Fisherwoman Spotlight | Callie Shumway

When you fish as much as Callie Shumway does, you can truly say you have an addiction. Addictions come about gradually and with fishing this was most definitely the case for Callie. Her dad initially helped spark her interest and it just kept progressing from there. She went from being the strange girl in school that was into fishing to the 21-year-old female angler that has been blessed with sponsorships, magazine features, and television exposure.

Where does she fish?

Callie considers herself a “river rat” because she enjoys fishing the Susquehanna River and the Juniata River, which are both about an hour or so from her house. Trophy smallmouth are usually her primary target and her vessel of choice is her Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 kayak. She also occasionally fishes Black Moshannon, Joseph Foster Sayers, and Faylor Lake for largemouth and catfish.

Sharing her passion for the sport

Over the years she has shared her fishing enthusiasm with her friends, and now has a core group of angler buddies that are almost always up for a day on the water. She has also connected in person with many kayak anglers through online social networks.

Her words of advice for new or beginning anglers?

My advice for those who are starting out to fish is to not get frustrated when trying to learn all the fishing terms, techniques, and lures. There are many ways to go about learning and there are quite a few resources that can help you grow as a fisherman or fisherwoman. For example, each month Tackle Grab sends me a box of new lures, which helps me learn about new baits that I can’t find locally. On the other hand, networking can also help you meet companies and people that will help. For example, companies like Pink Fishing have teams you can join and become friends with other anglers while raising awareness for breast cancer. Finally, you can also learn and meet people through bass fishing forums or by watching fishing videos. As long as you are willing to learn, you can grow as an angler.

Favorite or most memorable catch?

I don’t have a favorite or most memorable catch, but there have been a few times where I’ve gone to an area, cast out to where I thought a fish might be, and then caught a trophy. Recently this happened with a chunky 18 inch smallmouth and a 20 inch largemouth. Moments like those are what fuel me to pursue a career in fishing because it shows that I can accurately assess an area based on the knowledge I’ve gained and the experiences I’ve had.