I worked as a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service for four summers, the past two with听a hotshot crew of听20 experienced firefighters who travel all over the country and听spend听most of the听鈥渟ummer鈥澨�(April through October)听sleeping on the ground and digging fire lines in extreme temperatures and rough terrain.听

The government issues any equipment that is absolutely necessary to do our jobs, but we also rely heavily on our own personal kits听for extra听comfort. We鈥檙e not exactly nice to this gear; we subject it to 16-hour days in heat, smoke, and dust, and when we鈥檙e not using it, it鈥檚 often shoved into a duffel bag. Having these items break during the summer is inconvenient at best and could negatively affect your productivity at worst (like when your sleeping pad deflates halfway through a 14-day assignment and you鈥檙e camped in a place only accessible by helicopter). Because of scenarios like this, there鈥檚 added dependence听on our gear. After four seasons of trial and error, these were the items I knew would last, no matter how much I abused them.听

Icebreaker Merino 175 Everyday Short Sleeve Crew ($70)

While I鈥檝e spent a good number听of days working听in a cotton T-shirt under my 鈥測ellow鈥� (the bright, long-sleeved听fire-resistant shirt听we wear while on the job), from Icebreaker has taught me that wool is the way to go.听

With no polyester, spandex, or nylon to hinder听the crew鈥檚听natural breathability, the听wool听cuts down on odor and clamminess听by wicking away sweat and drying quickly鈥攁nd less stink means you can get away with fewer washings. (Microbes have a harder time clinging to wool than to synthetic fibers.) This is听helpful when you use the听same two shirts for a couple听weeks straight.

While other merino wool base layers I鈥檝e used have effectively disintegrated鈥攄eveloping numerous holes and shedding more and more material after every washing鈥攖he two Icebreaker tees I bought three summers ago became听my day-to-day mainstays. Neither has听a single hole to show for it, despite months of sweat, sawdust, and getting shoved into and pulled out of my bag every day.听

听

Therm-a-Rest Women鈥檚 ProLite听Sleeping Pad ($95)

Made with a 50-denier ripstop polyester, the strikes a good balance between tough and packable. At 11 by 4 inches in the stuffsack, it left space in my duffle for other gear, and听weighing in at just over one pound, it鈥檚 Therm-a-Rest鈥檚 lightest self-inflating mattress for women. Most important, though, it didn鈥檛听pop a hole or break a seam in four years of heavy use, including many nights of sleeping atop it听on rodeo-arena floors, soccer fields, and rocky ridgelines deep in the backcountry.

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow ($43)

Probably the best $43听I鈥檝e ever spent, the听听gave听me a comfortable听place to lay my head in the buggy on the way to fires, and it provided听an added cushion听for the months I spent听on the ground. It鈥檚 incredibly light (2.5 ounces)听and packed听down small enough to shove听into any open corner of a duffle听bag (or my carry-on while traveling). I dig the plush outer lining鈥攊ts听surface was听much warmer and cozier than the bare polyester versions I鈥檝e used in the past, which听were only a small improvement compared with听using a bunched-up rainjacket for a pillow.听Sea to Summit doesn鈥檛 recommend machine-washing the Aeros,听but I slept听on it听with a dirty face and unwashed hair, so I cleaned听it by hand after every fire assignment for two years. After听dozens of washings, I haven鈥檛 noticed听holes or听substantial wear and tear or had any issues inflating it.

Suncloud Cinco Sunglasses ($50)

I鈥檓 a terrible sunglasses owner. I always seem to lose the ones that fit my face perfectly or break the ones that cost a quarter听of my paycheck. That鈥檚 why practicality and affordability are now my biggest priorities when I鈥檓 shopping for a new pair.听At just $50, 听vastly exceeds what you鈥檇 expect from midrange听shades. The lenses are polarized (which isn鈥檛听necessary for fire work听but is very helpful for fishing on my days off), and the frames are made of a durable nylon material called Grilamid, which is more flexible than plastic. Unlike some of the gas-station options听I鈥檝e used in the past, the Cinco听never fogged when听my face was听soaked in sweat. They鈥檝e withstood a whole gauntlet of mistreatment, such as听regularly wiping them with dirty leather gloves, accidentally sitting on them, and, worst of all, placing them in the same pocket as my knife.

Arc鈥檛eryx Atom LT Hoody ($260)

If there鈥檚 one piece of gear that has turned me into an insufferable gear bragger, it鈥檚 the . I鈥檝e spent six years with it and adore it more than any piece of apparel I鈥檝e owned. It kept听me comfortable on cold mornings at fire camp and serves as听the perfect听midlayer while skiing. The 100 percent听nylon shell (which has听light waterproofing for drizzly days) is still听durable enough to withstand a few knicks while sharpening a chainsaw. Its听synthetic insulation maintains its warmth when wet, and the stretchy fleece side panels along the torso and under the arms lend more breathability than you鈥檇 get from a down jacket鈥攁nd that means听less sweat when the temperature rises or the hike gets steeper. It stuffs into its own pocket听for easy transport, and听while the price might be a deterrent for some, I鈥檝e never had a more apt use for the phrase 鈥淏uy it nice or buy it twice鈥� than I have with this hoodie.听

Drew鈥檚 Boots Women鈥檚 10-Inch听Brown Roughout ($399)

There are many fire-boot builders, but Drew鈥檚 is my personal favorite and go-to brand. The has a听narrow听footbed, so it鈥檚 sized truer听to the shape of a woman鈥檚 foot听and not simply converted from a men鈥檚 sizing chart. Drew鈥檚 boots are also made of a softer leather than other popular fire boots, which amounts to a听quicker break-in time and fewer blisters. One consequence of this build is a shorter life span鈥擨 usually get two fire seasons out of a pair of Drew鈥檚 before the footbed blows out or the Vibram sole wears听down. That said, a huge benefit of buying hand-built leather boots is the听ability to have them听resoled at a substantially lower cost than a new pair would ring you.听

Fits听Tactical Socks ($24)

You鈥檇 be hard-pressed to find a wildland firefighter who doesn鈥檛 have a very strong opinion about socks. My pick? The听. Good socks are crucial when wearing a rigid leather boot like Drew鈥檚, White鈥檚, or Nick鈥檚. With fire boots like these,听it鈥檚 often said that it鈥檚 not the boot that gets broken in but your foot, so a durable pair of socks that fit well is sometimes just as important as the boot itself, especially when it comes to avoiding blisters. I鈥檝e ruined a lot of socks in my time as a firefighter鈥攂y听breaking in boots, logging long miles, or succumbing to heel slippage鈥攂ut I have yet to blow a hole in a pair of Fits. Credit its tough wool-polyester blend听and the extra padding in the heel, toe, and arch.

SaltStick Plus Salt Capsules ($30)听

Sometimes听no amount of goo, bars, tabs, or glorified sugar water will replenish all the听electrolytes you鈥檙e losing听as you hike, use a chainsaw, or swing a tool in extreme heat for up to听16 hours straight for many days in a row. On high-output days, salt pills are the ticket. But听 aren鈥檛 traditional salt pills; each has听a relatively low dose of sodium (190 milligrams, which is only 8 percent of your recommended daily amount), along with magnesium, calcium, and potassium to cover your other electrolyte needs, plus caffeine for a little energy boost. Though not recommended for people with high blood pressure, kidney issues, or anyone听not dumping loads of sweat every day, salt pills鈥攁long with copious amounts of water, of course鈥攌ept me feeling well-balanced and hydrated amid听some of my hardest, longest, and sweatiest shifts.

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For the past two summers, I鈥檝e worked as one of four women on a U.S. Forest Service hotshot crew near Mount听Hood, Oregon. Early last season, while we waited for a fire assignment, I was tasked with building shelves for 40 old crew photos dating back to the mid-1970s. As I took the pictures off the wall, I noticed a few women in听early images. With their clothes and faces covered in ash, they were hardly distinguishable from their male colleagues, besides the occasional messy braid or ponytail. Though decades separated us, their expressions were familiar to me鈥攖heir eyes听creased with joy and exhaustion. I could see myself in them听and in the tired, genuine smiles that can only result from听days of hard work.

When the 2019 fire season ended, I tracked down some of these women and their peers, the first women to hold positions on hotshot crews in California and the Pacific Northwest. Over phone calls and cups of coffee, I asked them to share their memories of the job that united us, despite the decades that separated our time doing it. They laughed as they recalled hard shifts and recounted their experiences working in a field that, prior to 1975, due to few women applying and many supervisors not hiring women, had attracted only men.听

They shared stories of blatant sexism and harassment, but they also shared their triumphs.听I learned about the days that made them feel alive, about the fires and shifts they鈥檒l never forget, about policies they changed for the women who came after them.

Sue Husari

Lassen Hotshot Crew Member, 1976鈥�1977

The two seasons Sue Husari spent as a hotshot led to a 45-year听career in fire management. In 2012, she retired from the NPS Pacific Northwest Region, where she served as the regional fire management officer. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have many more opportunities to just watch fire burn like you do on hotshot crews, and there鈥檚 no better way to learn about fire. It helped me form the basis for my understanding of fire ecology,鈥� she听says.听

Husari was hired to听Lassen, a hotshot crew in Northern California, in 1976. She was the first woman on the crew听and one of the first women on a hotshot crew in the state. 鈥淚 still don鈥檛 know why they decided to hire a woman. It was very unusual,鈥� she says. Still, her experience on Lassen was overwhelmingly positive: Husari听says she wasn鈥檛 treated differently than her male colleagues, except that her coworkers often looked out for her, particularly because she was just 21 when she was hired.听

鈥淭he guys were a little bit older听and very protective of me,鈥� she says. 鈥淢any of them had been in the Vietnam War and had moved up to the mountains when they came home. For them, it was just a job, and they were there, and they liked it, and I was also there, and that was it.鈥�

While she was new to the world of wildland fire, it didn鈥檛 take long for Husari to realize that she was well suited for the rigors of hotshotting. 鈥淢y best attribute for firefighting was endurance, and I think that鈥檚 common for most women who do this,鈥� she says, noting that she鈥檇 spent her youth and teenage years backpacking in the Sierra Nevada听with her dad. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 a natural athlete, but I could hike, I could carry heavy stuff, and I was familiar with the outdoors, so I was good at it.鈥�

Kimberly Brandel听

Zigzag Hotshot Crew Member and Squad Boss, 1976鈥�1980

Kimberly Brandel was a hotshot from 1976 to 1980, five seasons in a time when it was still rare to hire a woman, let alone retain her for more than a season or two. She was the first woman听hired fulltime听by Zigzag鈥攖hough some women had filled in for an assignment or two during听earlier seasons鈥攁nd was one of the first women to work on a hotshot crew in the Pacific Northwest.听

Brandel is refreshingly honest about her first year working as a hotshot听in a world that was still a bit unsure about having women around. 鈥淚t was the attitude of a lot of men that I didn鈥檛 belong there, and that I was never going to be part of the group because they didn鈥檛 think I belonged there,鈥� she says.听

A gradual cultural shift in the Forest Service soon contributed to more women being hired to the crew. Even still, it took years to change the perception that women on hotshot crews were tokens鈥攐r only there to fill a quota.听鈥淲hen I started in fire, fire crews were like a pie cut into 20 pieces, and only one piece of that pie was allocated for women. The rest were allocated for men,鈥� Brandel says.听

But the long-held assertion that women didn鈥檛 belong on hotshot crews changed dramatically in Brandel鈥檚 time with Zigzag.听Another woman came to the crew in 1977, and Brandel eventually moved into a role as squad boss, a leadership position that is still rarely occupied by women. By the time Brandel left to pursue a master鈥檚 in fire ecology in 1980, four women appeared in the crew photo, and eight just two years later.听

鈥淲hether you鈥檙e in a leadership role or in a capacity to provide input, I think being a woman brings a different perspective,鈥� she says.

Brandel eventually retired from the Forest Service in 2010. Her years of hotshotting greatly influenced听not just her career in fire, but her life in general. 鈥淚 was always very determined, but I think being a hotshot听made me more determined,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t gave me more self-confidence听that I could indeed do anything that I set out to do.鈥�

Danah Feldman

Baker River Hotshots, First Female Hotshot Squad Boss (1976鈥�1979, 1982鈥�1984)

鈥淭o be honest, if someone had told me what this whole fire thing would require, I would have said, 鈥極h, I can鈥檛 do that,鈥欌�� says Danah Feldman, who worked for the Baker River Hotshots in the late 1970s and early 1980s. 鈥淚 had no idea what I was getting into, and I wouldn鈥檛 have done it if I had. But what fire taught me over and over and over again was how to throw myself into things and just start flapping my wings somewhere along the line.鈥�

Feldman admits she stumbled into the fire world out of a combination of naivet茅 and curiosity. But within just a season, she had carved out a place for herself on the crew听and made a lasting impression on her team鈥檚 leadership.听

鈥淎fter my first season on the crew, my superintendent, Joe King, gave me a performance award, and I told him I was really surprised,鈥� Feldman says. 鈥淎nd he said, 鈥業 am, too.听I never thought I鈥檇 give a performance award to a woman.鈥欌�澨�

In the mid-1970s, King鈥檚 supervisors told him听to hire more women to fill quotas, though they were still skeptical of his ability to retain those women, assuming they鈥檇 either quit or be fired soon after starting work. As the first woman King hired to the crew, Feldman vastly exceeded expectations and forever changed鈥攁t least on Baker River鈥攈ow female firefighters and hotshots were viewed by the wildland fire world.听

鈥淸King]听told me that he would never have a fire crew without women on it again,鈥� Feldman听says.听

Feldman fought fire through her late twenties and early thirties听and went on to use her wages to pay for a graduate degree in psychology.听

鈥淚 loved the intensity of the work, but what I valued the most about fire was what it taught me about myself,鈥澨齭he says. 鈥淔ire was an essential vehicle for learning how to believe in myself and discover my strength. It forced me, truly, to go beyond what I thought was possible for myself, to raise the bar.鈥�

Gina Papke

Zigzag Hotshot Superintendent, 1991鈥�2000

Gina Papke is something of a legend in the fire world. Ask anyone who was on her crew in the 1990s, and they鈥檒l probably tell you that working for Papke made them tough. She had a reputation for pushing her crew members far beyond what they thought they were capable of, whether through long shifts, difficult hikes, or tough assignments in challenging terrain.听

After beginning her career with the Mount Hood National Forest鈥揵ased听Zigzag Hotshots in 1983, Papke went on to become the country鈥檚 first permanent female hotshot superintendent (the highest position on a hotshot crew) in 1991. Only 11 women have since held that position, compared to more than 700 men since hotshot crews were first established in the 1940s鈥攎eaning just over 1 percent of superintendent positions on the country鈥檚 110 hotshot crews have been filled by a woman.听

Papke was known for being radically inclusive in her hiring.听She made a concerted effort to continue Zigzag鈥檚 long history of seeing the value in including women and other marginalized听people on the crew. Long before such practices were being utilized on other crews around the country, Papke was regularly hiring four to six women to round out her 20-person crew, and up to eight women when there was an influx of good applicants. Even today, it鈥檚 rare to find hotshot crews with more than two or three women.

鈥淲omen sought me because I was the only female hotshot superintendent, and we were known to be a good crew,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or me, it was just giving them an opportunity to see what they could do with themselves. Women underestimate themselves, but I knew they鈥檇 do well.鈥�

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Fishing may seem complicated to first-time anglers, but that doesn鈥檛 have to be the case. With just a bit of gear, a fishing license, and the information in this guide, you鈥檒l be able to get on the water and听try your hand at catching听some fish by this weekend.

This fishing guide specifically covers the spinner method, which uses a rod with a spinning reel and lures or live bait to attract fish. For new anglers, it鈥檚 one of the easiest ways to get outside with minimal investment, but fly-fishing, saltwater fishing, ice fishing, and other types of gear fishing that utilize different reels are all options that may interest you down the road.

The Fishing Guide Basics

Getting a License

Before you head out, make sure you have a current fishing license for the state you鈥檒l be fishing in. Licenses are sold or at fishing shops and occasionally in convenience stores. The price of a day license is usually fairly听inexpensive (less than $20), but the exact price depends on the state and your residency, as fishing licenses cost more for non-residents. But annual licenses are a better bang for your buck, typically going for between $30 and $150. If nothing disastrous happens your first time (don鈥檛 worry, chances are low), you might even want to go again.

Where Should You听Go?

It鈥檚 always best to talk to a real person about where to fish, as they likely have the most current听and comprehensive听information about local water. In a pinch, a crowdsourced fishing app like or the more data-heavy provides good information on听local spots. In general, lakes are a great option when you鈥檙e just starting out鈥攖hey usually have a bank or dock to fish from听and often have a larger volume of hungry fish than you would find in a river. Lake fishing mostly involves species like bass, panfish, or rainbow trout, while rivers are almost exclusively fished for salmon or trout species, like rainbow, cutthroat, or brown trout, among others.

Etiquette

It鈥檚 important to learn good fishing etiquette early鈥攂e听respectful of other anglers, the fish you catch, and the environment you鈥檙e in. Don鈥檛 crowd a spot that someone else is fishing: I like to give other anglers no less than 50 to 60 feet on the most crowded water and more than a couple hundred yards if there aren鈥檛 many听people around. Don鈥檛 keep more fish than you can eat, and always adhere to leave-no-trace ethics. Be sure you听know whether听the section of the water you鈥檙e on is catch and release, limited to听artificial lures (no live bait), or fly-fishing only. You can鈥檛 always count on a sign to tell you this information, so check a local regulation book or your state鈥檚 forestry department鈥檚 website for facts as well as updates on closures.

Gear

The Rod and Reel

A spinning reel and rod combo听is听your best bet as a beginner. 鈥淐ombo鈥� is the key word here鈥攊t signals that the reel and rod are sold together, which usually means they鈥檙e easier to set up. Here鈥檚 a great video below that outlines the basic parts of a spinning reel. An employee at your local tackle shop will be able to point you in the right direction in terms of a good beginner rod that will meet your particular needs.

Lures and Bait

Lures and bait will be your next step after a rod and reel. Live worms or PowerBait鈥攁 scented puttylike material that you form around a bare hook鈥攁re good starting points, while lures, which are decoys designed to attract a fish鈥檚 attention, are another effective option once you get comfortable using bait. You鈥檒l also need some bobbers, which are small floating balls that sink or bob when something hits your lure, indicating you have a fish on. A rubber net (which is easier on a fish鈥檚 skin than string or nylon nets), needle-nose pliers to retrieve lures from the inside of the fish鈥檚 mouth, and a small tackle box to keep all of your lures and bait in one place is also helpful.

Like any outdoor pursuit, your fishing needs will only continue to expand as you gain more experience; you鈥檒l likely want to upgrade your gear after a few months, while waders and boots could also be added to your kit down the road.

Useful Skills

Tying Knots

Below are a few basic knots you鈥檒l need to know to get started. As your fishing skills advance, a will be a good resource to have on hand.

The Clinch Knot

The most important knot in fishing is the improved clinch knot. This knot attaches your hook or lure to your line. Once you鈥檝e nailed this one, you鈥檒l be ready to go.

The Palomar Knot

This knot is another option to connect your hook to your line. It鈥檚听known for its strength and ease of tying.

The Double Surgeon鈥檚 Knot

A double surgeon鈥檚 knot is used to connect two pieces of line. This could be used if you get snagged鈥�when听your lure gets caught on a log or rock and the line breaks鈥攁nd need to fashion more line before attaching your hook.

How to Read Water

It鈥檚 helpful to know where fish may be hiding so you can target them better鈥攊n other words, 鈥渞eading the water.鈥� In lakes, fish usually hang out in or around weeds and downed trees close to shore. They might also congregate near drop-offs; for this reason, some lakes are easier to fish if you have access to a canoe or kayak. Similar tactics apply to rivers, where you鈥檒l want to look for places that may provide good cover鈥攍ogjams or overhanging banks, for example鈥攕ince a fish鈥檚 main objective beyond finding food is hiding from predators.

Catching Your First Fish

Casting

Casting with a spinning reel is as simple and intuitive as winding up and chucking your lure as far as you can, like throwing a baseball. Start with about six inches of line out the end of your rod, with听the reel below your dominant hand. A spinning reel employs a bail (a thin wire arm) to keep your line from coming out of the spool. In order to cast, you鈥檒l need to flip this bail, hold the line with your finger, bring the rod tip up and slightly behind you (think of the motion you鈥檇 use to pick up a phone), and cast forward using your wrist and elbow. When your rod is vertical or just slightly forward from vertical, release the line to send your lure flying. Once your lure is in the water, flip the bail back over and begin reeling.

Hooking

When hooking a fish, there are two things you want to prevent: the fish 鈥渟pitting鈥� out your lure, or your line breaking under the weight and power of the fish.

To keep听those two things from happening, you鈥檒l need to properly 鈥渟et鈥� the hook into the fish鈥檚 mouth once it has bitten your lure or bait. This means setting it at the right time and with the right pressure: when you see your bobber sink or jerk, point your rod tip up and pull back with moderate pressure to keep the lure in the fish鈥檚 mouth without ripping any part of its lip鈥攇ood timing here will ensure the lure is firmly set in the lip听rather than deeper in the mouth. Once you have a proper hookset, you鈥檒l need to focus on keeping your rod tip up while 鈥減laying鈥� the fish鈥攁llowing the fish to tire itself out while you try to keep it on your line. Cranking the fish in immediately after hooking it will often result in it breaking off,听as the fish鈥檚 power and weight can often be greater than the strength of the line. By tiring it out, you鈥檒l have the upper hand and eventually be able to reel the fish in.

A few additional tips:听always keep your 鈥渟lack鈥� in (that is, make sure your line is taut), and familiarize yourself with your reel鈥檚 drag system. All rods have a drag dial that affects how your reel will handle fish of different sizes and strengths鈥攍ess drag is needed if you expect to catch small fish, while more drag (and a bigger reel) may be necessary if you鈥檙e chasing larger or stronger species.

Landing

You鈥檝e successfully hooked, played,听and reeled in the fish, and now it鈥檚 close to shore. A net will give you a huge advantage here.听Once you reel the fish into an arm鈥檚 length of your feet, use the net to scoop it up, being sure to avoid letting it flop on the bank or rocks. To further minimize harm after landing a fish, do not squeeze its stomach or touch its gills when handling, and try not to keep it out of the water longer than you can hold your breath, if you intend to release it back.

Other Valuable Resources

To keep improving your fishing skill set, it helps to do some research and get out on the water with more experienced anglers. Here are some other resources that will help you advance:

Hire a Fishing Guide

Hiring a guide once you feel more comfortable fishing will dramatically aid your progression. Guides have a comprehensive knowledge of local rivers and lakes and can also give you a more localized lesson in reading the water, lure selection, and finding new areas to fish.

Scope Out Local Clinics and Groups

Local fishing organizations or even your state鈥檚 forestry department are also excellent resources. Local organizations听often provide fishing clinics, while most states hold fishing derbies, free fishing days (no license needed), and other events that will help you link up with local anglers.

Study Up on YouTube

YouTube will be your best friend as a beginner. Whether you鈥檙e learning to tie knots, cast, or assemble your rod, watching a five-minute video is often the quickest and most effective way to pick up new information.

While it can be intimidating at first, fishing can be听one of the simplest outdoor hobbies to pick up. Catching your first fish is as easy as finding a lake, doing some research, investing in some basic gear, and casting a line.

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