FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does the WRFL differ from other women’s fishing organisations in Australia?

The Women’s Recreational Fishing League (WRFL) is a movement dedicated to empowering women through sport fishing, focusing on building self-reliant, strategic anglers. WRFL offers dynamic programs like their signature XFactor Tournaments, Project 5050, and Live XP Adventures, combining skill development with a competitive environment. The League emphasises mentorship, personal growth, sustainability, and leadership, ensuring members become stewards of the sport.

Our sisters who share our efforts to grow women’s recreational fishing in Australia — such as the Women in Recreational Fishing Network Queensland (WIRFNQ), Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating (WIRFAB), Reel Women, and Australian Women in Fishing (AusWIF) — also focus on increasing female participation, leadership, and inclusion in the fishing sector.

With the League putting emphasis on strategic thinking and the resilient, competitive mindset needed for success in sport — with a mission to see recreational fishing adopted as a healthful sport-of-choice for women, as readily as it is for men — we are designed to compliment (not compete with) the efforts of the government-funded networks. We provide a fast-track for women who’ve decided that they want to take their hobby further, and turn it into their sport.

This subtle yet significant point of difference ensures we can build upon the good work of all “come-and-try” intiatives, enhancing outcomes for all involved.

For an actual comparison table of offerings and links to all major entities, click here.

What are the benefits and disadvantages of not being government funded?

Pros and Cons of Being Private Sector vs Government-Funded

As a private sector organisation, we enjoy several distinct advantages. Firstly, we can attract sponsorships more easily from private companies that may be reluctant to donate to government-funded initiatives, since they are already contributing through taxes. This creates opportunities for us to build strong partnerships with enthusiastic supporters from the fishing industry, who see value in aligning with our initiatives.

Another major benefit is our ability to move quickly. Unlike government-funded entities, we are not bogged down by bureaucratic red tape or slow approval processes, allowing us to implement tournaments and programs swiftly in response to member needs.

Additionally, we operate free from political influence. While government organisations may have to navigate political interests and policy changes, we are able to remain neutral and focused solely on our mission. This independence empowers us to advocate for change when necessary, using our influence and growing membership to support causes that matter to the recreational fishing community.

On the downside, being private sector means we must sustain our operations through sponsorships, fundraising, and membership fees, without the financial stability government funding can offer. This requires continuous effort to maintain financial health, and we may not have access to the extensive resources that government-backed organisations enjoy.

What inspired WRFL in the first place?

The Women’s Recreational Fishing League (WRFL) was inspired by the success of the Barra’Prentice program, which mentored one woman per year from novice to tournament angler, with each mentee “graduating” by participating as an equal member of a tournament team in the annual Secret Women’s Business (SWB) Barra Challenge. Spearheaded by Jo Starling and Vicki Lear, this program demonstrated the potential of combining mentoring with competitive fishing skills. Their team won top honours at the event, which drew national attention to the idea of nurturing women’s fishing abilities through hands-on competition experience.

Following this success, Belinda Warren of the Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating (WIRFAB) approached Jo Starling, encouraging her to expand the program nationally. While WIRFAB excelled at introducing women to fishing through “come ‘n try” programs, its government funding and focus limited its ability to develop competition skills for more advanced anglers. Jo recognised the need for a broader initiative to address this gap—free from the constraints of government bureaucracy, and able to respond swiftly to emerging needs.

Thus, WRFL was born, expanding the mentoring ethos of Barra’Prentice while providing a platform for women to gain competitive skills, with the flexibility to attract private sponsorship and advocate for change within the sport.

For more information, or to watch a video from our inspired beginning, click here.

Are men able to compete?

Whilst there is no inherent gender bias in recreational fishing, female participation is nowhere near on par with males in Australia. WRFL is established to provide a fast-track to competence, to achieve our mission of gender participation parity by the year 2050 (50/50 x 2050).

The vast majority of our initiatives are therefore exclusively open to those identifying as female. However, Australia’s Reel Gauntlet — our world-first footy season-styled year-long national tournament — is open to all. It’s designed to encourage men and women to work together as teams to outfish their rival states.

What’s the minimum age for membership?

16 years of age.

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Contact

click here to send email

executive@womensrecfishingleague.org

Address

PO Box 3042
TUROSS HEAD NSW 2537

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