River Girls is a book in which four girls, just like you, each tell the story of how they began fly fishing and why they think you should give it a try.  Besides their stories, there’s lots of information and comments from the girls on how to get started, the gear and how to use it, places to go fly fishing, illustrations of how to cast, pictures of girls out enjoying fly fishing, and much more.

So, how do you know if fly fishing might be a sport for you? Well, if you’re a girl who enjoys nature, someone who likes spending time around water and who wants to learn new skills, you should definitely give fly fishing a try.  The River Girls and their book are here to help.

River Girls won the 2007 Benjamin Franklin Sports/Recreation Book of the Year Award.   Kleinkauf’s  first book, Flyfishing Women Explore Alaska was a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Award in 2004, making her one of few authors ever to have received multiple nominations for this prominent award.

Table of Contents

Dedication 
   Foreword 
   Preface 
   Acknowledgments 
   Magic from a Wand 
   How to Use this Book 
   Part One: Flyfishing and the River Girls 
   1.  What Exactly is Flyfishing? 
      "Flyfishing is a special type of fishing. It’s all about knowing what fish eat and finding ways to fool them with imitations of their food. The make-believe critters we use for fishing this way are called flies. They come in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. After we attach a fly to our line and toss it into the water, we hope a fish will decide to take a bite because our fake food looks yummy. That’s when the fun begins." 
   2.  Am I Ready to Flyfish? 
      "So, how do you know if fly fishing might be a sport for you? Well, if you’re a girl who enjoys nature, someone who likes spending time around water and who wants to learn new skills, you should definitely give fly fishing a try." 
   3.  The River Girls 
         Alyssa 
         Samantha 
         Alex 
         Blair 
   Part Two: Basics First 
   4.  Gearing Up: Fly Rod, Fly Reel, Fly Line 
      "Just like any other sport, fly fishing requires its own special equipment. You’ll need a fly rod, (notice fly fishers don’t call it a "pole") a matching fly line, and a reel that is the correct size to hold the line and help balance the rod. That’s the basic set up. We’re going to help you understand how rods, reels, and lines work together." 
   5.  Here Fishy, Fishy: Matching Up Fish, Gear, and Water 
      "Well, your decisions about equipment are going to be determined by two things: what type of fish you’re going after, and where and how you’re going to be fishing." 
   6.  Making Loops: Casting a Fly Rod 
      "When the person teaching you demonstrates the basic overhead cast, watch as their rod and arm move back and forth in a certain way. The line will sail out behind and in front, making nice little candy-cane shapes at either end. Then you’ll get to try it." 
   7.  Rigging Up: Knots and Leaders for Flyfishing 
      "Just as in other sports like sailing and climbing, the art of tying knots is important to your success as a fly fisher. Knots are what enable you to tie on your fly in the proper manner. When you first start out as a fly fisher, there are really only two basic knots that you need to know. We’ll show you what they are and how to tie them." 
   8.  Fooling Fish With Fur And Feathers: The Flies 
      "Trying to duplicate what the fish were eating was the very first way people actually fished for sport. The challenge for fly fishers is to use flies that imitate these food sources closely enough to fool fish." 
   9.  Reeling ’Em In: Fishing with a Fly Rod 
      "Hooking up and playing a fish take some practice. Ask whoever you’re fishing with to help you the first few times you do it. If you’ve already been fishing with a spinning or a bait rod, you have a pretty good idea of how important it is to play a fish correctly." 
   Part Three: Other Essentials 
   10.  Whatever Will I Wear? Outerwear, Underwear, Waders, and More 
      "Unless you live in a very hot climate, there’s other equipment for fly fishing (besides your rod, reel, and line) that you’ll probably be needing sooner or later, particularly as you begin wading in the water. Those things are chest-high waders, wading boots, and a fly fishing vest." 
   11.  On the Water: Safety and Comfort 
      "Taking basic safety precautions is essential to having an enjoyable day of fly fishing and staying around for more. You wouldn’t go roller bladeing without kneepads and a helmet, and you wouldn’t go kayaking minus a life vest. So, don’t go out fishing without considering you personal safety, either." 
   Part Four: Our Past and Our Future 
   12.  From the Beginning 
      "From the very beginning, women were interested in fly fishing. Most people don’t know that a woman is believed to have written the very first book on flies and fly fishing way back in the fifteenth century!" 
   13.  Becoming a River Woman 
      "Not every River Woman started out as a River Girl, but we want to introduce you to a few that did. They tell wonderful stories about their beginnings and what fly fishing has meant to them over the years. Here’s how some of them became River Women." 
   14.  You are the Future 
      "The future of fly fishing depends on you and me as well as fly fishers like Beth-Ann and Seline. It’s up to all of us to help preserve our environment and our waters as places where wild fish can live and flourish." 
   Appendices 
   1.  A Shopping Guide For Gearing Up 
   2.  Glossary of Flyfishing Terms 
   3.  Flyfishing Opportunities for Young People 
   4.  Flyfishing Clubs for Women 
   5.  Flyfishing Books by Women