On Saturday, May 10th, twenty women anglers gathered at Fisherman's View Restaurant in Sandwich for the First Annual My Fishing Cape Cod Women's Meet-Up. The event was a huge success as women anglers - both new to saltwater fishing and seasoned veterans - connected and shared tips and techniques for fishing Cape Cod waters.
The event started at 8:30 AM with coffee and delicious muffins, giving attendees time to network and meet Hallie Collins, soon to be one of the Cape's youngest female anglers!
Future female angler Hallie Collins steals hearts at the first MFCC Women's Meetup, already surrounded by experienced anglers ready to share their passion for the sport with Cape Cod's youngest enthusiast.
Introductions and Favorite Gear
To start, the group introduced themselves, and it was clear that women anglers across the Cape Cod area were eager to learn more about saltwater fishing and find greater opportunities to fish together.
As part of their introduction, each angler was asked to share where they were from, the type of fishing they enjoyed most, and their favorite lure.
Women anglers connect and share their fishing journeys during introductions on the stunning waterfront deck at Fisherman's View Restaurant. With Cape Cod's picturesque canal as their backdrop, these passionate fisherwomen laid the foundation for a growing community at the inaugural MFCC Women's Meetup.
While there was no clear consensus on a favorite lure, the SP Minnow and Super Strike Popper were frequently mentioned as popular topwater choices. The fly fisherwomen preferred imitation eel and crab flies.
Spin Casting Overview with Amy Wrightson
The first speaker was Amy Wrightson, an avid fisherwoman and owner of Sports Port Bait and Tackle in Hyannis. Amy provided a fantastic overview of spin casting on Cape Cod, both from a boat and the shore. She discussed fishing gear, lures, and locations to fish on the Cape.
Amy Wrightson, owner of Sports Port Bait and Tackle, shares her extensive saltwater fishing expertise with engaged attendees at the MFCC Women's Meetup. Drawing from her recent 100-pound squid fishing success, Amy offered valuable insights on gear selection, ideal Cape Cod fishing locations, and techniques that work for both boat and shore casting
Additionally, she offered her insights on squid fishing, having recently spent a night catching over 100 pounds of squid.
Furthermore, Amy was willing to help new anglers, whether or not they had gear, to get set up. Several women mentioned during the Q&A that they had some gear but needed advice and assistance regarding braid and leaders to use, lures, and other fishing equipment.
Girls Cast and Catch Day
Next up was longtime MFCC member Jane Simpson, who shared information about a "Girls Cast and Catch Day" that she is planning in collaboration with MFCC, Sports Port and the Cape Cod Salties Sportfishing Club.
The Girls Cast and Catch Day will provide an opportunity for about 10-12 young girls to learn to saltwater fish and is planned for September 2025. More details will be forthcoming about this event later this summer.
Longtime MFCC member Jane Simpson unveils plans for the upcoming 'Girls Cast and Catch Day,' an initiative designed to introduce young girls to the joys of saltwater fishing. This collaborative effort between MFCC, Sports Port and the Cape Cod Salties Sportfishing Club promises to inspire the next generation of women anglers when it launches in September 2025.
Surf Casting Tips from Experienced Anglers
Due to a last-minute change, the final session focused on surf casting and featured longtime MFCC members Carol Girard-Irwin, Jean Lapiene, and myself, Gretchen Stiers (also VP of the Cape Cod Salties).
We all met through the My Fishing Cape Cod site and often run into other MFCC members while fishing. During our presentation Carol and Jean provided information on rods, reels, line, and lures that they use for surf casting on the Outer Cape.
We also brought our favorite equipment for others to see up close:
- Rods: 9' moderate action rods (St. Croix Seage and ODM Frontier)
- Reels: Shimano Saragosa 5000 and Salt X 2 4000
- Surf bags: Gear Up, Flatliner, and Surf Rite
- Surf belts: OMD and a Tiderunner diving belt
Options range in price, so if you are just starting, go with gear within your budget.
One great question was about knots for tying a line to a leader and a leader to a lure clip, such as Tactical Angler Clips. Carol and Jean favored the Crazy Alberto, while I like a Uni-to-Uni knot for tying leader to main line. We all use an improved clinch knot for tying leader to lure clips.
Carol and Jean also noted that many companies make quality fishing clothing in women's sizes, such as AFTCO, Columbia, Grudens, and HUK. The Q&A would have gone on longer if only there had been more time!
After sharing a wealth of surf casting knowledge, MFCC members (left to right) Gretchen Stiers, Carol Girard-Irwin and Jean Lapiene showcase the camaraderie that defines this growing women's fishing community. These women, who met through My Fishing Cape Cod, displayed their preferred gear and revealed hard-earned tips on everything from knot techniques to finding quality women's fishing apparel
Future Events
At the end of the morning, the group agreed that more events for female anglers are needed - both to help women get started with fishing and to support those with more experience.
Stay tuned - more women's events will be planned in the future, including a Second Annual Women's Meet Up next spring.
Information about women's events will be posted to the new Women Anglers Talk Fishing thread in the forum. Please let us know what types of women's events you would like to see in the future!
This was a great event! I am so glad we did it! Thank you Gretchen, Amy, Jean, Carol and Jane for playing a big part in the success of this day.
Over the past couple weeks I have seen more women joining as members and I hope to inspire them to use this new space in our forum to help connect. Looking forward to hearing how your women fishing trips go. :fishing_pole:
Dear fellow female anglers – Depending on level of interest, I plan to organize a few all women 4-pack Striper trips to fish the Monomoy rips this summer. The first trip will be Monday morning July 7th. This trip will be with Capt. Diogo Godoi, Gorrilla Tactics Sport Fishing, leaving out of Bass River Marina in West Dennis. If you are interested, please message me in the forum @Gstiers for more details.
Without a doubt it was a successful event. The discussion was lively across the experience spectrum. I think new anglers left more excited about fishing then when they first arrived.
Jane – I am excited to hear more about Girls Cast and Catch Day when the plans are set. Such a great idea to get more girls into fishing!
Great pictures. Looks like one successful event. That little one Hallie is beautiful. So nice to see her involved. Welcome Hallie- MFCC’s youngest angler to date. Good luck to all you gals and way to go with starting up a seminar. That’s a great way to expand and connect possibly finding future partners. Be safe and Tight Lines to all.