County tourism director sees first-hand efforts to get more women fishing

Provided photos: Dawn Borchert, the Orleans County tourism director, holds a yellow perch she caught at a “Learn to Fish Seminar for Women” on Oneida Lake organized by New York Sea Grant.

Dawn Borchert, the Orleans County tourism director, is always looking for ways to bring more visitors to the county, especially the top draw of sportsfishing.

She thinks there in an opportunity to bring more anglers to the county by reaching out to women.

Borchert recently attended a “Learn to Fish Seminar for Women” on Oneida Lake. She attended as a regular participant and not as the tourism director.

She would like to offer a similar seminar for women in Orleans County.

“As we all know in any industry or sport, some women don’t feel comfortable if it is a room filled with men, and by having a seminar/workshop like this we can expand our reach for anglers not only male but maybe female anglers, that would find Orleans County a nice fishing destination,” Borchert said.

Fishing has a $28 million annual economic impact in Orleans County, according to a 2017 angler survey from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Out-of-state anglers account for 70 percent of the fishing economic output in Orleans County, $19,620,488 of the $27,989,393. County residents who fish accounted for $1,767,334 in economic activity while other New York state residents outside Orleans represented another $6,601,571.

Borchert sees engaging more women in the sport as a way to boost that economic impact in the county. She cited a national survey from U.S. Fish and Wildlife that showed the number of female anglers increased from 7.5 million in 2006 to 8.9 million in 2011.

Borchert was grateful for the chance to go fishing recently on Oneida Lake. She drove 140 miles and used her father’s fishing gear.

“My dad fished for walleye all the time, so when I inherited his gear I wanted to learn how,” she said. “This clinic allowed me not only to learn the science around how Walleye live in the waters of NYS, but tips on how to catch Walleye.”

The Learn to Fish Seminar for Women was hosted by New York Sea Grant and the Cornell Biological Field Station on Oneida Lake. Borchert was among 10 women who learned the basics of walleye biology and behavior; walleye fishing gear with lures and techniques; and how to tie common fishing knots.

Dawn Borchert holds a brown trout she caught a few years ago on Sandy Creek in Orleans County.