Women in Fly Fishing Dinner & Symposium

On a cool March evening at Deerwoode Reserve in Brevard, North Carolina, the Women in Fly Fishing Celebration Symposium gathers anglers, conservationists, and storytellers at the heart of the Forks of the River Fly Fishing & Music Festival. This two-hour dinner and discussion brings together three respected voices—Brita Fordice, Wanda Taylor, and Yolanda Edwards—to share practical tips, personal journeys, and visions for greater inclusion in angling. Brevard sits in the Blue Ridge foothills, a short drive from trout-rich freestone streams and the hardwood forests of Pisgah National Forest.

Deerwoode Reserve’s event space opens onto wooded slopes, giving the symposium a calm, outdoorsy presence even while seated indoors. The program is simple and focused: doors open at 5:30 p.m., a locally sourced buffet dinner begins at 6:00, speakers take the stage from 6:15 to 7:15, and a round-table discussion follows. Attendees can extend the night with a bonfire afterward—an informal opportunity to trade knot tips, gear recommendations, and fishing spots with new friends.

What makes this symposium special is its blend of storytelling and practical connection. The speakers represent different approaches to fly fishing, from conservation leadership to community-building and on-stream coaching. The buffet emphasizes local producers, reflecting the region’s farm-to-table culture and tying the evening to Brevard’s outdoors economy.

Beer and wine are available for purchase, and the event explicitly welcomes anglers of all backgrounds and experience levels. For travelers, the symposium is more than a single program. It’s a launch point into a weekend of small-scale festivals, bluegrass and folk music, and short morning wade sessions on nearby rivers.

The meeting point is 395 Riversedge Road, Brevard, NC 28712; the event’s timing makes it easy to combine with an afternoon hike in Pisgah or a sunrise session with a local guide. Practical notes: no fly-fishing experience is required, and the evening is family-friendly. Accessibility is marked as available.

Parking, local lodging, and gear shops are a short drive from the reserve, making Brevard an efficient base. Whether you want to learn new casting techniques, find a mentor, or simply be part of a growing community of women anglers, this symposium offers an approachable, conversation-driven way in. It’s a reminder that fly fishing here is as much about the people on the riverbank as it is about the fish beneath the surface.

Scheduled for Friday, March 6 as part of the Fifth Annual Forks of the River Fly Fishing & Music Festival, the symposium also doubles as a practical networking hub: vendors, local guides and conservation groups set up nearby, making evening ideal to book river trips, find a guide, or learn about volunteer habitat projects. Expect a mix of beginner questions, advanced tactics, and local trail and stream recommendations.