This is a small project with an enormous vision.

There is no inherent gender bias in recreational fishing, yet the sport is widely accepted as a traditionally male domain. In Australia, twice as many men fish as women! This is a shameful gender gap in one of the few sports where there is genuine physical equality. The Women’s Recreational Fishing League has a stated goal to normalise women in fishing — and even moreso, women competing toe-to-toe against men in tournaments, as we should.

Your support will help us bring one inspirational woman from each state and territory to our National Launch & State Leadership Activation Program, synchronising a network of emerging female fishing leaders to inspire other women to challenge their own limiting beliefs and expectations, and develop the skills and mindset needed to compete in mainstream fishing competitions and tournaments.

We are a relatively new sporting league — innovative and groundbreaking — with demonstrated enthusiasm from over 5,000 women across Australia (demonstrated through online requests, engagement with social media forums, subscriptions, etc.) who seek our programs. These are women who don't just want to learn to fish, they want to excel! They want to smash the barriers. They want to compete. We cannot bring our programs to them without a team on the ground. The most important thing this Program will achieve is training the leader of that team, so she can get to work.

National Launch & State Leadership Activation Program, being held 2-7 August 2023, is the ignition point for the expansion of our proven programs into all states, activating mentoring fishing tournaments, online communities and fishing leadership development programs. Your support helps to align one inspiring female fisher from every jurisdiction with our national team and launch the development of state divisions of the Women’s Recreational Fishing League, for the benefit of women of all ages. The state reps will be familiarised with our programs, resources and procedures, as well as participate in round-tables with their national counterparts to plan and strategize the implementation of our on-water events, along with our online programs and communities.

During the week, the leaders will collaborate with our national team on state development strategies, planning sessions, and leadership workshops, PLUS network with Australian recreational fishing industry leaders and decision-makers, learn about and then demonstrate our programs to industry and public, be given the opportunity to mentor visitors to our stand in their area of expertise, and promote their home waters as potential fishing destinations.

They will then return to their home states to implement our programs with the support of the national body, taking the lead role in the training and mentoring of their committeess-in-waiting.