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Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium
Jen Ripple from DUN Magazine will speak at Beyond the Cast 2025.
Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium
Beyond the Cast is back--and better than ever!
A New Home Base
In 2025, the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival (January 10-11, 2025 in Doswell at the Virginia state fairgrounds) will feature an entirely updated Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium. Along with our longtime sponsor Take Me Fishing, we launched Beyond the Cast to create a welcoming point of entry into the quiet sport of fly fishing for women from all walks of life. Both the 2023 and 2024 BtC events were successful in imparting crucial angling skills and nurturing new fishing partnerships among our female participants. In 2025 we’re officially leveling up: Beyond the Cast participants will meet on festival grounds in the The Meadow Pavilion--a building we have secured for their exclusive use. The symposium will be held entirely inside (apart from fly casting) on Friday January 10th from 8:00 AM-4:00PM.
A New Kickoff Event
Beyond the Cast begins with a bang: The symposium kickoff event, “Women, Wine, & Fly Tying,” will be held Thursday, January 9, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Pavilion. Women, Wine, & Fly Tying guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, adult beverages, and fly tying with experts along with special guests of the festival. All Beyond the Cast participants are invited to the kickoff event; a limited number of tickets will be available for sale to interested others as well. Special raffles will be available for Women, Wine, & Fly Tying attendees only. Our BtC kickoff event Women, Wine, & Fly Tying is sponsored by Shenk Capital Management; all proceeds go to support the USA Women’s Fly Fishing Team.
What Is Beyond the Cast?
“Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium” was the first event of its kind, offering a wide variety of intermediate to advanced fly-fishing programming developed specifically for women and taught by experts from all over the country. “We’ve provided numerous introductory casting and ‘Fly Fishing 101’-style classes over the years,” says Festival Director Beau Beasley, “and those classes have been enormously successful. ‘Beyond the Cast’ is different. This is a program by and for women, with a focus on topics that women have told us they’re looking for and haven’t found elsewhere. Having said this, women fly anglers of any skill level are welcome to attend.
“Women told us that they don’t fish as often as they’d like to--and sometimes stop fishing altogether--because they can’t find fishing partners. They’re looking for like-minded outdoor women to connect with. So beyond teaching skills, we’re helping women establish networks and make connections--with potential fishing buddies, and with guides and outfitters. We have built the infrastructure that enables them to create their own community.
The Meadow Pavilion, home of Beyond the Cast 2025.
RBFF’s Take Me Fishing--already female-focused with its national “Women Making Waves” campaign--has partnered with the Virginia Fly & Wine once again to support the 2025 Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium. Stephanie Vatalaro, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. notes that RBFF is committed to initiatives that “make women feel comfortable and confident in the sport.”
The 2025 Beyond the Cast Women’s Fly Fishing Symposium will feature:
- DUN magazine’s Jen Ripple on the history of women in fly fishing
- Orvis legend Rom Rosenbauer on prospecting for trout, and how to find fish even when “nothing” is going on
- USA Women’s Fly Fishing Team member Julie Mattson on rigging and nymphing, and all about sling packs and fly boxes
- A working lunch with several women industry leaders
- Casting instructor (and professional entomologist) Callie Freeman on “Bugs 101”
- Vintner Tyler Wind of Wind Vineyards on “Wine Tasting 101”
- numerous instructors on fine-tuning your fly casting
Symposium participants will interact with one another, industry leaders, and special guests during a complimentary lunch on festival Friday (January 10). When they aren’t participating in symposium-specific programming, students are invited to take in the rest of the Virginia Fly & Wine (at the end of the symposium on Friday and all day Saturday).
Tom Rosenbauer with students from the 2024 Beyond the Cast.
Beyond the Cast FAQs
Q: Can I attend even if I’m a beginner?
A: While the classes are designed for female anglers with more than a basic knowledge of fly fishing, beginners are very welcome to attend.
Q: Do I need to bring any gear?
A: No, no equipment of any kind is required. If you plan on doing some fly casting to improve your skills, do bring your fly rod with you. If you don't have one yet, we can supply one for you at no additional cost.
Q: Does the symposium include a weekend pass to the festival?
A: Yes!
Q: Can I buy Beyond the Cast Symposium tickets at the door?
A: You may purchase tickets at the door, but there is limited seating and once it is sold out, no further tickets will be made available.
For more information contact Beau Beasley at fishutopia@comcast.net or check out the 2023 events that will feature “Beyond the Cast”: www.vaflyfishingfestival.org.
