Photo taken by Capt. Keven Nakamaru aboard his boat Northern Lights on February 6, 2019. World record shortbill spearfish caught by Wanda Hair Taylor. Wanda Hair Taylor, Wanda’s offshore fly fishing mentor behind the camera. Click here or on image to visit Wanda’s website.
Like Jake Jordan, and like Lefty Kreh was, Wanda Hair Taylor is passionate about creating new fly anglers
Wanda says her two grandmothers took the time to teach her to fish and instilled in her the desire to pass on what she knew to anyone who wanted to learn, but especially children and women.
By Skip Clement
Today, Wanda says: ‘I am living that dream by instructional guiding, private casting lessons, and volunteering: Youth Outdoor Clubs, Casting Carolinas, Casting for Confidence, Casting For Recovery, Project Healing Waters, lecturing at fly shows and festivals across America, and speaking to fly clubs nationwide.’
At age four; my two grandmothers took the time to teach me to fish and instilled in me the desire to pass on what I knew to anyone who wanted to learn, but especially children and other women.’
— Wanda Hair Taylor
Wanda married a professional fly guide and then became a guide, fly casting instructor, and Fly Fish TV hostess. She got featured in fly fishing videos, podcasts, Walkers Cay with Flip Pallot, and a published outdoor writer for Fly Fish America and DUN magazines.
Today
Wanda has been a featured speaker at fly clubs, expos, conclaves, and private fly fishing events across the United States and around the world. Her topics range from freshwater to saltwater inshore, nearshore, and offshore in bluewater.
Image courtesy of Wanda Hair Taylor.
Wanda is a person of firsts for Women
• She’s known as the South’s 1st Lady of Fly Fishing.
• Along with Jake Jordan and Lefty Kreh when he was alive, Wanda became the highest-profile TFO National Advisory Staff Member, of which she has been a member for 18 years.
• Ambassador for Women Veterans – Project Healing Waters events.
• Board Member and Retreat Leader for Casting Carolina’s.
• First Woman Orvis Endorsed Guide in the Southeastern United States. [1990].
• First Woman to be classified as Certified Master Casting Instructor by the Federation of Fly Fishers – now called Fly Fishers International [1996].
• Co-Founder Casting For Confidence [2002].
• Southeastern International Federation of Fly Fishers Woman of the Year [2005].
• International Federation of Fly Fishers [now called FFI – see above] South Eastern Council Award of Excellence for her work with ‘Casting For Recovery’ and ‘Casting For Confidence’ [2008].
• First Woman to be inducted into the Southern Appalachian’s Fly Fishing Museum Hall of Fame [2016].
• International Game Fish Association World Record Spearfish on the fly, Kona, Hawaii.
‘Anytime time I’m on the water, casting a fly, I am being renewed and getting refreshed.’ — Wanda Hair taylor
Learn more about women who fish every week right here – March is Women’s History Month
Above: This book written by Cathi Comar. Contact American Museum of Fly Fishing for more information. Below: This book written by Steve Kantner. Contact Amazon Books.
