FISHING is everything to Kelsi Gull and now she is using her knowledge to strengthen women’s visibility in the sport in her new role.

The former Merino local was one of the seven new leaders for the Women in Recreational Fishing Network to attend the Australian Fishing Trade Association show earlier this month.

Kelsi said the “once-in-a-lifetime” experience at the show was “amazing”.

“We’ve done a lot of networking – trying to get our faces out there,” she said.

They also heard guest speakers from the profession and engaged with other attendees to ask what they were doing to reach target of equal representation for women in fishing.

“We’re looking to make ourselves invalid as a group – (women in fishing) will just become the norm,” Kelsi said.

“It’s a lifestyle thing as well – having happy, healthy people (and) getting kids offscreen.”

Created in 2017 by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, WIRF promotes sharing knowledge and recreational fishing activities for women through its events and its Facebook community, which has more than 3700 members.

Achieving the role of a leader in the network has a special importance to Kelsi, who had applied for its annual openings for the last few years before she was announced as one last week.

Her fellow leaders came from diverse backgrounds and had varied skill levels in fishing, but they had in common their commitment to growing the profile of women’s fishing.

“It was like you’d known them for a long time,” Kelsi said.

“Everyone has different ideas to bounce.

“We’re basically travelling around … having a presence on social media, looking to get more women involved in recreational fishing.”

The sport has a proud place in Kelsi’s family – she grew up fishing with them and even her grandmother was an avid angler.

“(I enjoy) the challenge of catching fish but also catching them to eat, sharing them with family and friends,” she said.

“I love the competitive side but I’m just as happy relaxing on a hot summer afternoon on a boat.”