Boots Are Made for Wading

Women on the Water

A women-only fly fishing event, “These Boots Are Made for Wading” offers instruction and opportunity for connection.

photos from the day and compare notes. In true Broadmoor fashion, the Boots weekend is also peppered with luxury: A resort chef prepares family-style, gourmet meals and leads cooking demonstrations, plus there is a wine tasting and nights around a fire pit, toasting s’mores under the stars. Those learning the sport quickly find that fly fishing isn’t as easy as baiting a hook with a worm and dropping your rod into a lake. It takes more skill, better form, and a borderline obsessive curiosity about how fish move in the river and what, on any given day, will entice them to bite. With that in mind, the camp provides a series of clinics that cover fundamentals like casting and fly tying. Guests are also introduced to the wild world of insects during a class with Robert Younghanz (known as “the Bug Guy”), who has gained international acclaim for his entomologist’s approach to the sport and ability to identify thousands of insects.

Under the guidance of professional Broadmoor guides and along five miles of private waters, camp guests build on fly fishing skills— spotting seams in the river (the fast-moving sections where fish congregate to feed) as well as casting and setting hooks. The magic happens when you see your leader dip under the water’s surface, hinting that a fish has taken your fly.

For Stancell, that was the moment that got her hooked: “It was electrifying,” she says. “I couldn’t wait to catch my next fish.

BY BRITTANY ANAS

WHEN LOU STANCELL OF HOUSTON WAS organizing a girlfriends getaway for her friends to collectively celebrate their 40th birthdays, she discovered the Orvis-endorsed Broadmoor’s Fly Fishing Camp and “These Boots Are Made for Wading.” The women-only event checked all the boxes the friend group sought in a vacation: They would begin with a posh stay at The Broadmoor’s main resort before embarking on a scenic, 75-mile drive to the peaceful and private fishing camp. Over a few days, the women who met more than two decades ago in college strengthened their bonds on the river and learned a new sport together.

“We learned that it’s okay to try something new at 40 and be amateurs,” Stancell says. “The guides made everything so easy and approachable.”

Currently, women make up less than onethird of the 6.5 million Americans who fly fish, according to the most recent study by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. For the all-inclusive “Boots” weekend, The Broadmoor partners with Orvis and its 50/50 On the Water initiative, an industry-wide campaign to increase gender parity in fly fishing.

During the weekend, guests are paired with guides, and the days can be customized for varying skill levels, from beginners who are learning to cast for the first time to more advanced anglers eager to refine their technique or learn to read the river better. Logistics—from securing fishing licenses to suiting up in waders and boots—are a breeze. And, after a day on the water, the main lodge beckons with its wraparound porch and rocking chairs, a perfect perch to show off fish

.ESSENTIALS. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WADING

JUNE 2–3 AND JULY 14–15, 2023

“These Boots Are Made for Wading” is an exclusive fly fishing retreat just for women at The Broadmoor’s Fly Fishing Camp, designed for anglers of all skill levels and endorsed by Orvis. An all-inclusive, two-night stay costs $2,100 based on single occupancy or $2,300 based on double occupancy (plus applicable service charges and taxes). All equipment is provided. Round-trip transportation can be arranged from The Broadmoor. Visit Broadmoor.com or call (855) 498-7558 for information.