Joanne (she/her), UWOTF Facebook Moderator was introduced to fly fishing while in Medical School at the University of Utah – had spin fished all of my life – but the fly rod was new….where better to first attempt casting than the rivers of the high Uintah’s?

Then – life interrupted and she put away my rod and reel for residency and a 30+ year career practicing Critical Care Medicine in Upstate NY – Rochester, NY to be more specific. Joanne loved what she was doing but there is a very high personal cost – how much death and dying can one person be exposed to?

A local outdoor store advertised “free casting lessons” and she thought – “why not”?  The rest is current history – Joanne  was officially “hooked” 

Joanne accelerated her retirement to fish – and in 2017 was introduced to saltwater in Belize where her obsession was only amplified.  There isn’t a trout that Joanne doesn’t love to catch,  but she is the resident saltwater ADDICT at UWOTF and I have been more than fortunate to travel the world and catch and release some of the most beautiful species on the planet.

“I mentioned my practice of Critical Care Medicine – I loved what I did – I was not in any way, shape or form ill or debilitated but I can without hesitation tell you that fly fishing changed my life – likely saved my life.

“Now I am driven to share this passion with anyone who will listen – because I know up close and personal the positive karma this sport enables.

“I have volunteered since 2017 for Upstate NY’s Casting for Recovery, served on the local Seth Green Trout Unlimited Board, and continue to look for any way I can contribute to UWOTF since convincing Heather to “give me a shot”! I am currently one of a number of fabulous Facebook Moderators and am honored beyond belief to be included in this community – and it is a community, of like-minded, tireless, sometimes brilliant women who want to give back to a sport that has in all probability saved more than just my life.”