For RJ Thompson, the seed of outdoor recreation started sprouting early on. He grew up camping with family and learning to ski — a passion that only grew as he got older, when as a student at the University of Vermont he helped form the ski and snowboard club in 2003.

VT Fly Gals started in 2020 as a Facebook page that announced events like potlucks and fly-tying sessions or acted as a portal for people in search of a fishing buddy. In the years since, the group’s numbers have expanded to 150 women, with around 50 regularly active members engaged in a much-needed conversation in fly fishing.