When New Wave Fishing Academy was started it was based around the mission of helping everyone become more successful anglers and especially those who do not have the family, friends, or easily accessible opportunities to push them into the sport. From our short time in operation trying to make accomplish this mission there has been a very clear population that has a hard time breaking into the industry. From critics online challenging their skills as anglers to talking down or belittling their accomplishments / questions there are a lot of unnecessary hurdles for women and young girls to get into the sport. While we know that these people setting up these hurdles do not represent the bulk of the members in the industry they unfortunately are often the loudest voice. To combat this we want to highlight some of the best ambassadors for "Women In Angling" that we know and share their stories for those that just need a little push to get into the sport or some role models to look towards!
This weeks feature is Brielyn & Jadyn Young! We first came across this duo on instagram with posts from their own brand of fishing lures "B-MY Baits". After looking through some posts we realized they are also quite the tournament anglers. To top it off they are doing all of this while still being in high school, talk about role models for the fishing community! We were lucky enough to have Brielyn prepare a feature for you all to learn how they do it.
"Fishing has become one of my biggest passions in life. My dad got me into the sport when I was just a little girl along with my other two younger sisters. I got to grow up watching my dad fish in bass tournaments and he has taught me everything I know. He really encouraged me to keep fishing and brought me any chance he had. I fished my first bass tournament when I was just 8 years old and I’ve been hooked ever since!
I started fishing tournaments with my dad out of the Golden HorseShoe club and in 2019 I joined the St. Catherines Jr. Bassmasters. My sister, Jadyn, joined a year after I did and we decided to come together as a team with our dad, Rob, as our boat captain. In our first year as a team we qualified to represent Canada in the Jr. World Championships in Arkansas!
After Arkansas, I knew that I wanted to take on a career in bass fishing! We have received a lot of support from clubs over the years, by welcoming us and treating us equally, as well as everyone congratulating and cheering us on while in Arkansas and again this June in the High School Nationals in Wisconsin! Despite the support we have had there are some times when it’s difficult being a female angler in a male dominated sport.
Every once in a while you’ll receive a look.
It’s the type of look that discourages you, and makes you doubt yourself. Some people tend to be very judgmental towards female anglers; sometimes I will be dismissed for my knowledge, not taken seriously, or get comments like "I am a girl, what would I know?".
I’ve found I have to prove myself more to people and show them what I know because it feels like everyone is always looking down on me and doubting my every move because I am a girl. I worked in a tackle store called Fishing World for over a year and I loved it there! However, I did realize a lot of customers would avoid me, my advice, or go consult with other employees. No one was ever really rude enough to straight up ignore me, but it was clear they did not want to hear what I had to say because of my age and gender. It was discouraging, but from these experiences I’ve learned to let things slide and keep my head up. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks as long as you're doing what you love!
My biggest advice to anyone getting into fishing is just to go have fun! It doesn’t matter if you have a big expensive boat or the newest most expensive products on the market. The fish don’t know what you have. When we went to Arkansas, we were up against huge bass boats and all we had was a lil tin can with a 25 horse motor. Everyone looked at us like we were crazy, but we fished in that boat with our heads up and pride for what we had accomplished. Go out and advocate for yourself and learn as much as you can from either YouTube, tackle stores or friends. Just try to learn as much as you can and you will learn more every time you go fishing and the more people you talk to.
Prior to joining the tournament fishing scene my dad and I started our own bait company called B-MY Bait and Custom Made Soft Plastics in 2017. It has been an amazing experience catching most of my fish on baits that I have made and created on our own. It has also opened up connections to talking with other anglers. As a young female angler and businesswoman, it’s my goal to inspire others. I want to see more women and kids fishing and break down stereotypes. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have been given and for my dad alway believing in me. It is my goal to get more girls into fishing! To help with this mission my sister and I started our own Youtube Channel called The Young Sisters Fishing as well as an Instagram and Facebook pages to share our stories, accomplishments and to promote womens and kids fishing. "
Brielyn & Jayden obviously have no shortage of talent and passion when it comes to fishing. We would like to extend our thanks for sharing their story, experiences, and advice with us all and wish them the best in their future endeavours (fishing or business). We will be keeping a close eye on them and expect to see a lot of big things in the future. You can connect with them on instagram and facebook at @the.young.sisters.fishing and https://www.facebook.com/brielyn.young.58
If you know somebody who is a great ambassador for Women In Angling (Or the outdoors) that deserves to be recognized and would be willing to create a post please reach out to us on any of our social media platforms so we can get in touch with them.
If you or someone you know is looking to get into fishing or you just want to become a more successful angler be sure to check out our "Zero To Hero Fishing Masterclass" for courses on everything fishing! The masterclass is built to help you learn how to find and catch fish like the pro's by providing all the information you need and a clear development path! Don't miss out check it out now at www.newwavefishingacademy.com/zero-to-hero
Have you ever wondered why lures don't come with instructions and wanted to know how to fish them? Look no further than our "How To Fish" series where you will learn what each bait is, how to use it, when and where it excels over other baits, our preferred setup to use it on, and the common mistakes anglers make when using it. www.newwavefishingacademy.com/how-to-fish
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