Flyfishing Travel for Women, by Women

From time to time Finatical Flyfishing likes to introduce you to some of the amazing women in flyfishing today. The recent trip to Mangrove Cay Club in the Bahamas provided a great opportunity to get to know Liz Bain. Originally from Canada, Liz had a successful career in accounting and later software implementation as that industry unfolded.

Liz moved to Andros Island with her husband Alton and their baby daughter in 1990.  At that time, Andros flyfishing lodges were kind of a new idea and fairly rustic.  After managing such a lodge for about a year in the mid 1990’s , Liz and some investors found each other and started to plan Mangrove Cay Club. 

As plans took shape, adding exceptional comfort, food and an evolved level of guiding to the Andros experience became the goal.

The first step was to find the right location.  Liz wanted to be in the heart of the fishery, far enough from the Windward East coast to have sheltered boat access to the Bights and the West Side of Andros.  Liz found the property on the North shore of Mangrove Cay overlooking the Middle Bight, one of the most remote and pristine locations in the saltwater fishing world. 

All eight guest rooms are right on the water, surrounded by lush tropical landscaping.  The view from your window or private deck is spectacular and only ten feet from the water. Every detail is in order; plush linens and towels, coffee delivered to your door every morning and a great deal of privacy.  The main lodge offers wonderful ambiance for the incredible creations Chef Keith prepares for dinner each night.  A freshwater swimming pool and self-help bar complete the property and all are linked by sand pathways.

 Mangrove Cay Club trains and employs talented guides and owns and maintains fully equipped Dolphin flats boats.  Finish your breakfast at the lodge, step off the dock onto your boat with your guide and enjoy a fabulous day on the water. Does life get any better? An average fish is around 3-5 pounds but you will certainly see and have shots at double digit bonefish during your stay.

Mangrove Cay club has now been operating since November of 2000 and has wonderful clientele who return each year. We can’t wait to come back in 2024 Liz, it is an honor to be on your calendar.

From time to time we like to feature some of the amazing women in fly-fishing today.  Amanda Bauman is a guide at Silver Creek Outfitters in Ketchum, Idaho and guides on Finatical Flyfishing’s September women’s trip. The Sun Valley, Idaho area has a multitude of great water. Silver Creek is very well known but the Big Wood is also a great fishery and Amanda is at the forefront to protect this river when she isn't guiding. 

Last June Amanda accepted a position as the Executive Director of Project Big Wood. The organization's mission is to restore and enhance the Big Wood River's environmental and recreational potential by activating community pride, educating residents and visitors, and engaging the river’s most passionate users. They have begun by launching Big Wood-311 - a landing place for the community to report or discuss concerning things they observe or hear on the river. This can be as simple as a great hatch you experience on the Big Wood to a backhoe being in the river; they want to hear it all. Project Big Wood hopes this will increase community engagement in river issues and become the first step to getting the info into the right hands. They are also working closely with the county on The Big Wood Atlas and we can't wait to see how that evolves throughout the spring. Go check out their website -it has great public resources and videos. 

If you have not had a chance to fish with Amanda, she is a great person to get to know. Super fishy, athletic and a fun personality that will put you at ease and on the fish. She loves doing walk wade trips and says it allows her to really ‘lean into the trip and her clients day’. She is a great instructor on the water as well as knowing where to find fish.  With her new role as Executive Director, Amanda will guide about 80 days in 2023 with many of those already booked. (She is on 2023 Finatical Flyfishing trips!)  Amanda has a lot of respect for Silver Creek Outfitters and is honored to be a part of that team. She really enjoys her guide days on the water and if you are lucky enough to join her -you’ll agree it shows. Congratulations on all of your success Amanda. Can’t wait to see all you accomplish in your new role and hear more when we see you in September!

ACH Transactions

With the cost of processing credit cards and new government regulations in 2022 surrounding Paypal, Zelle and other forms of electronic payment, ACH provides an improved lower-cost way to move funds electronically.

How does an ACH transaction work?

An ACH transaction is used by banks to move funds from one bank account to another. Simply sign an authorization form allowing the bank to move funds from your account to another and the bank uses a network monitored by the Federal Reserve to move the funds from your account to the business you are paying.

How do you use an ACH to make a payment on a Finatical Flyfishing trip?

Request the authorization form from Finatical Flyfishing. Sign and return it and share your bank and routing numbers through a secure means. The funds will be moved on the agreed upon date by Bank of Idaho at no cost to you.

Security

According to Bank of Idaho, “Paper checks continue to be the payment method most subjected to fraud. Checks typically have full account numbers, routing numbers, bank name, markers name, phone, address, and the makers signature all visible on the check, leaving all that info susceptible to fraud.” An ACH is more secure than a check and you provide your personal information to only the person you are doing business with. It is not floating through the mail.

From time to time we like to introduce you to some of the amazing women in flyfishing today. Meet Kristin Wing! She was a participant in the 2022 Sun Valley, Idaho trip and Finatical Flyfishing is honored to have her write and submit this blog.

I started fly fishing over thirty years ago, with my first husband, Mac, with a trek to Blue Quill Angler in Colorado to attend a three day Orvis fly fishing school. We both adored the outdoors and were looking for a sport to do together, rather than apart. Plenty of fly trips later, we found our safe place together on the stream.

 A few years later he died. And I kept on fishing.

Why do I tell you this? Because the women I’ve met fly fishing know the power of perseverance, the ‘damn it all’ attitude it takes to put yourself out there even if you doubt your ability to make a decent cast. Or your ability to carry on with your life.

This past summer fished with two incredible young women (coworkers) from Texas who were eager to fish for the first time on a big, breathtakingly beautiful, technical Idaho river. Tentative about their fishing skills, they tried to keep their expectations realistic while their hopes for landing the perfect fish were high.

They were learning drift boat basics, water etiquette, casting the perfect loop and how to set a hook when a big rainbow hit. Each was comfortable in her own skin knowing that the perfect cast is often not perfect, but a revelation in the attempt.

They persevered every day, reveling in the fishing secrets they uncovered with the help of a patient fly fishing guide.  Each was convinced it was the number of fish they caught that defined success. They quickly learned it wasn’t, it’s about the experience.

One day toward the end of the trip, they caught dozens of fish. Their faces lit up over dinner as they told the story about the fishing frenzy they experienced that day in Idaho. They persevered.  Despite snagging rocks and trees or each other with flies or tangling a line with a wind knot, both knew they had to try again. And again.

Fishing with women is different. We all bring our wounds, our experiences, our hopes and a need to just put real life aside to come to the river. We’re patient, we’re supportive and we push each other to understand that the experience is what really matters.

If you haven’t given yourself the gift of a fishing trip with other women, do it. Not only will you come away with fish stories, you’ll share the gift of experiences with women who don’t give up but learn with every cast.

Living in Kansas City, Kristin is a retired marketing professional who balances time on the river with four grandchildren while devoting her talents to area nonprofit associations.