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Desk Job to Dream Job

Desk Job to Dream Job

Working in the fly fishing industry is my dream job. I’d like to think I was deliberate in my pursuit, but honestly, I fell into it by accident. To say I feel fortunate is an understatement. I get to travel, meet the most interesting people, and fish. I never thought that one day I’d be living this life. That’s why when I read about this opportunity, I just had to say something.  If you are working in a job that’s not your dream job, but know what your dream job is, then what I’m going to say ne

8/22/2019Jen Ripple
2025 Fishing Participation Report: What the Numbers Say for Women and Fishing in 2026

2025 Fishing Participation Report: What the Numbers Say for Women and Fishing in 2026

Fishing Hit a Record in 2024. The Hard Part Starts Now. I read the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation’s 2025 Special Report on Fishing with one goal in mind: translate the numbers into what they mean for real outdoor lives. Not just anglers. All of us. This report tracks participation through 2024, and it tells a clear story. Fishing is big, still growing, and still acting like a gateway to time outside. It is not “solved.” Retention is the next fight. 57.9 million people went fishing

7/26/2019Dun Magazine
The Life and Times of Diane Pallot

The Life and Times of Diane Pallot

Where do you call home? Right here in Mims, Florida. No restaurants, no main street, no quaint shopping stores. Boring beyond belief however no traffic, no over population, every pit bull dog is friendly, and so are their owners. How did you get into fly fishing? I think I sort of morphed into it. Flip never forced the idea nor did he pressure me. After fishing with him for a few years with spin tackle, I decided one afternoon to ask him for a casting lesson. He was more than accommodating and

5/13/2019Dun Magazine

Latest

The Reel Sisters

The Reel Sisters

When I heard of a new book on shelves involving a group of women fly anglers, I just had to read it. While the book itself is well worth the read, the story behind the story is the true inspiration. Join me as we discover dreams, inspiration, tragedy, and lessons well-learned. by Jen Ripple Jen: Where do you live? I grew up on a farm in Norton, Kansas and currently live in Littleton, Colorado with my husband and two boys. Jen: Writing a book is a big undertaking. What made you want to write a

11/5/2018Jen Ripple
Susan Thrasher of Southern Brookies Fly Fishing

Susan Thrasher of Southern Brookies Fly Fishing

About an hour outside of Nashville, in the little town of Lancaster, Tennessee, is a picturesque camp on a beautiful trout stream. Dotted by trout-painted vintage campers with a view of the Caney Fork River, I talked to Southern Brookies’ founder Susan Thrasher about fountain pens, life lessons, and euro-nymphing over a glass of southern hospitality. Jen: Are you a native of Tenness? I was born in Mobile, Alabama and moved to Bristol, Tennessee when I was two. Jen: Before Southern brookies, wh

7/20/2018Dun Magazine
Kara Armano

Kara Armano

We had the opportunity to speak with Kara, Communication Specialist at Convergence, and Co-Founder of Artemis, an organization of bold sportswomen creating fresh tracks for conservation. Kara has a passion for the outdoors focusing on fly fishing and conservation.  Her passion was instilled in her at a young age by her great-grandmother.  As an avid outdoor woman, her great-grandmother continued to camp until the age of 96, and finally passed away at the age of 104. You may know Kara as the mar

7/20/2018Megan Berns
Abbie Schuster

Abbie Schuster

DUN: So, Abbie, Martha’s Vineyard. Tell me about fly fishing at Martha’s Vineyard. Abbie Schuster: Martha’s Vineyard is a fisherman’s paradise. The season runs May-November and is chock full of fish the whole time, except for a minor lull in the heat of  August when the fish go to deeper, cooler waters. In June and early July, it is hard to tell if you are in Belize or on Martha’s Vineyard. The flats are sandy, the water is gin-clear, and you are sight casting for big, beautiful stripers. The se

7/20/2018Dun Magazine
Bessie Bucholz

Bessie Bucholz

How long have you been in the industry? I started fly fishing at a young-ish age, but didn’t officially get into the industry until 2011 when I joined the guide staff at the Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, Wyoming immediately after graduating from the University of Virginia. If ever there was a pivotal moment in my life, it was when I decided to resist the pull towards a life and career in the city and move back out west to try my hand at guiding. As an Art History major with no interest in working

3/21/2018Dun Magazine
The Forged Fly

The Forged Fly

JEN: When I first saw your work at last year’s Somerset show, I was blown away. How did the idea of The Forged Fly come about? I’ve always felt an uncontrollable curse, where I imagine most things I see “in metal.”  For over a decade, I’ve been looking for something that hasn’t been done in the world of metal art.  When I got back into fly fishing, I was drawn to the possibility of creating flies of steel. I saw flies as tiny sculptures. One day, I desperately wanted to fish in an area, and didn

11/15/2017Dun Magazine
Paula Shearer

Paula Shearer

DUN: What is your most memorable guiding experience? PS: I have had a lot of memorable guiding experiences, but the one that comes to mind was from a few years ago. I met an older lady named Brigette. She had gotten into fly fishing and was very keen on becoming a better angler, and on most occasions, she fished alone. The Bow River had been her nemesis for a couple of years, and as dedicated and determined as she was, she had yet to land a fish on this river. Knowing this, I was constantly in t

11/15/2017Dun Magazine
Stevie Kim-Rubell

Stevie Kim-Rubell

Stevie started conventional fishing at two years old, and began fly fishing at age six. Her dad, Daniel Kim, is a fly angler, who took her fishing. It wasn’t long before Stevie started pursuing the sport herself. Stevie has now grown to love fly so much that in her words, “any guide knows that if he even suggests conventional, it’s not even a question.” But at such a young age, when others haven’t even heard of the words fly fishing, why this sport? “For me, I enjoy the challenge. Fly fishing i

11/15/2017Dun Magazine