Keep South Carolina Wild

Category: POWR

POWR+ Inshore Fishing with Captain Tanya Dowdy: A Reel Success

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On a beautiful day at the Nemours Wildlife Foundation in Yemassee, SC, a group of passionate women anglers gathered for the POWR+ Inshore Fishing with Artificials class, led by the knowledgeable and engaging Captain Tanya Dowdy of Reel Chica Charters. This all-women event celebrated skill-building, confidence, and empowerment on the water.

 

The day kicked off with Captain Tanya Dowdy diving into everything anglers need to know. From soft plastics and hard baits to rods, reels, and all the little tricks that make fishing successful, her in-depth knowledge is impressive!

 

She walked everyone through rigging, casting, and presenting artificial lures so they’d actually catch fish. By the end of the morning, everyone was brimming with confidence and ready to put their new skills to work on the water!

 

After a quick lunch generously provided by the American Sportfishing Association, everyone headed to the water to put their new skills to the test. The afternoon was filled with casting, reeling, and, most importantly, catching fish.

 

 

This class practiced catch and release techniques. The serene surroundings of Nemours Wildlife Foundation provided the perfect backdrop for learning and building confidence in a supportive, all-women environment.

 

The event also featured generous giveaways from sponsors like AFTCO, Angling Women, Haddrell’s Point Tackle, St. Croix, ZMan, Seviin, Reel Chica Charters, Palmetto State Armory and Yeti, ensuring participants left with new knowledge, confidence, and gear to continue their fishing journeys.

A huge thank you to Captain Tanya Dowdy for her expert instruction, to our sponsors for their generous support, and to the Nemours Wildlife Foundation for providing such a pristine location. This day not only strengthened fishing skills but also celebrated the power of women supporting women in the outdoors.  It was a memorable day of learning, fishing, and community that had everyone saying—fish on!

 

This POWR+ class is part of SCWF’s Palmetto Outdoors Women Retreat or POWR series. Check out our events page for upcoming POWR+ events and more opportunities to hone your outdoor skills!

Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat was a huge success!

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“This (POWR) retreat made me realize the areas I had a good foundation in, filled in some other knowledge gaps, and gave me confidence to do these outdoor activities by myself.”

 

This comment and others like it, is why the SC Wildlife Federation continues to offer their signature Palmetto Outdoor Women’s Retreat or POWR.  This retreat, POWR, has been introducing women to the outdoors for nearly 30 years. During the event, women can select a variety of classes ranging from water sports to shooting sports to other outdoor recreational activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each class is led by patient instructors who introduce participants to the topic in a very safe and non-intimidating environment.

 

 

 

 

“Our goal with POWR is to do just what that participant said.  We want them to gain the confidence to do the outdoor activities by themselves or with friends and family members,” said BeBe Dalton Harrison, director of Education for the SC Wildlife Federation.  Harrison adds, “Once women feel confident, they can get gear that they are most comfortable using and set out on their own adventures”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through partnerships with Comporium, Quantum Fishing, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Chattooga River Fly Shop, and several supportive volunteers, SCWF is proud to offer women this hands-on approach to learning outdoor skills.

 

In addition to the weekend event, SCWF offers several one-day events called POWR+ for women including our upcoming POWR+ Coastal Kayaking Experience on June 9 in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

 

 

Thank you to our partners and sponsors!

The Retreat is presented by the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. We are especially grateful to our sponsors, Comporium and the SC Department of Natural Resources. We are pleased to have the support of several outfitters and organizations including Angling Women, Chattooga River Fly Shop, Clemson Extension, and Quantum Fishing. These partnerships enable us to provide a wide variety of activities conducted by a diverse group of expert instructors. A special thank you is due to the numerous individual volunteers who so willingly donate their time to share their knowledge and expertise.