Women

Meet Natalie: Natalie Bennion (@a_ladys_angle) is first a wife and mother of two - but what caught our attention about Natalie and her online presence was her fishy-ness, her photography and her positivity. In a recent interview she was kind enough to share with us a glimpse into her busy life and boy, was it a breath of fresh air. This mother's day we celebrate the female outdoorswomen who are paving the way, figuring it out, and making it happen. Thank you moms! Q&A: What is your biggest pet peeve while fishing? Tying a 3 rig set up and then snagging on the bottom of the river and losing the entire set up on the first drift. What is the story of your first fly fishing experience? I picked up my first fly rod in September 2015. Over the past year or so, I have had many friends ask me why I began this journey to educate myself in the art of fly-fishing. In my mind, the answer is simple. I want to be on the river with my husband and son making memories. Why do the men always get to have all the fun? Sure, my husband and I have to make some less than ideal fly fishing compromises handling a small child around a roaring river, but we always make it work. The day is always well spent and the memories are invaluable. These experiences on the river with my son and husband are worth more value than any treasure this world has to offer. It is the entire experience, time under the trees, in the mountains, the sounds of the river that got me hooked to fly fishing. Do you have a good luck charm? My son. He cheers for me on the sidelines of the river. He gets to release every single one of my catches. It’s his favorite part. What is the first thing you would tell a novice angler? Personal growth is exactly that, personal. Don’t compare your beginning journey to some-one else’s years of experience. Be patient with yourself. What is your favorite fly rod? Haha, I am a poor college student and currently fish with a simple Redington rod. I have yet to discover my favorite brand and rod. What is the craziest thing you have seen on a river bank? While living in Alaska, our close friends saw a seal swim up river and clean out the last of the King Salmon. This seal was nowhere near his ocean home. It was insane! Highlights of this past year? The biggest highlight was having the amazing opportunity to live in Alaska for 15 weeks. A different kind of fly-fishing that I will never forget. Wade or float? Wading… for sure. It wins all day long. But I do get a little jealous when a drifter floats by and reaches that one hole I will never get to. East or west ? Spirit of the West baby! Do you listen to music while fishing? If so, what do you listen to? No, I get to listen to a chatty 4 year old talk about Transformers, pooping and bears. What is your drink of choice on the water? Water What is your signature snack/restaurant on the water? I keep it simple with a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Makes a great snack for the kiddo too. What is your favorite: nymphing, streamers, dry flies? I love nymphing because it’s how I originally learned to fly fish during the fall. I love any kind of red zebra midge, rainbow warrior and have killed it in the winter with shrimp mysis. What is your day job? What do you love most about it? I am a mom and a portrait photographer. I love being on my own time schedule and being my own boss. What do you want to be when you “grow-up”? Grow up ha-ha? I don’t think I’ll ever grow up. But, being a mom is pretty dang cool.

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Mothers on the Fly | Natalie Bennion

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