As a lifelong angler growing up in Minnesota Lindsay Kocka learned from an early age to appreciate the peacefulness and calming effects of being on the water and spending time outdoors. 

"One of the characteristics that I love most about fishing is that it isn't one size fits all and it offers space for a myriad of experiences," said Kocka. "I'm able to take advantage of quiet solo time in nature to recharge when needed, and there's also ample opportunity to connect in community and tend to my social well-being while fishing with friends."

Angler Lindsay Kocka has spent a lifetime enjoying the holistic benefits of fishing and the outdoors. (Photo: Heather Hardman and The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

Kocka has carried that perspective throughout her life and she now owns a business offering fly-fishing workshops introducing new anglers to the sport. An important part of her work is incorporating the health benefits that fishing offers like reducing stress and building confidence, especially for women. 

“No matter the outcome of any given day on the water, you always walk away from the experience having reaped the health and wellness benefits of time spent outdoors," said Kocka. "While I'm fishing, I feel eager, energized, tuned in, clear, exhilarated, frustrated, proud, brave, and calm. Fishing is a rich and dynamic sensory experience, which I think is what so many of us are really seeking more of in our lives."

Angelica Talan enjoys fly-fishing as much as she can and time outdoors. (Photo: Bridget Mayfield Photography)

Angelica Talan is relatively new to fly-fishing but finds herself on the water as often as possible looking for new ways to expand her experiences on lakes, streams, rivers and saltwater environments. She, too, has learned to appreciate that fishing offers her more than just a great day of catching new species. 

“I love fishing because it offers a unique blend of relaxation, challenge, and connection with nature," said Talan. "At the same time, fishing presents an ongoing challenge that keeps me engaged, as I continually learn and refine my techniques to connect with and catch different species."

Although Kocka and Talan took different paths to find their love of fishing, they both discovered the same conclusions about the added benefits of spending time on the water. Things like improved confidence, stress relief, connection to the natural world and feeling like they can take on any challenge and overcome it. These are benefits that trickle down to other facets of their lives.

“The unpredictability of fishing teaches resilience and adaptability. Whether it’s adjusting to changing weather conditions or trying new strategies when the fish aren’t biting, these experiences build a robust sense of self-reliance and resourcefulness,” said Talan.

What Kocka and Talan have discovered about themselves through fishing is backed by research from a 2022 Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and Ipsos study showing that women who fish and boat have more confidence and self-esteem than women who don’t. The study also reveals that active female anglers have more perseverance, grit, and perceived health and life satisfaction than non-anglers and that fishing makes them feel like they can do anything they set their minds to. 

The research supports why there is an ever-growing industry effort to get more women involved in fishing and boating and it is the creative heart of the Second Catch Collection campaign designed to amplify that message. 

The campaign is reaching women through another avenue where they often find confidence—their wardrobes. 

The Second Catch Collection campaign is a partnership between upcycle clothing brand Rentrayage and TakeMeFishing™ to create fishing-inspired garments for young women as a way to promote the lifelong benefits of spending time on the water.

Upcycled garments from Rentrayage for the Second Catch Collection campaign. (Photo: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

Out with the Old  

It’s no secret that women feel more confident when they step into new clothing that makes them feel good. The Second Catch Collection campaign takes this notion up a notch by adding a fishing-inspired flare to raise awareness, recycle, upcycle and donate new garments to young women.

It works by women reaching into their closets to donate old pieces of clothing to TakeMeFishing™ that no longer make them feel confident. Fashion brand Rentrayage upcycles the clothing into new garments that feature fishing-inspired themes designed to encourage younger women to also find their best selves on the water. 

New garments include an assortment of skorts, fishing shirts, jumpers, bucket hats and sweat shorts.

Fishing-inspired details on new garments upcycled for the Second Catch Collection campaign. (Photo: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

The Second Catch Collection campaign is one part of a five-year strategy for TakeMeFishing™ to promote the holistic benefits of fishing and boating for women like a boost in mood, increased patience and improved overall health. In 2023 the organization launched its “Find Your Best Self on the Water Campaign” that serves as an umbrella theme for the multi-year effort aimed at improving the participation rate of women. Each year the campaign selects a creative and relevant way to promote the life-changing benefits of boating and fishing through themes that women can relate to. 

”For the Second Catch Collection, we leaned into the tension that often we see women holding onto clothing that makes them feel insecure or that represents a different time in their life. By leaning into this insecurity, we aim to show that fishing can have the opposite effect. It both builds and renews confidence in women and girls,” said Rachel Piacenza, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.

When women struggle to find their sense of self, oftentimes clothing and fashion become their external expression, and it is an important way to boost confidence. Using clothing as the catalyst for the Second Catch Collection campaign adds a physical element that women can relate to that reinforces the message. 

At the end of the campaign all garments will be donated to the Lower Eastside Girls Club in New York City that offers year-round programming and mentoring to young women. 

Angler Angelica Talan practicing her fly-fishing skills. (Photo: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

Why it Matters 

The TakeMeFishing™ brand strategically reaches out to different priority audiences to increase fishing participation so it’s always looking for ways to bring newcomers to the sport who are young and multicultural. Reaching women and young girls in a way that resonates to them through fashion is impactful.

“We know fishing and boating are proven to build confidence in women, so we merge this brand truth with the cultural truth of clothing building confidence to drive awareness of the benefits of fishing and boating in the fashion sector. We want to show up in unexpected areas to engage and inspire new generations of women to explore fishing,” said Piacenza.

A 2024 Special Report on Fishing conducted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the Outdoor Foundation highlights two important trends that reinforce the importance of the Second Catch Collection campaign. 

First, it shows that 87% of current fishing participants started as early as the age of 6, and youth participation in fishing is on the rise with 13-million participants. 

The second trend that the study uncovers is that 25% of youth participants in fishing from ages 6 to 12 are women, but only 19% of them keep fishing within the ages of 13 to 17, versus 30% of their male counterparts. These findings lend momentum to the campaign’s mission.

“With those findings came the idea of donating the clothing to a youth female group in hopes they get inspired to try fishing and therefore experience for themselves the benefits of being in the water and around nature," said Piacenza. "We think specifically during this time of a mental health crisis within the youngest, inspiring them to be in nature is an important step to turn around lack of self-esteem into confidence as they grow."

Some of the garments made from recycled clothing for the Second Catch Collection. (Photo: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

A highlight of the report shows that participation numbers overall for women are moving in the right direction. In 2023, 21.3 million women went fishing, the highest number of female participants on record. It also shows that women made up 37% of all anglers which is also highest participation on record. Having only started fly-fishing five years ago, Angelica Talan is part of this growing number of women taking up the sport in the United States.

“Seeing women confidently navigating and excelling in fishing and other water-based activities inspires others and fosters a more inclusive environment in traditionally male-dominated spaces," said Talan. "This empowerment extends beyond fishing, influencing other aspects of their lives by reinforcing the belief that they can achieve anything they set their minds to."

While the increase in participation numbers among women like Talan is promising, there’s still a significant participation gap. Previous studies by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation revealed that only 5% of active female anglers fish as much as they want to and 14% say if they don’t have anyone to go with, they don’t go at all. 

These are some of the participation barriers that campaigns like the Second Catch Collection are trying to close.

Upcycled clothing for the Second Catch Collection from donated garments (Photo: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

Aligned Missions 

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing participation in fishing and boating activities and promoting conservation of natural resources. The TakeMeFishing™ brand is the public voice of its mission. 

The upcycle clothing brand Rentrayage is built on a strong commitment to sustainability so the alignment of the two entities for this campaign is an ideal match.

“We chose to partner with Rentrayage as they are a women start-up and popular for their business model of sustainable clothing and décor,” said Piacenza. “Rentrayge aligns with the campaign and with our brand by bringing an innovative way of conservation and sustainability, another crucial component about having more people fishing and boating.” 

Rentrayage is the French word meaning “make whole again.” The New York City-based company uses old clothing, vintage fabrics, and dead-stock to make fashionable new garments. The company specializes in upcycling which aligns with the kind of campaign TakeMeFishing™envisioned for the Second Catch Collection.

“Rentrayage is about creating pieces that do little to no harm to the world around us. Pieces that do not use additional natural resources in their creation,” said Erin Beatty, Rentrayage Founder and Creative Director. “To me, loving and experiencing nature drives us to conserve and respect it. Second Catch Collection aligns perfectly with this mission! I believe we must understand what we are trying to save.”

Beatty grew up surrounded by nature and spent a lot of time outdoors on the water with her father who was an avid fly-fisherman. She feels personally devoted to the Second Catch Collection mission and message because of her own upbringing. 

“I believe that being outside grounds us and brings calm to our souls. Encouraging others to go outside, to be near the water and to participate in outdoor activities such as fishing is a perfect expression of who I am and why I built Rentrayage,” said Beatty.

Lindsay Kocka leading a workshop for female anglers. (Photo: Heather Hardman and The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation)

Making an impact

After the Second Catch Collection is released, TakeMeFishing™ will showcase the many stories from women who have already donated clothing through its website, TakeMeFishing.org. These women are ready and eager to share how their low self-esteem turned into confidence with the hope of inspiring other young women through their experiences.

There are also some likely outcomes of the campaign that are not as easy to measure like the long-term impacts of reaching the next generation of women who will take to the water with renewed confidence in all facets of their lives.

“I hope that this campaign at the very least inspires some women who perhaps otherwise wouldn't explore the outdoors in whatever way they can," said Beatty. "I love that the Second Catch Collection strives to get more young women outside—to help them experience the proven benefits of fishing: resilience, confidence and perseverance."

Outdoors women like Lindsay Kocka who already experience the fringe benefits of fishing and being on the water rally behind this campaign and want to be and example for other women to do the same. 

“In a society that doesn't always encourage women to outwardly exhibit strength, fishing is an outlet for our organic strength to be celebrated," said Kocka. "It's also a fantastic outlet for women to build community and encourage one another to 'do hard things."

The concept of community is another driver for the Second Catch Collection campaign that will impact women’s lives long beyond the end of the clothing collection and donation.

Donated clothing to the Second Catch Collection will be accepted through the end of August 2024 through TakeMeFishing.org.