Ms. Namita Nayyar: You began fishing as a child, by the age of 16, you made regular weekend visits to go fishing and later you reached the pinnacle of success by establishing yourself as a respected authority in the sport of fly fishing. Tell us about this fairy tale journey of yours?
Ms. April Vokey: As a kid, I had always felt a connection to the outdoors – especially the rivers.
I found any excuse to explore waterfront and, by the time I received my driver’s license, I was eager to escape to the solitude of fishing and the independence it gave me.
So what started as a desire to remove myself from the city soon turned into my sole method of reflection. Before long, I was fishing most days and soon skipping work (as a waitress) to be able to do so.
It was inevitable that I would look for a job that would give me more time on the water, and I sought to learn all I could about the sport so I could become a guide and get paid to share my passion for the sport. By the time I was eighteen, I was working towards this goal and by twenty-three I had started my own business.
A fairytale, however, it has not been… There have been struggles, plenty of tears, hard knocks, and days where I questioned if I made the right decision. But with persistence came success and I can now
truly say that I am blessed to love all aspects of my career and life.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: You are a fly angler, businesswoman, FFF certified casting instructor, a fly-tying instructor, an active conservationist, writer, traveling speaker and a TV celebrity. How you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?
Ms. April Vokey: I am a chronic planner and live by a very strict calendar. I sleep little and have a hard time sitting still. Long flights are my trick when it comes to getting caught up on upcoming deadlines.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: Elaborate about your unique endeavor of “Fly Gal Ventures” which you founded in 2007 at the age of 23 years?
Ms. April Vokey: My first guiding job was with a large Fraser Valley based company who operated on a “get ‘em in, get ‘em out” mentality. I wanted to offer people more than that – I wanted to offer them the true BC experience and make some new friends while doing so. Eventually I left and began my own company.
From here, we are now more than just a guide service – workshops, clothing, design, hosted trips and even a television series have all found themselves in our day to day business life.
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