Chrissy Atkins

Fly-fishing has exposed Chrissy Atkins to a beautiful network of folks across the country and around the world who love nothing more than sharing their passion with others and protecting the resources they enjoy.

When she first moved to Vermont, a co-worker convinced her to attend a meeting of the local Trout Unlimited chapter, where she eventually served as President and Treasurer and was able to bring friends like Jackie Kutzer into the fold.

Chrissy and Jackie have been teaching classes together for years, and Chrissy loves working with her to inspire and celebrate women in fly-fishing as co-leaders of the 50/50 on the Water initiative. Along with their co-workers and friends, Amanda Gibson and Abbie Mahurin, they’ve formed a women’s fly-fishing group in the Northeast (a chapter of Braided), to help bring female anglers together both on and off the water. Abbie and Chrissy are also working to start a program in Vermont for the Mayfly Project to help mentor foster children through fly-fishing. (They’re looking for more mentors if you’re interested!).

All of these women are at the point in their journeys where they get just as much joy out of teaching others and watching them fall in love with the sport as they do when they’re the ones holding the rod.