Orvis Kicks Off ’50/50 On the Water’ Film Tour, Celebrates Women in Fishing

Orvis’ latest film tour celebrates women in fishing. The brand’s 50/50 On the Water series will likely come to a town near you.

Women have likely been fishing since the dawn of human existence. But, as of late, we’ve seen a huge national jump in women coming to fishing. In 2018, 17.7 million women went fishing, and that’s no small number.

Orvis’ 50/50 On the Water initiative officially launched in 2017 with the goal of increasing female participation in fly fishing to 50 percent. And it tackles the problem head-on.

Whether it’s creating women’s-specific gear, celebrating female guides and anglers, or building educational resources for anglers of all levels, the fly-fishing company attacks the issue of equality from all angles.

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Fortunately, it’s paying off. The hashtag #5050OnTheWater is nearing 33,000 posts. More women are indeed coming to fly fishing. And with 3 years of casting a fly rod under my belt, I’ll add myself to that list of newbies.

The brand’s latest effort is a film tour series featuring women — where else? — on the water. The events themselves are hosted by retail and nonprofit organizations, and the calendar shows events happening everywhere from South Carolina to Michigan and Colorado.

If you don’t see an event near you, applications to host are available through Orvis.