It’s one of West Virginia’s most supported recreations––Fishing.
Mountaineers love to fish. Something about the serene landscape of escaping to the woods, and finding a quiet stream to cast a line for hours on end. With some of the best spots in the country, the hunting and fishing industry generates nearly half a million dollars in revenue every year.
Host, Jim Matuga, sat down with Kate Garton, Owner of McFly Outdoors, Nate Rees, Guide at Catch Cam Nets, and Pamela Dunlap, Founder of Women Wine & Waders.
In October of 2012, the Garton family purchased Jerry’s Sporting Goods with a brave new vision for the store and to outfit West Virginia recreators for their outdoor adventures. For companies like McFly Outdoors, it also means equipping the next generation of recreators in the state.
“The amount of young people that have gotten into [fishing] has surprised me,” said Garton. “Fathers with daughters are coming in and taking them out. And at our Lewis County store, we hosted a youth day. We stocked a section of Stone Coal Lake. We had 250 kids attend.”
Fishing and recreation is a generational inheritance. Parents teach their children to love the outdoors, and their children grow up to do the same.
“We want to continue the generation of conservation,” said Dunlap. “Through the pandemic, we’ve learned that its important to get outdoors and work for our kids.”
Fishing is also communal and takes a community to make it all work. From the conservation and stocking of streams to the inventory of equipment and parents who take time with their children––if the industry lacks one item, the fishing ecosystem would fail.
“We’re really excited to get people out on the waters of West Virginia,” said Rees. “We want them to experience what we’ve been blessed to experience and enjoy our whole life. You name it, [West Virginia] has it––Hunting, fishing, hiking, and more.”
To follow the panelists’ stories and to get a better glimpse of each company, visit mcflyoutdoors.com, www.catchcamnets.com, and www.womenwineandwaders.com.