Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Johnstone
Hi Katie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Ohio Women on the Fly was founded in 2019 by myself, Katie Johnstone, and Jessica Suvak. Jessica and I had met a year earlier through a climbing festival put on by the Ohio Climbers Coalition. We started following each other on Instagram and realized we both had an interest in fly fishing. At that time, Heather Hudson had founded United Women on the Fly. It was a Facebook group where women anglers from all over the country could connect. This led me to find a Facebook group here in Ohio in hopes there was a local community. I realized it was not a very active account, but I made a post to see if some women would want to get together to fish with Jess and I. A few women responded and we met at a local trout stream and fished for a few hours on a cold Winter day. We had an absolute blast and after that decided to make an Instagram account in hopes to connect with other female anglers. We had seen the impact United Women on the Fly was making across the country, and hoped we could do something similar here in Ohio. We started the Instagram account and that quickly blossomed into something we did not expect. Several women reached out interested in learning to fly fishing. From there we created a Facebook group and a website. Once the website was created we came up with a mission.. OWOTF was created to bring women in Ohio’s fly fishing community together and to inspire more women to get on the water. Since then we have been doing as much as we can to uphold that mission. We have worked with local fly fishing shops and groups to host workshops and clinics. We hold fishing meetups during the Summer and an annual fishing “Weekend at Mohican” every November. During the Winter time we have held presentations and several tying events. As of today, we have over 300 women in the Facebook group and 200 people subscribed to the website. There is no membership fee, and we encourage women of all skills levels to join us!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes, for the most past it has been a smooth road. Women in fly fishing is growing rapidly. Many local anglers and shops have been very helpful along the way and supportive of our group. Through their support, we have been able to host informative workshops and presentations. Many women are interested in learning or find the group as a comfortable place to continue learning, which has lead the group to grow more than we could have expected.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
After graduating from Ohio University I worked in digital marketing communications for five years. In 2020 I decided to make a career change and started working full time at the local fly shop here in Columbus. In July I will have been at Mad River Outfitters for 4 years. I work in the store and guide. From Spring through Fall I guide trips for Smallmouth Bass. Then from Fall through early Spring I guide for Rainbow Trout. Since working at the store, Mad River Outfitters has been able to hold women’s specific events. During the winter I put on women’s fly tying classes and during the warmer months I host two women’s fly fishing schools. We have a great staff at the shop, but many women have expressed have a female working there makes their experience more comfortable and provides confidence walking into a shop. My goal is to continue to provide female focused classes so women can continue to grow in the sport and find the confidence they need to feel comfortable in a male dominated sport.
What are your plans for the future?
On a personal professional level, I hope to get more women out on guide trips. I look forward to inspiring more women to get on the water and learn about our local waters.
For Ohio Women on the Fly, Jess and I plan to continue hosting meetups, fly tying nights and workshops. We look forward to watching the group grow, and hope to inspire more women to join us on the water. We plan to stay focused on women’s events, but host more coed events as well. Each winter we host coed fly tying nights and they have been very successful. They have been a great way for everyone in the community to connect. Next year we are tossing around the idea of a coed fishing derby as a fun way to get everyone out on the water.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ohiowomenonthefly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohiowomenonthefly/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OhioWomenOnTheFly
