There are a lot of things that , a professional angler and mom, likes about fish. One of the most important: they don鈥檛 discriminate. It鈥檚 a theme that Stelmach, a tireless champion of the sport, always returns to. 鈥淚 remind women that on the water, it鈥檚 just them against the fish,鈥 Stelmach says.
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It鈥檚 a powerful message, especially when it鈥檚 coming from someone as respected and influential as Stelmach. She and her husband, outdoor and radio personality Boomer Stelmach, tag-team听public speaking events and seminars;听along with their kids, the Stelmaches are known as the Fishing Family of Minnesota.听When Stelmach talks to other women, she likes to talk about how relaxing and reinvigorating the sport can be. 鈥淥ne of the things I love about being on the water is how serene it can be,鈥 she says. “You can decompress, let go of anxieties.”
For Stelmach, who no longer competes on the world tour, it鈥檚 less about the size or听number of fish you can catch听and more about spending time with friends and family. These days, that starts at home with her two 12-year-olds, Cole and Sophia. 鈥淲e fish for crappies, because they鈥檙e the easiest to catch. If you want to fish with your kids, you want听to keep them engaged,鈥 she says. She also recommends that parents keep fishing days short鈥攐ne to three hours max鈥攐r you鈥檒l burn kids out.听
She and Boomer prolong the stoke by letting Sophia and Cole stop fishing whenever they want and do other lake-based things like jumping off the boat. Because, ultimately, it鈥檚 not about how many fish you catch, she says, it鈥檚 about spending time together in the outdoors. 鈥淚鈥檓 better at catching,鈥 she says, 鈥渂ut the kids just want to have fun.鈥 听
Take Me Fishing鈩 and Vamos A Pescar鈩 are the national campaigns from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. RBFF strives to increase participation in recreational boating and fishing, thereby helping to conserve and restore our country鈥檚 aquatic natural resources. Learn more at .听