Women’s Fishing Competition at Lacrosse, Wisconsin

Fall is in the air, and while many are turning their thoughts to the gridiron battles, many female anglers have their focus on the Border Battle. The two largest women’s fishing clubs in the upper Midwest, WI Women Fish( WWF) and the Women Anglers of MN (WAM ), face off on their border waters, the Mighty Mississippi. This 5th annual gathering will be held Saturday, September 14th.

The battle will be held on The Best Dam Fishing Float, a historic fishing float below Dresbach Lock and Dam #7, near Lacrosse, Wisconsin. The barge has T shaped docks that provide over 400 feet of fishable rail and are handicapped and children friendly. Multiple species are caught every day. Food tackle and bait are available for purchase. The event was rescheduled from this spring, when high water kept the barge closed for safety reasons. Both groups felt a little relieved about the date change since prior battles were held in late season snowstorms.

Although the title implies a “battle” it is more a celebration and an opportunity to gather with old friends and meet some new fishing buddies. Often times you will see women sharing tips and techniques with each other, and both teams cheer the others success. Kristen Merwin, President of the Woman Anglers of MN said, “The annual Border Battle event is so important to the Women Anglers of Minnesota. It is a time that we can gather with other like-minded women from WI Women Fish to expand our relationships with other women anglers, learn new techniques and most importantly shine a light on a long-term friendship centered in bringing more women into the sport of angling. This annual event is a perfect representation of both club views of our partnership that we are better together!”

The two clubs have a combined membership of over 1200 members and both clubs are seeing high growth rates. Women Anglers of MN is the longest running women’s club in the US and was recently inducted into the MN Fishing Hall of Fame. WI Women Fish is in its 13th year of existence and has members from 15 States and 2 Canadian Provinces.

Takemefishing.org surveys indicate 45% of new fishing participants are female. The growth of women anglers is skyrocketing and involvement in fishing organizations such as WAM and WWF help to retain license holders and give ongoing support to women engaged in the sport. The popular podcast, The Woman Angler and Adventurer will be on site to tape a show during the event.