Women In Angling - Nicole Donaldson
- New Wave Fishing Academy
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Women In Angling
The fishing industry needs more women that fish! Women who fish now are exceptional role models for the next generation women of fishing - and we want to celebrate that! Meet today's fishing ladies as part of the Women In Angling blog series.
Nicole Donaldson
This weeks Women In Angling feature female angler is Nicole Donaldson - tournament angler, pro staffer, and outdoorswoman! You don't want to miss her story:
"My name is Nicole Donaldson. I am a fishing addict and all around outdoor lover. I’m an avid tournament angler and I am currently pro staff with American Baitworks, Tackle Depot, and Highfalls Outfitters - all amazing companies with stellar products for a seasoned angler or anyone new to the sport.
I am from Frankford ON, a small town north of Belleville (Bay of Quinte), but I currently live in Kawartha Lakes. My interest in fishing first peaked as a little girl when my dad took me after school one summer night. I caught a largemouth bass and the addiction began. Since then, my dad and I have had countless hours in the boat, but - even that wasn’t enough hours! If I wasn’t fishing, I was thinking about it, writing about it, and dreaming about it. What keeps me most interested in fishing is the pursuit of the next bite. It fuels my passion to understand the fish I am targeting and figuring out their patterns and movements. Finding the clue that leads to the next big bite is a drive that’s like none other! Generally, my husband and I fish the Kawartha Lakes and the Bay of Quinte. The Kawartha’s boast endless lakes to discover and learn on. If you haven’t fished these areas, I highly recommend it! It tests your capabilities as an angler, and your ability to adapt to different fishing situations.
My most memorable accomplishment as a tournament angler was winning first place on the Bay of Quinte in the Quinte Fishing Series and having the largest bag ever weighed at the time with just over 26lbs (it has since been beaten). Other amazing memories are having some great top 10 finishes in Shootout Fishing League, & Quinte Cup, qualifying for Team Canada with Bassmaster Team Trail, and then fishing the Team Trail for Bassmasters in 2021on Lake Eufala - crossing that stage as a female was both humbling and exhilarating.
Despite the successes I've had there are some definite challenges as a female in the industry. One of the big ones is other anglers not taking you seriously. I fish tournaments with my husband and will sometimes hear comments saying “there’s no way she caught that fish” which makes me chuckle - I’d love to fish with them for a day and show them how us gals can get it done! Knowing my skills and keeping my confidence high is key to staying positive in these scenarios. The drive to show them that women can be a defining and competitive factor in this industry, and that we have the skills to compete at a high level keeps it from getting me down.
The best advice I can give to women in this sport - whether just beginning or a seasoned angler, is to just keep grinding! Nothing makes me smile more than to see women in a tournament, and having fun! Because after all, that’s what it’s all about. I’d love to see more women in this sport; not just participating but dominating and winning.
I love talking fishing, so if anyone wants to connect, you can always send me a DM on instagram and I’d be happy to chat!"
We would like to thank Nicole for sharing her story & fishing success with us all. Sharing the passion for fishing that Nicole so clearly has and her tournament successes, in our mind, is one of the best ways to grow the sport that we love so much. You can connect with her on instagram @nicoledonaldson.outdoors
Women Who Love Fishing
Thank you fishing ladies! All the women of fishing who has participated in the "Women in Angling" blog series as well as everyone who reads, likes, or shares the profiles is contributing to making the sport more inclusive.
If you know women who love fishing, is a great ambassador for Women In Angling, or simply the outdoors lifestyle, that deserves to be recognized please reach out to us on any of our social media platforms so we can get in touch with them.
Women And Fishing Resources
Additional "women and fishing" resources and links for female fishing enthusiasts to connect:
Fishing For Ladies
New Wave Fishing Academy is an educational platform for the recreational fishing industry that allows everyone to learn how to catch fish; virtually. Not catching fish on outings is a sure way to keep new anglers from coming back to the sport BUT most who go fishing have no idea where to start or how to find success without HOURS of trial and error on the water that nobody has. Before you ever get to the water you can learn how to turn fishing trips into catching trips with our online fishing educational resources.
Click the link to Learn How To Fish!
To experience a day of fishing on the water with us be sure to check out our YouTube channel at the link below.
Women In Angling History
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 critics online challenging their skills as anglers, to talking down or belittling their accomplishments, there are a lot of unnecessary hurdles for women and young girls to get into fishing. These hurdles are not set up by those that represent the majority of the members in the industry but unfortunately they are often the loudest voice.
To combat this we started the "Women In Angling" blog series in 2022 to celebrate the women who love fishing, highlight female ambassadors and role models for the sport of fishing, and share their stories for those that just need a little push or someone to look towards to get into this sport we all love!
To read all of the amazing Women In Angling profiles click the link below:
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