In June 2025, the Pride Month Edition of iFishiBelong’s (iFiB) “Be What You Don’t See” campaign proudly featured five outstanding queer leaders in fishing and the outdoors:
- Anni Peterson (they/them), non-binary angler and community advocate from Denver, iFiB Marketing and Communications Co-Chair, and panel moderator
- Dayle Woodward (she/her), Fishing Manager Orvis in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania and iFishiBelong Program lead for Becca Sue Klein’s All Kids Fish who transitioned four years ago at the age of 69
- Demiesha Dennis (she/her), community builder, award-winning conservationist, and founder/director of the Canada-based organization Brown Girl Outdoor World
- J. Michelle Swope (she/her), iFishiBelong advocacy chair, seasoned guide, educator, wild fish conservationist, and owner of Crow Creek Fly Shop and Guide Services in Washington state
- Shelly Vo (she/her/they), creator of the fly-tying group Friends and Flies, representing queer and BIPOC folks on the river in Toronto
The women share their unique stories and what it means to “be what you don’t see” in the fishing space, where representation is still growing. They discuss building community, visibility, and advocacy in the outdoors.
After nearly 40 years as an educator, Dayle’s love of fly fishing and vintage rods led her to a part-time job at Orvis. She was eventually promoted to fulltime Fishing Manager. When she informed the company that she would be transitioning, she offered to resign. Dayle received unwavering support and continues to be a valuable member of the Orvis team. Her perspective is singular: “I’ve been a fly fisherman for years, and now I’m a fly-fishing woman,” said Dayle. “I’m proud of it, and happy for it. I’ve met the most wonderful people, and I can’t wait to meet the rest of them.”
J. Michelle began fly fishing at a young age. “I fish for a lot of things with a lot of things,” she said “but fly fishing is my actual favorite thing to do. I started when I was seven, and that was only because I couldn’t hold still.” Trained as an educator, J. Michelle became a guide and fly fishing instructor, and in 2025 opened Crow Creek Fly Shop in Rosalyn, Washington.
Demiesha started fishing when she moved to Canada from Jamaica. “Simply put—I didn’t want to go to church. I had to find an activity to do. My first attempt was with a piece of stick, crochet thread, and a safety pin. I caught zero.” She went to the library and learned more, and when she first went out spin fishing, someone driving by in a car said something to her. “I was like, okay, this is a sign that there needs to be more of me.” This thought was the seed of Brown Girl Outdoor World (BGOW), the organization she founded to provide opportunities for BIPOC women to find joy and community in outdoor adventuring.
Shelly Vo, a Canadian of Vietnamese descent, grew up fishing for trout and bass and gravitated toward fly fishing because of its calming effects. Shelly met Demiesha outside of a local fly shop and the first time they fished together was the first time Shelly had shared the same water with another woman of color. “The fishy parts weren’t even the highlights of this experience. Community was. Something I didn’t know I was missing.”
Anni, panel moderator, grew up fishing in Minnesota and now lives in Denver. She joined iFiB because as a queer woman she was looking for a space where she could be fully herself. She asked the panelists what these communities mean to them, and how they have shaped their sense of belonging.
Demiesha was camping and hiking with friends, none of whom looked like her – a queer Black woman. She uses her own visibility and that of the partnerships she’s created to cultivate a safe space for her community through BGOW programming so that people can see their stories told.
Even though she is not new to fly fishing, Shelly knows how intimidating it can be for her to enter a fly fishing space where she is not represented. “I can’t imagine what that’s like for people who are just getting into it.” A member of the BGOW community in Toronto, Shelly formed Friends and Flies (a play on “friends and family”) to create a “tying club for the homies” – a safe space for her friends and a small group of BIPOC people to get together and tie flies.
As a newly transitioned woman, Dayle experienced acceptance by her co-workers, management, and customers at Orvis. Her visibility and welcoming nature are transforming a space historically filled with older white men by enthusiastically representing women and transwomen in the fly fishing community.
J Michelle and the iFiB Advocacy committee are working on an advocacy toolkit that will consolidate diverse ways for people to add their voices and actions to improve the way of being in the fly fishing space together. The panel discussed advocacy and allyship in the queer community. Both require direct action – ranging from cleaning riverbanks to testifying at government meetings – and sometimes showing up in not safe spaces and demanding a right to be safe in those spaces.
Allies play a crucial role in making the fly fishing community more inclusive by offering support, amplifying LGBTQIA2S+ voices, and creating welcoming spaces. True inclusivity requires a collective effort.
Here’s how you can support:
- Take action by using your dollars to support queer owned fly shops, guide services, and businesses that support LGBTQIA2S+ pride in meaningful ways
- Follow, like, share, and comment on the Pride Panel’s social media to increase visibility.
- Share resources with those who identify within the queer fishing community.
- Speak out against hate and discrimination in outdoor spaces.
- Help create welcoming environments for all anglers.
- Support organizations actively working to foster LGBTQIA2S+ inclusivity.
- Volunteer at events or find other ways to lend a hand.
For more ways to support, reach out to the Pride Panelists. Your support helps ensure that fly fishing is truly a space where everyone belongs.
Anni asked the panelists to share the most impactful insight, especially of folks who are not out, who are queer, and who haven’t found their community yet.
Demiesha: You belong. No questions asked.
Dayle: Come on out and join us.
Shelly Vo: Nature is for everyone. And don’t take fly fishing too seriously. It can just be fun.
J Michelle: We’re here just absolutely not just in June but in the other months of the year. Join us.
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.
