Women of the Water

These anglers are casting a light on conservation

BY NICOLE QUALTIERI

Fishing, for some, is simply a pastime. For others, it’s a way to put food on the table. But for the three anglers highlighted here, it’s a passion, a profession and a way to teach conservation ethics.

Whether they’re guiding, educating or shing for fun, these sportswomen embrace angling as a platform to maintain and improve their home waters.

HEATHER HARKAVY

Anglers worldwide bene t from the positive energy that radiates from Heather Harkavy.

As director of operations for Denver-based nonpro t Fish for Change, Harkavy uses y- shing as a platform to better the planet. Through student programs, she proselytizes the organization’s tenets of connection, education, conservation and exploration to groups in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

“We hope to inspire a generation of y shermen that are stewards of their environment,” Harkavy says. “We team up with local nonpro ts working on projects such as coral reef restoration, sh tagging, mangrove restoration and coastal cleanups.”

She’s no stranger to the water. Growing up in South Florida, Harkavy chased world record sh alongside her father Jeff, a founding member of Bone sh & Tarpon Trust, a group that works to conserve and restore saltwater ats sheries through research and education.

She shes onshore, offshore and on the y, challenging herself by pursuing many of the most challenging sh.

“As I got older, my foundation as an angler sparked a need in me to nd like-minded peers and help create the space for people to come together,” she says. In college, she worked with nonpro ts and brands including Trout Unlimited, Captains for Clean Water, Costa sunglasses and Tropic Star Lodge in Panama. “Through this effort, I was exposed to a lot of different routes to turn my passion into my career, landing me with Fish for Change. And it’s my absolute dream job.”

Harkavy’s life as an angler intersects with some of shing’s most lauded names.

“I have a 9-weight 3-TAND Winston setup that was gifted to me by Joan Wulff and Stu Apte years ago,” Harkavy says of her favorite rod-and reel combo from a pair of y- shing legends. “If my house was on re, it would be the only thing I would grab. The history of it makes it the kind of rod you should probably just shadow box in your home, but instead it comes everywhere with me. And because of that, it’s the setup I have caught most of my favorite sh on.”

Warm and vivacious, Harkavy turns competitive when permit are on the docket. And though she travels to some of the world’s most coveted shing destinations, it’s the people that matter most. In her mind, shing with a fabulous group of folks beats a dream destination any day.

Harkavy has high expectations for the growth of y- shing. “I hope the future of this sport is inclusive, diverse and people dig into their why when it comes to shing,” she says. “And I want to see shing continue to be used as a tool to inspire great change. For me, it’s the foundation of friendships that can change the world, and I hope it continues to be my source for a social life, passion and career.” >

“Taking care of these spaces ensures they’re there for generations to come.”

— CHLOE NOSTRANT

CHLOE NOSTRANT

If you walk into George Anderson’s Yellowstone Angler and nd Chloe Nostrant behind the counter, consider yourself lucky. If you’re looking for something shy, you’re in for a treat, because Nostrant knows y- shing gear like the back of her hand.

“I primarily work in the y shop,” Nostrant says, “but I do guide in Yellowstone National Park, and I’m also an outdoors writer and photographer.”

It’s Nostrant’s Jill-of-all-trades vibe that makes her a standout in Montana’s bro-centric y angling culture. She might be on a photo shoot for an outdoor brand one day and guiding anglers for Yellowstone cutthroat trout the next. And the day after that, she might cast more than three dozen rods as part of Yellowstone Angler’s annual rod shootout.

“Every year we decide on a weight, and we take as many rods as we can,” Nostrant says. “From there we whittle it down to do full writeups. We test under similar conditions on the lawn for three distances — close, medium and far. And from there, we set up rods with the best lines for optimal performance.”

Over the years, she’s cast a lot of rods. These days, she’s partial to Scott’s latest lineup of Centric and Sector rods, if you’re looking for a recommendation.

In her time off, you can nd Nostrant upland hunting with her Gordon setter, Hiatt. Both hunting and angling tie her back to the land and water.

“My job depends on conservation,” she says. “And it’s so important because Montana is one of the last open spaces. We’re really lucky to have it, and we need to realize it’s not an in nite resource. Conserving, protecting and taking care of these spaces ensures they’re there for generations to come.” >

“Being able to help folks disconnect has become more and more important.”

— LACEY KELLY

LACEY KELLY

Captain Lacey Kelly is the very image of an outdoorswoman. For 15 years, the multifaceted and multitalented Florida guide has coached anglers through y- and lighttackle shing, and hunters seeking deer, hogs, turkeys, alligators and more.

She’s done just about everything, from getting her captain’s license as a teenager to spear shing in Florida to working in a y shop in Belize. But as a fth-generation Floridian, she’s most deeply connected to the endangered native landscape. She’s been working as a guide, manager and wearer of many hats for Florida Outdoor Experience (FOE) for seven years.

“The lodge I manage has over 1,600 acres of property that the owner, Gray Drummond, has moved into a conservation easement to ensure it will never be developed,” she says. “I’ve seen rsthand in my short lifetime of 36 years how the rapid development in the Sunshine State has crippled our natural resources.”

Florida’s conservation issues are wide ranging, and Kelly sees herself as part of a large team effort to combat the threats at hand.

“Protecting shorelines, oak hammocks, cypress swamps and everything that makes Florida wild is at the heart of our operation at FOE,” she says. “I’m surrounded by incredible folks, and we are ghting the good ght together.”

Connecting her clients to the incredible wildlife and resources that Florida offers is part of her work to conserve and protect.

“The quiet spaces of being on the ats or in an oak hammock that I share with clients are truly special. It’s so easy nowadays to get caught up in our digital lives from social media to Zoom calls and the bottomless pit of emails.

“Being able to help folks disconnect has become more and more important in my 15 years of guiding,” Kelly continues. “As much as technology has helped develop us into more successful anglers, it still can’t account for sh being sh. That’s the beauty in what we do on the water.” l