Women of Fishing? Sarah-Beth Raymond-Lusk
- New Wave Fishing Academy
- 7 days ago
- 8 min read
Women of Fishing
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.
Sarah-Beth Raymond Lusk
This weeks Women In Angling feature female angler is Sarah-Beth Raymond Lusk! Sarah is a teacher, multi-species angler, and ambassador for the fishing and outdoors.
"I was born in Oshawa, Ontario, but was raised in North Bay, so I consider it my home. Unsure of where I wanted life to take me, I completed a bachelor of arts degree in psychology with a minor in visual arts, then went on to get a bachelor of education degree. I’ve been a substitute teacher by choice for three years now, because I appreciate the flexibility of the position (meaning I can take time off and go fishing basically whenever I want). Currently, I’m working long term in the Indigenous center at my favourite school. Being in this specific position has given me the chance to explore and further understand my Haudenosaunee roots, and how they influence my passion for recreational angling.
As a child, I spent almost every weekend at my cottage on Jawbone’s Bay in Kipawa, Quebec. My grandpa, cousins and I would pile into his old Dodge Dakota and drive down to the Ottawa River to fish for pickerel off the bank. Back at the cottage, when I wasn’t swimming or picking blueberries, you could find me fishing off the dock or from the paddle boat. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve targeting catfish and housing them in a water filled bucket until the end of the day, when I would release them back into the lake.
I hadn’t fished for several years, but then I reconnected with my now fiancé, Mason, back in 2015. On one of our first dates, he introduced me to musky fishing. The first one I ever netted for him was 52.5”. Needless to say, this got me completely hooked on the sport. It took me three whole years and countless missed opportunities until I boated my first one. Without his optimism and positivity, I would’ve undoubtedly given up on that particular species much sooner. He instilled the idea that there is always room for improvement and a chance to continue learning, which is what keeps me so interested in fishing. In the past, most of our time on the water has been spent fishing the North Bay area for musky. Lake Talon, Trout Lake, Lake Nipissing and the French River have all brought us great success. During the off season, we spend our time on Lake Nipissing or the Ottawa River fishing for walleye and pike. However, last year we rented a cabin on a remote lake near New Liskeard, Ontario, for all of 2024. We spent a big chunk of our time there fishing mainly for walleye, but for northerns and smallies as well. We also took advantage of the many back lakes in the area to fish for rainbows, brookies, and lakers. Being a teacher and having the summers off, I like to explore the small lakes near my home and fish off shore for largies and pike. I’m a multi species angler, through and through.
I’m also an avid promoter of preserving and protecting our lakes. In recent years, it appears that there has been a significant increase in the number of anglers targeting musky. This is great, but muskies are elusive and scarce, hence why they’ve been deemed the “fish of 10, 000 casts.” By practicing catch and release fishing, we can help to preserve musky populations. It’s crucial that we minimize our impact on the health of the fish and their ability to reproduce. Musky fisherman need to prioritize having the proper release gear, such as hook cutters, pliers, and an adequately sized net. Much too often I have seen people fishing for musky with too small of a net, or even worse, no net at all. In addition to this, it’s important to limit the amount of time that these fish are out of the water. Aim for less than 30 seconds of air exposure from catch to release. Finally, we must ensure that the weight of the fish is supported by holding it horizontally with one hand in the gill plate and the other under its belly.
In the future, I’d like to spend more time exploring new species. Sturgeon and aurora trout are of high priority on my bucket list. Though less attainable, I’d also like to try my hand at fishing for the goliath grouper. Each of these species have their own unique appeal, which adds to the adrenaline rush of fishing. In addition, I hope to start a YouTube channel with my fiancé one day, though I want to accentuate the one day aspect of this goal. In the last year or so, I have made a point to spend less time on social media, and more time focusing on what the world around me has to offer, which would be extremely difficult with the responsibility of a YouTube channel. But, our life is full of adventure, from daily excursions to week long trips, and we have hours and hours of memorable fishing footage that I would love to one day share with the world. We are undeniably hooked on the pursuit of extraordinary fish in beautiful places.
My all-time favourite accomplishment as an angler was landing my first 30” walleye through the ice. My fiancé was visiting his dad’s ice shack about 100 yards away and I was fishing alone. Out of nowhere, this massive mark showed up on the Livescope but had no interest in the Berkley Vibrato I was running (my ultimate confidence ice fishing bait). Instead, it swam right over to Mason’s Frostbite Dinner Bell, and with one jig of his rod, the fish had no problem committing. I was hooked up instantly and I honestly thought it was going to be a decent northern. I repeatedly started yelling Mason’s name but because he was so far away, neither him nor his dad could hear me. I guess at one point I must’ve yelled loud enough, because they finally made their way over to the shack. By this time, I had already guided the tank up through the hole, unhooked it, and was holding it by the gills back in the water while I waited for them to show up. I’ll never forget the look on my fiancé’s face when I told him that it was a big one and held it up for them to see.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a female in the industry is having to accept that some people, especially other women, view fishing as a competition as opposed to pure fun. This is one of the main reasons I shy away from using social media. It had become a platform for individuals to compare themselves to others, seek validation, gain followers and receive likes; rather than competing with others, it’s so much more rewarding to cheer them on and hype them up instead. This fosters a sense of belonging and builds an inclusive community that people are eager to be a part of. The other big challenge I’ve faced is learning to enjoy fishing when it’s pouring rain. Finding the right gear has completely changed this for me. I use the Rapala rain bib and jacket, which has made a world of a difference. Fishing in the rain still isn’t my most favourite thing, but at least I can stay dry!
My biggest piece of advice for other females who are looking to get into fishing is finding a mentor or a friend to learn from. For me, my fiancé was always there to answer my questions and to give me advice. Early on, he would often encourage me to fish off shore while he was away or working. Being able to fish alone, to choose and tie my own baits, to unhook fish without help, and to choose what lakes to fish/what species to fish for, really boosted my confidence as a female anger. In addition to finding a friend or mentor, YouTube is a great place to learn new strategies when first starting out – and don’t forget to scroll through the comments section! Insert yourself into the conversation, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most people that enjoy fishing are eager to talk about it, as well as share their tips and tricks.
As previously mentioned, I try my best to avoid spending too much time on social media. If other anglers want to connect with me, their best bet would be to find me on Facebook under the name Sarah Bee. They can also find me on Instagram and TikTok under the username @hippie_dreamin, but I’m less active on those two."
We would like to thank Sarah for sharing her passion for fishing with us all. Her insights are genuine and she is a role model for not caving to the social pressures and sticking true to what you believe in.
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:
Comentários