The American Museum of Fly Fishing and its Exhibition Profiles are the profiles of important women fly anglers, fly tyers, artists, conservationists and guides of yesterday, today and tomorrow
The American Museum of Fly Fishing and its Exhibition Profiles are the profiles of important women fly anglers, fly tyers, conservationists and guides of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Exhibition Profiles are from the book “A Graceful Rise” written by Catherine Comar, executive director of the museum. Promotional narrative for National Endowment for the Arts is provided by Fly Life Magazine.com. Copyright the American Museum of Fly Fishing (AMFF) – 2014. More images are viewable in the book.
Meet Lori-Ann Murphy
Meryl Streep’s role in “The River Wild” required fly-fishing experience, so production called in Lori-Ann to show her the ropes. From the looks of this photo, she had a good time learning! Lori-Ann Murphy photo.
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ori-Ann Murphy was born and raised in California. Angling was an activity enjoyed by all members of the Murphy family, and she spent many vacations visiting different fishing locations.
A nice permit day in Belize; especially when it’s your birthday. El Pescador Lodge photo.
Murphy attended college in Idaho and then moved to Seattle in 1983 to attend nursing school. While living in Washington, she and a friend went fly fishing on the Deschutes River, and Murphy landed her first steelhead on a fly. This event sparked her interest in fly fishing and started her life on a new path.
After completing nursing school and while traveling to a new job in Wyoming, Murphy stopped in Driggs, Idaho, to spend some time on the water. Instead of continuing her trip to Wyoming, she accepted a hospital nursing job in Driggs and settled into a new life that included fly fishing. It was in Idaho that she met her future husband, a professional guide, who encouraged her to use her angling skills by becoming a guide. Murphy attended a 1989 Orvis Rendezvous in Livingston, Montana, and by chance was paired with Leigh Perkins, then-owner of the company; after this event, Murphy became the first woman guide to be Orvis endorsed.
By 1994, Murphy had taught the first women-only class while guiding for Joe Bressler in Jackson, Wyoming; served as the fly-fishing technical advisor during the filming of A River Wild (featuring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon); assisted with the creation of Orvis’s women-only fly-fishing school; and founded Reel Women Fly Fishing Adventures with friend Christy Ball. Reel Women was the first company to offer women-only fly-fishing trips; the company was an immediate success and received nationwide recognition.
Lori-Ann Murphy, Fishing Director at El Pescador Lodge in Belize passes on some angling advice to lodge guest.
Among Murphy’s other accomplishments are working with Nancy Zakon and Christy Ball to design and launch Orvis’s collection of women’s fly-fishing clothing; winning the International Sportsmen’s Exposition’s Best of the West Casting Competition in 2003; being a winning member of Team Under Armour during the 2007 Outdoor Life Network Fly Fishing Masters Tournament; and being featured on Outdoor Channel’s 2011 series Buccaneers and Bones.
Lori-Ann Murphy currently lives in Belize nine months of the year and is the director of fishing and guest relations at El Pescador Lodge. She visits her home waters in southwestern Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming as often as possible.
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Author Catherine E Comar’s book received great reviews. The women profiled are amazing, and that alone makes for an interesting read. The next printing is due out shortly. See contact info at end of this post. Read review
American Museum of Fly Fishing, 4104 Main Street Manchester, VT 05254 802-362-3300. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am to 4pm –
Stay in touch with the Museum and its On Fly in the Salt initiative . . . Regular updates on the exhibition and the Indiegogo campaign will also be posted on the Museum’s website.
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