Welcome!
I’ve been wanting to share my adventures in flyfishing, and the outdoors, for a long time. I hope you enjoy the trip with me. In this space I plan to share random trail ramblings as well as my thoughts on fish conservation, ecology, random mushrooms, and all that comes with spending time on the water. Now what to start with…
Have you heard of the “imposter syndrome” or the “confidence gap”? I experienced both of these while climbing the ladder of two career paths over the last 30 years. What I know now is, I was often the expert or most experienced person in the room and I failed to recognize it. Or maybe I did, but because others didn’t express their support of me I presumed otherwise. I think women often compensate for this by feeling they “have to work twice as hard” to get the respect they deserve when in reality they would’ve bene given respect if they had only acknowledged their expertise in themselves first. When it comes to my fly fishing experiences I often felt the same way; that I didn’t know much or posses skills worth sharing. I’m sorry to say it’s taken me many years to figure all of this out and overcome the issues; or have I? So you might wonder what those terms have to do with being a fly fishing guide; well, let me tell you.
When I was 23 and finishing college I considered being an outdoor recreation guide. It was the early 90’s and the field was exploding (so was micro brew) and I wanted in. I loved to hike, backpack, mountain bike, fish, anything outdoors, and I wanted to share it with others. The internet wasn’t a thing yet so in order to get into the field one had to get their foot in the door by approaching companies doing the work, which were local, male dominated, and few and far between. Well, I was way too intimidated to think that I could push the door open on a male dominated field and take people on outdoor adventures. I’d already been rejected so many times before in other areas that I just didn’t have the energy or confidence to try. So, I went quietly into my field of study and became a recreational user of the lands like most of us.
Fast forward 32 years and two careers in male oriented professions and you have found me, Carolyn, the owner of True North Fly Fishing. Through those many years I discovered myself, although it wasn’t an easy process, and feel established in my beliefs and values. I also found both strong women and courageous men who were willing to support me, actually encourage me, to pursue my dream all these years later. I’ve reached the point in my life now where I will challenge the “establishment,” whatever it may be, and hold space for women and other minorities to engage in pursuits not readily open to them. I’m a woman who wants to support all people in fulfilling their ambitions in fly fishing by creating a place for them to feel comfortable while finding themselves along the way. Finding their True North.
My path has come full circle, my desire to be an outfitter/guide has become a reality. I just took the long road getting here. I hope you’ll take this journey with me and find a few nuggets of wisdom and humor along the way. If we can’t laugh at ourselves, then what are we after-all?
LET’S FISH!
