bill.
I know, there are some guys out there that aren't so nice, but I can think of half a dozen of my best friends that I met fishing, and none of them fit into that category. I still am welcomed at other spots where I have casual fishing acquaintances.(Or they wouldn't have turned out my friends! :smile:
I fished in high heels on my way to church. The guys netted my fish.
I fished alone on the jetty in Warrenton. I have friends there, who still know me.
I met Ester, a really good friend, and fishin gal, on the beaches at Fort Stevens.
All my old fishin hangouts, I approached alone.
I had a boat built for one! I shoved it in my station wagon and took off! I was helped with that big old awkward wooden boat almost every time I pulled up to the launch.
I fished on the raft on the Necanicum and met tons of neat people.
I fished on the bridges in Seaside... I fished on the Klatskanie... I fished tons of places... alone.
Mind you, I did have a couple of scary encounters, and yes, my Mother used to be frightened when I told her about them.
Once, while fishing in Cannon Beach, a fellow offered to show me a great hole upstream. I said, "Sure, great!" and began the hike with him.
Not too long after, deep in the woods, he said, "Don't mind that I carry a gun do you?" and he revealed a pistol. YIKES!
"OH SHOOT!" I mean, "OH DANG!" I forgot, I have an appointment!" No harm done, but it scared me for sure!
Kim, you are a darn good fishemen! I have heard men speak highly of you!
Hold your head proud, smile and wave, as you row down that river with your limit!
The good guys will smile back.
There are bad guys everwhere, on the river, at the store, in the bars... but I still am not convinced. I have been accused of looking at life through rose colored glasses, but I treasure as good friends, the men I have met fishing. I treasure them deep in my heart. I forget about "the others" I occasionally ran into.
Jen

[FISHRUS]

Hey Rw and Jen,
Maybe we should do a Floatilla for us ?

[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: FISHRUS ]</p>

[Jennie@ifish]

Let's do!
But who will possibly net our fish--bait the hook?
:smile:
RW, you can take the hooks out of my fish! OK?

:smile:
J

[Jennie@ifish]

You know, I got to thinking about this subject pretty deeply.
I remember a couple times I was dissed on the river.
Once, I drove up from Astoria to fish the Wilson.
I was going bobber fishing alone.
I went to the Wilson. First time I had ever been. I was around 21.
I got to this hole, not knowing the river, but saw lots of parked cars, so I got out, rigged up, and sat down next to some older guys.
I was very confident in my fishing at that point-had fished quite a bit.
I threw my bobber out, and the river got really quiet.
Everyone was staring at me!!! I could feel the silence, it was so heavy. I smiled and it fell on deaf faces... That'll really get you!
Then someone got a fish on, and as I was reeling in, someone turned to me, a old grumpy jerk, and yelled, "Reel in, damnit! Someone has a fish on!!!" Totally rude! I had been reeling in!
He treated me like I knew NOTHING!
I felt so intimidated I just left.
It was awful. I drove up the Trask and found a fishing hole all to myself.
(That is another story...)
I wonder sometimes... Since the Tillamook area has such popular fishing rivers, could the attitude be more possessive and competitive here than in the Astoria area?
Kim, have you run across this attitude in more than Tillamook?
Maybe Portland too, since it is more crowded?
The areas I fished, and was fairly well received were not as competitive as around here, or crowded.
I fished the Lewis and Clark, the Klatskanie, the Necanicum, The North Fork Nehalem...all the lakes... Never did do Big creek or further North much.
Grew up driving to Estacada (solo), and fishing around the Clackamas and the Molalla. I never remember much company, nor much competition.
I used to come to Tillamook with my first boyfriend, Dave Richardson... (Hey, Dave, whatever happened to you?! :smile:
Anyway... Is it a geographical or universal problem you have noticed? Or perhaps is it because of you rowing your own drift boat?
What do you think?
Jen

[FISHRUS]

Jennie....now I know that you can bait and net a fish. Rw, lets do it.

[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: FISHRUS ]</p>

[RW]

Jen, I got worse treatment as a bank maggot than now as a boat owner, I don't know maybe it is a food chain thing. These last couple of years have been a lot of fun, guys are actually telling me secrets.

It reminds me of a story. I was at my private spot on my river and this guide was anchored in the middle of the hole with two clients. One of the clients states to me, "hey, didn't you know that they passed a law stating that women couldn't fish?", I replied back, "They just repealed the requirement that you had to have a ***** and pole to fish!". Just shut them right up!!!

Never a dull moment. I am not as sensitive as I use to be, maybe that has also helped.

I can't wait for steelhead!!!!!!! RW

[RW]

FISRUS, Lets do it! Steelhead fishing on my river, sounds great! A woman's FLOATILLA, we won't have to talk about bodily functions will we? RW

:shocked: :shocked:

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Can women actually fish independently? :shocked: :tongue:

I landed a 42 point something another (salmon formula) Friday night, but I was trying to pass the rod off to a friend-girl, but she was terrified of the thing. I mean the rod is larger than average, but come on!....LOL

Needless to say, she's hooked now that she knows she can't break it :shocked: :shocked:

I think one of the biggest concerns of why women do not fish independently (alone the majority of the time) is because of some famous song lyrics:

"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood. You sure are looking good. You're everything a big, bad wolf could want."

I think that song also has affected Osprey as he refuses to fish on weekends, but he ain't sayin'