Joan is one of the sport's pioneering casting instructors, an accomplished
writer, tournament caster since the age of 11, and a frequent guest and
expert commentator on national television.
Joan's accomplishments are not limited to fly fishing: she's the mother
of two sons, the former director of a successful dancing school, author
of two books, she's served as the first mate on a 56' schooner, and has
soloed an airplane.
She has cast an incredible 161 feet in competition, proving that technique
has far more to do with distance casting than strength. In fact, she's
the only woman to have won a national distance casting championship, (Fisherman's
distance), over all-male competition.
Among her writing credits are two books: Joan Wulff's
Fly Casting Techniques, the instruction book that pioneered a set
of casting mechanics, and Joan Wulff's Fly Fishing:
Expert Advice from a Woman's Perspective. She also serves as Editor-at-Large
for Fly Rod & Reel magazine, for which
she writes a regular casting column.
Founded with her late husband Lee in 1979, the Wulff School of FLy Fishing
provides instruction for anglers of all ability levels, with Joan as lead
instructor.
"The fact that Winston rods are softer in action makes them better
for transmitting that certain "feel". You get an almost intuitive
feedback from a Winston rod that stiffer rods aren't able to provide.
As an instructor, I find that sense of feeling to be an invaluable teaching
tool and as an angler, it adds to my fishing enjoyment."
Joan also sees her involvement with Winston as an opportunity to address
the needs of women anglers. "When I got started, women weren't given
much encouragement to stay with the sport. Waders were heavy, rods were
heavy, and grips were too big. The need to overcome the limitations of
the available tackle helped me develop some of the casting techniques
I still teach today."
"For years, I've been suggesting to the industry that increasing
the participation of women is critical and that, as manufacturers, now
is the time to address women anglers with specific product features.
David Ondaatje is the only one who responded with a plan."
"Winston and I got started in fly fishing at about the same time.
Now that we're together, I think we can accomplish things that will help the sport."
In addition to working with Winston, Joan is preparing to start another
full season of instruction at The Wulff School of Fly Fishing on the Beaverkill,
in Lew Beach, NT. She is also putting the finishing touches on a third
book, tentatively titled, "Joan Wulff's Accuracy
techniques".
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