When the issue of women in fishing is brought up, the name Joan Wulff usually springs to mind. After all, she’s one of the premier fly casters and anglers — male or female — in the world, but here’s the thing that many of us gloss over when pondering women in fishing.
Every angler — male or female – has a mother who had a hand in raising them. So with Mother’s Day less than a week away, we decided to dedicate a blog post to mom. I asked a handful of TFO staffers and advisors to contribute a memory or two of mother.
Any memories of mom you’d like to share, please let us know. Enjoy.
Rick Pope, TFO Chairman:
“My mother, Bettie, turns 86 on May 26. (She) is still active on the family ranch in the Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin. The first (main) photo is of her mother, Joyce and my daughter, Callan. Mom is on the right. The second (below) is of her with a rattler she shot a couple of weeks ago. She hates rattle snakes and pigs – shoots both with a vengeance. She is the best mother in the world and that fact has been confirmed by the many members of our TFO family who have met her.”
Not a good day to be a Rattler in Texas. Photo courtesy of Rick Pope
Captain Jake Jordan, TFO Advisor
“This picture (below) is of my mother, Ann Jordan, and I at her 100th birthday party. She was healthy until late in 2012 and passed away at 102. Mom lived with me for the last six years of her life, which were the best six years of my life. Mom ran a marina in Somers Point, N.J. with my dad from 1950 until 1975 when they sold the marina and retired. She was the sweetest, kindest person that I ever knew, I miss her terribly, and think of her every day, I was truly blessed to have her as my Mother. Happy Mother’s Day, I love you.”
Jake Jordan and his mom celebrate. Photo courtesy of Jake Jordan
Wanda Taylor, TFO Advisor
My mom has always been my inspiration. She put herself through school while raising me and my sis. Rode her own Harley. Received her pilot’s license at (age) 50. Won senior women marathons in three countries. Is a great golfer and fly angler. Most of all she is an elegant woman of faith, love and courage. She is the matriarch of Hairville. When I grow up, I aspire to be her. Gigi Hair Reyes, my mother of the year!”
Wanda and her mom on the flats. Photo courtesy of Wanda Taylor
Collins Illich, Vice President/Bass Category Manager of TFO
“This is an epic Mother’s Day fishing story. In 1994, I was a freshman in high school and my parents had recognized that I was really, really serious about this fishing stuff. I did a bunch of work around the house, and in exchange my mom was going to buy me my first real fly rod, an Orvis 5-weight two-piece. She’s picking me up from school. I’ve always been a terrible student. I love to read. I’m intellectually curious, but I’m a (lousy) student. I was bored in class. My bother is a PHD, JD. My sister’s a judge. I’m the black sheep. My mom being a teacher, (my parents) did a lot of things to really encourage my education. Not succeeding is all my fault, but she’s picking me up from school and taking me to the Orvis store to pick up a fly rod I’ve been casting for like three, four weeks. I had been trying to decide between three or four of them. It’s all predicated on my finishing a reading-comprehension test. Once I get finished with that test, I get to go. The test, believe it or not, only took about three minutes. I called my mom. I got to go. I got to buy my first fly rod. And I got like a 35 on the test. (Laughing), it was the worst plan ever to get me to take school seriously. I spent zero time on the test. I think it’s an awesome story. The results of the test came post-rod purchase. I called her and reminded her about the story (the other day). As a sweet retired school teacher would, she asked if I still had the rod. No, I gave that rod away a few years ago. Thank you for encouraging what was really important to me, mom.”
Collins with his mom, the school teacher. Photo courtesy of Collins Illich
