Minneapolis Smallmouth Bass 101 Scholarship

Scholarship Opportunity

United Women on the Fly (UWOTF), TroutRoutes, and Fly Fish Instruct are excited to offer the recipient a 2-Day Women’s “Bass 101″ Workshop with an optional $300 travel stipend. This scholarship opportunity provides diverse women with education, financial assistance, and a welcoming environment to explore their interest in fly fishing. Candidates chosen for this scholarship will learn to fly fish on public water outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Participants are encouraged to share this opportunity with others. This scholarship is not based on socioeconomic status; all eligible should apply.

Scholarship Sponsors

TroutRoutes, the #1 Trout Fishing App. The best mobile tool for anglers provides map resources for every trout stream in the lower 48 and features to help you quickly and responsibly get to the water. Trout Routes provides 100% funding for the Virginia “Independent Angler” Weekend (see below).
Fly Fish Instruct, a community-driven organization with a mission of offering accessible and affordable fly-fishing education to ALL. Fly Fish Instruct is donating the workshop curriculum, “Bass 101” manual, 8hrs of classroom instruction with instructors Heather Hodson and Jenn Hsia and an optional travel stipend (see below).

UWOTF DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Commitment

United Women On The Fly (UWOTF) is committed to enhancing diversity in the fly fishing community by supporting students at key stages of their fly fishing development. UWOTF will make a conscious effort to hire women, BIPOC and LBGTQIA+ guides and instructors.

Scholarship Includes

2-Day Women’s “Bass Fly Fishing 101” Workshop Including
- 8hrs Classroom and Outside Casting Instruction
- 8hrs Guided Education Floating the Mississippi River with Fishing For All
Bass 101 Manual Provided by Fly Fish Instruct
Lunch on Thursday and Friday
Minnesota Fishing License
20% Guide Tip for 8/4/23 Guided Float
Free Membership to TroutRoutes
Optional $300 Travel Stipend

Optional Travel Stipened

Within the scholarship, we have offered an optional $300 scholarship travel stipend that can be used for your travel expenses to and from the scholarship weekend. There is an option to “Pay it Forward” and have these scholarship funds go back into the scholarship account for future winners traveling further than a local winner, or to offer additional scholarships. Please let us know what you’d like to do with this travel stipend. If the travel stipend is taken, we will arrange to send you the money via Venmo or PayPal.

Liability and Photo Release

All women taking the 2-Day “Bass 101” workshop are asked to sign a liability and photo release form. This will be provided during the workshop check-in. Throughout the workshop, we will take several photos and videos to celebrate, promote and continue the narrative that fly-fishing is for everyone. The scholarship sponsors are committed to enhancing diversity in the fly-fishing community. One way we do this is by sharing media throughout all our platforms of ALL women and not just the dominant culture of women in fly-fishing. Your photos and media will help continue the mission within UWOTF, TroutRoutes, and Fly Fish Instruct. We will also provide a folder of the media you can use on your platforms.

Eligiblity Requirements

This scholarship is created for women 18 years or older who identify as one of the following:

BIPOC
LGBTQIA+
– OR – Someone demonstrating a long-standing commitment to making the outdoors more inclusive.

Application Process

To apply, please share your story, including answers to the following questions on the provided Google Form listed below.
- Scholarship Questions –
  - What inspired you to begin or want to begin fly-fishing?
  - How would you like to see the future of fly-fishing look for your community and the broader fly-fishing community?
  - In what ways do you feel your experience or background makes you eligible for this scholarship?
  - Why do you feel you should be considered for the Minnesota Women’s “Bass 101” 2-Day Workshop?
Fill out the scholarship application form.
1. Form Link – https://forms.gle/YsVRCExcpUux6esA8

Award Process

Scholarship applications are to be submitted through the UWOTF Google Form.
1. Scholarship Form Link – https://forms.gle/YsVRCExcpUux6esA8
Scholarship Application is open from 3/30/23 – 5/22/23.
All applicant information will be compiled anonymously by a UWOTF Team member not on the Scholarship Selection Team on 5/23/23.
Scholarship Selection Team will meet virtually to discuss the anonymous applicants on 5/30/23.
The UWOTF workshop lead will contact the scholarship winner on 5/30/23 to let them know they were the scholarship winner and share all event details.
The Scholarship winner will be announced on 6/2/23.

The Scholarship Selection Team comprises Minnesota Workshop Instructors Heather Hodson and Jenn Hsia, TroutRoute Appointee, and Fly Fish Instruct Instructor Bob Bartlett.