Why is it I love dressing in unflattering waders to spend hours on end waving a rod around in the hope of catching a fish? The answer is simple: fly fishing helps me make sense of the world.

I started fly fishing when I was nine years old. After learning the basics from my dad, I spent most of my spare time chasing trout in northern England. It was a tonic to my troubled adolescence and a safe space where I felt totally calm and collected. I would day-dream in class about the waters I’d fished, the ones that got away, flies I was going to try next, and wild animals I might see on the next trip.

The transformative powers of fly fishing, to help with symptoms of PTSD, cancer, anxiety and depression, are well-known among enthusiasts like me. For me, fly fishing unlocks the part of my mind where the beautiful stuff lives and is part of my mental fitness regime. It’s why I think fly fishing should be prescribed to anyone seeking perspective and inner peace because it has the capacity to help people connect, heal and make sense of an increasingly complex world. 

When I moved to Australia in 2010, I started fishing with a very experienced fella who runs a successful guiding business in Eskdale, Victoria. The new skills I learned sparked a fire to explore Victoria’s many rivers, launch my own guiding business in 2016, and qualify as a Certified Casting Instructor in 2019—one of just a handful of women to hold this qualification in Australia.

While COVID threw a spanner in the works for my guiding business, I continue to take out friends and family because it hasn’t dampened my passion for sharing a life changing pastime.

Learning to fly fish is the ultimate lesson in patience, a much needed skill in a world obsessed with speed and instant feedback. Whether you’re a novice or expert, you have to accept mastery of new or difficult skills can be slow going. Initially, it can be incredibly frustrating for many people (myself included) but accepting the reality that good things come to those who wait builds resilience and is a source of long-term happiness—especially when hard work results in a great fish.

Catching big fish still gets my pulse racing but it’s nothing on seeing my protégés in action. While I’m no longer a professional guide, I still love teaching people to fly fish (mainly long suffering friends and family!) and writing about it. These days I also volunteer with Mending Casts: a non-profit organisation that promotes the health and well-being benefits of fly fishing to people with cancer. 

They run two programs targeted at women and men respectively: Casting for Recovery (CfR) and Reel Recovery. I was involved as an instructor in the inaugural Victorian CfR retreat in 2019 and the memories still give me goosebumps. Thanks to kind donations and the support of our partners, we’re hosting another in March 2023. It is a life-changing program that give cancer survivors new friends, fun and hope and I’d encourage you check out: https://www.castingforrecoveryvic.org/

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