One of iFishiBelong’s June 2025 “Be What You Don’t See” Pride Panelists, Shelley Vo (she/her/they), is a proud Canadian of Vietnamese descent and a vibrant fly-fishing voice representing queer and BIPOC anglers in Toronto, where visibility in the sport is still far too rare.
As one of the few openly queer and BIPOC anglers in the scene, Shelley founded Flies and Friends, a small, welcoming fly-tying club created to make the sport feel more approachable, especially for those who are new, marginalized, or unsure if they belong.
From intentionally inviting BIPOC guest tiers to encouraging the sharing of materials and skills, Flies and Friends is rooted in community, connection, and care. It’s seasonal, it takes effort, but it’s deeply rewarding. Shelley is building the kind of space she longed for when starting out, and in doing so, she’s helping others feel seen, empowered, and at home in fly-fishing.
“Try not to take it so seriously. It doesn't have to be. It can just be fun. You don't have to catch fish. You'll learn something, even if you don't.”
Living in downtown Toronto, just minutes from the city’s only fly shop, Shelley is a regular at local events. Despite her frequent visits, she seldom sees other queer women or people of color. As a dedicated angler and fly tyer, she joined local tying clubs to pursue her passion, yet often felt intimidated in spaces largely made up of cisgender white men.
She decided to convene a small group of her friends and other BIPOC people to tie flies at her place of work, calling the group Friends and Flies, “a tying club for the homies.”
“This isn’t your normal tying club,” she says, and not everyone likes to hear that. “My priority is around folks of color and women in that group, at least for any new members.”
Getting together with friends to tie flies has eliminated the intimidation factor that is often a barrier to entry in fly fishing for members of diverse communities. The casual nature of the gatherings also encourages sharing materials, which removes another common barrier – the cost of tying vices, thread, feathers, etc.
Shelly has found that running Friends and Flies is not only helping her develop fly tying skills, but also her presenting skills. As an upcoming leader in the fly fishing community, Shelly is working to create more relaxed spaces on and off the water for her community with less focus on competition, and more focus on the fun. Her advice to those joining her in these spaces:
The 2025 iFishiBelong “Be What You Don’t See” campaign highlights leaders breaking barriers in the fishing industry. Each month, we will feature individuals who challenge conventions and inspire change with passion and resilience, motivating the next generation of anglers to create their paths and “be what they don’t see.” By highlighting these trailblazers, we aim to inspire broader participation and show that leadership roles in the fishing industry are accessible to everyone, creating a more inclusive vision of success.
