iFishiBelong is a nonprofit dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive fishing community where everyone feels welcome, empowered, and connected. This organization is for everyone who supports all people, all techniques, and all species. Through programs like All Kids Fish, DIY Fishing Events, Ubuntu Fly Anglers, and United Women on the Fly, we provide education, leadership opportunities, and a platform for underrepresented groups in the fishing world. We believe true integration honors individual differences, elevating them within the collective whole rather than forcing uniformity. We promote equitable representation, offer financial assistance, and create spaces for all anglers to thrive. At iFishiBelong, we celebrate individuality within the collective love for fishing, ensuring that every person has access to the sport and the opportunity to lead.
Real change begins when we come together, united in purpose and action.
iFishiBelong supports all species, all techniques, and all people within the fishing industry and communities. Our mission is to cultivate leadership opportunities, advocate for equitable representation, offer financial assistance, and promote access and belonging for all people within the angling community.
iFishiBelong is committed to creating programs that support and advocate for diverse communities within fishing, including women, BIPOC anglers, youth, and people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Each of our iFishiBelong programs has its own unique projects and missions, all aligned with the shared goal of creating positive change within the fishing industry and local communities. Together, as a united iFishiBelong organization, we work collaboratively to cultivate leadership opportunities, advocate for equitable representation, offer financial assistance, and promote access and belonging for all people within the angling community.
All Kids Fish
DIY Events
Ubuntu
UWOTF
iFishiBelong has a mix of virtual and in-person events. We are committed to providing accessible opportunities for individuals of varying financial means by organizing a variety of cost-effective events and trips, including Fish and Hang Events, Hosted Trips, Partnership Events, and other community fishing gatherings. Check out our upcoming events HERE.
Toronto-based angler, Shelly Vo, building inclusive, low-pressure spaces for queer and BIPOC fly-fishers through her community fly-tying club, Flies and Friends and Brown Girl Outdoor World.
Emma Brown shares her journey as a transracial adoptee, rancher, and fly fishing guide, reflecting on identity, inclusion, and building community in the outdoor world.
For Pride Month 2025, iFishiBelong’s “Be What You Don’t See” campaign highlighted five incredible queer leaders in fishing and outdoor spaces. Anni Peterson, Dayle Woodward, Demiesha Dennis, J. Michelle Swope, and Shelly Vo shared their stories of visibility, advocacy, and community in a field where representation is still growing. Together, they’re helping redefine what belonging looks like in the outdoors.
Fly shop owner and longtime advocate turning community work into action by creating inclusive, welcoming spaces in fly fishing.
Emma Brown joins On the Real to share how her rural Colorado roots led to a life of ranching, fly fishing, and forging space for women of color in the outdoors.
In this episode of On the Reel, Joyce Shepherd shares her journey from working on a tobacco farm in North Carolina to becoming a passionate educator and advocate for inclusivity in the world of fly fishing.
May 2025’s Be What You Don’t See interview features Jessica Haydahl, a pioneering outdoor and fishing photographer whose 25-year career behind the lens has brought powerful representation to the male-dominated fishing industry, inspires others to blend their passion for the outdoors with
Joyce’s fly fishing journey, which began in the 1990s with the International Women’s Fly Fishers, has grown into a lifelong passion for teaching, conservation, and community leadership—culminating in her Hall of Fame induction for her dedication to empowering youth, women, and veterans through the sport.
Nicole Tracey Lewis, a Black fly angler and professional fly tier from Ottawa, shares her journey in the sport—from landing her first steelhead to navigating a decade without fishing alongside another Black angler, and the importance of building community through Ubuntu Fly Anglers.
Nicole, an angler from Montreal now living in Ottawa, discovered fly fishing a decade ago, and since then has become deeply involved in the community—tying her own flies, mentoring others, and fishing across North America—all while advocating for greater inclusivity and representation of BIPOC anglers in the sport.
For Autism Awareness Month, we introduced team member Russell James (they/them) and shared their resource on the three core pillars of autism—sensory, social, and executive functioning—with practical tips to help the fishing community create more inclusive, supportive spaces for autistic anglers.
April 2025’s Be What You Don’t See interview features Chris Hill, grassroots organizer, public lands advocate, and CEO of the Conservation Lands Foundation.
Emma Brown joins On the Real to share how her rural Colorado roots led to a life of ranching, fly fishing, and forging space for women of color in the outdoors.
In this episode of On the Reel, Joyce Shepherd shares her journey from working on a tobacco farm in North Carolina to becoming a passionate educator and advocate for inclusivity in the world of fly fishing.
Nicole Tracey Lewis, a Black fly angler and professional fly tier from Ottawa, shares her journey in the sport—from landing her first steelhead to navigating a decade without fishing alongside another Black angler, and the importance of building community through Ubuntu Fly Anglers.
We’re seeking passionate volunteers to help expand iFishiBelong’s impact by joining our Advocacy, Finance, Fundraising, and Marketing/Communication committees. If you have skills in nonprofit bookkeeping, grant writing, fundraising, graphic design, or social media, please fill out the volunteer form to get involved! Click HERE.
If you’d like to learn more about the volunteer opportunities before filling out the form, please email the following board members.
- Advocacy – [email protected]
- Fundraising – [email protected]
- Marketing & Communication – [email protected]
- Treasurer – [email protected]
