Women’s continued interest in fishing and boating presents an ocean of opportunity for the industry. According to the 2023 Special Report on Fishing, due out early this summer, 19.8 million females went fishing in 2022, up 2% compared with 19.4 million in 2021. Bringing more women into fishing can help diversify the sport and keep it relevant in today’s fast-paced world. More women fishing can also lead to more male and youth fishing participants.

Some 3.8 million more women are fishing now than a decade ago, yet fishing is still a majority male activity. The number of females coming into fishing each year is growing, but females also drop out at a 10% higher rate than males. The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation has worked to better understand why this is happening and how the industry can influence what could be the gateway to the greatest growth in fishing and boating participation.

People today are bombarded with marketing messages — as many as 10,000 each day, by some estimates. And consumers have more options for their free time. However, women make most household decisions around activity planning and family spending. They also control or influence most consumer spending, such as buying cars, tickets to sporting events and, yes, fishing gear.

Research also shows that, contrary to widespread belief, most kids fish with their mom more than with their dad. Brands that put women front and center in their advertising are held in higher regard by women and men alike. Marketing fishing to women also has a halo effect on participation; female anglers often bring family and friends into the sport.

The business opportunity is also clear. A 2022 Southwick Associates study found that the average female angler in the United States spends $962 annually on sportfishing gear and services. A 10% increase in women’s fishing participation could provide an additional $1.9 billion in revenue to the industry.

Yet real barriers make participation difficult for females who fish or want to try it. According to recent research from RBFF and global market research firm Ipsos, female anglers face resistance, disrespect and under-representation across the fishing industry. Almost half of female anglers do not feel respected by the broader angling community, with more than one in three feeling stereotyped. Seventy-five percent of women who fish do not feel well-represented in marketing and advertising. The lack of representation is intimidating and prohibitive for at least one in every four female anglers; women of color tend to agree even more with this statement.

In addition, fishing apparel and gear can add to the overall barriers and challenges. For example, 80% of active female anglers do not feel that fishing gear and apparel are designed with women in mind. The percentage is even higher among lapsed anglers who left the sport.

One female angler participant in RBFF’s survey recalled, “I really had a hard time finding waders that fit due the fact I am a woman and short. The stores are set up for men. In fact, I have been asked, ‘Are you buying that for your husband?’ ”

Buying fishing gear is equally challenging. Only 43% of active female anglers have been satisfied with recent shopping trips. One-third of women described negative experiences related to store employees. They recounted stories about wanting to be taken more seriously as anglers, and about being dismissed entirely for their interests.

“The salesman kept speaking to my husband, even though he knew that I was the one whom the purchase was for,” another interviewee recalled. “He would ask a question, look at my husband, and I would answer.”

While these insights are discouraging, they serve as examples of how the industry can develop a better female mindset and retain more women in fishing and boating. The industry can provide a more welcoming retail experience for women by creating an inclusive range of products (such as apparel and gear that are adjustable in size, and that come in colors other than pink); diversifying staff (women, and specifically women of color, are more willing to ask questions and make purchases when they can talk to others like them); and encouraging an inclusive sales approach (in RBFF’s study, half of the women said encouraging employees to treat them with greater respect and speak to them without judgment would improve their shopping experience).

RBFF’s findings have been transformed into a female-first marketing campaign, “Find Your Best Self on the Water,” which is confronting these barriers and inspiring women to try something new, all while supporting a more inclusive fishing and boating community.

To better capitalize on the growth potential of the female audience, it is time for the industry to meet this moment, too. 

Stephanie Vatalaro is senior vice president, marketing and Ccommunications, for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.

This article was originally published in the August 2023 issue.