34 Pontoon^ & Deck Boat February^2019 http://www.pdbmagazine.com
term angler,” shared Rachel.Getting Women Involved
In order to help women feel more welcome in angling,
the RBFF started the Making Waves campaign to help
empower women to boat and fish right alongside the
men. They’re doing this by removing perceived barriers in
the sport, increasing the representation of women fishing
and they’re also introducing a series of fishing workshops
designed specifically for women and girls.
“We wanted to put something in the market to show
women that they do belong,” added Stephanie, “and they
can do it just like anyone else can.”
By showcasing more female anglers and holding fishing
workshops for women, the RBFF is getting beyond any
negative stigmas surrounding women and angling, and
they’re encouraging women to learn fishing and boating
skills for themselves.
“Based on what I’ve seen, women are absolutely excited
about Making Waves,” shared Debbie. “I think there are a lot
of women out there who are really receptive and open to
learning.”
Within the blogging sphere, Debbie and the rest of the
RBFF bloggers have been working to feature more women
and their photos on the blog. They’ve found it to be very
powerful for women to see and read about other women
like themselves who enjoy the same interests.
“We’re definitely using a lot of female voices and
influencers to help relay the message that women are outthere fishing too,” attested Debbie, “and it’s awesome to see
how they’re continuing to build their skills and develop their
expertise in the sport.”
Debbie, Stephanie and Rachel have all noticed a positive
response from women on social media, and the ads they’ve
done for the campaign were some of the most well-received
of all the campaigns they’ve run, which is quite impressive
since they run several. With the contagious enthusiasm,
the RBFF has seen an increase in their female following on
social channels and women’s participation was up this past
year.Empowering Women
The Making Waves campaign has already reached so
many women and encouraged them to start fishing. Just
being out there on the water and learning new skills is
empowering in itself, whether it be learning to drive a boat,
dock a boat, or being able to tie different boating knots.
All the confidence that comes with seeing themselves
portrayed as anglers and learning new skills is why Debbie
thinks Making Waves is such a fantastic initiative. “Women
are seeing more of themselves out there, hearing of more
women who are captains operating boats, and it’s really
helping to get more women involved,” related Debbie. “They
see that it’s possible and they see other women just like
themselves doing it. It’s inspiring to them.”
Doubtlessly the RBFF will continue to see success and
make a difference in women’s lives as they continue to
make waves. •