Today Whitney of Camo is the New Balck is sitting down with Heather Hodson, founder of Spokane Women on the Fly to learn more about her nonprofit and how it took flight. We’re excited to host this smart and savvy angler and hope you enjoy the interview! 

Camo is the New Black: How did Spokane Women on the Fly start?

Heather Hodson: Spokane Women on the Fly (SWOTF) was founded in March 2014.  I’ve always loved to fish with the guys but noticed that there were not a lot of women on the water.  I’ve always been an organizer/planner of events and saw a need to start a group.  SWOTF is a way to give women of the Inland Northwest, whether new or experienced, an opportunity to connect with other women fly fishers...

By Britt Lamotte

Of all the things you can go crazy over – name anything – I am a sucker for dirt. I have to dig it up, mix it up, push it around and cover it up with plants, and then make sure I don’t spend all my money in the process. The plants are expensive, but the dirt much more so. In fact, I don’t even have a square foot of dirt to my name yet – it’s rented. Blame the economy, blame my love for expensive organic coffee but we are still renting, and our rented home is packed full with bikes, dog vests, fishing rods and reels, guns, ammo boxes, archery bows, pheasant feathers, boats, tents and backpacks. Everything we could want for adventure. Everything but the dirt.

We’ve started looking at available properties and weighing the pros and cons of building our own house o...

By Lindsay Persico

It was spring when I met the man I am proud to call my husband. Our “first date” ( not sure we actually called it that ) was a trip out to feed and sit over a bear bait in Idaho. We spent the evening laughing and joking. He taught me about lighting a fire with my flint and steel and we just simply enjoyed the outdoors together. It is a favorite memory of mine.

Needless to say we hit it off. The year before we got married I was blessed with the opportunity to join him on his elk hunt in Montana. I drove over from Idaho and we headed up to his family cabin in the beautiful Montana mountains. I remember being so excited to get in on the experience and being nervous that I would slow him down in this steep country.

We set out our numerous layers of hunting clothes the nig...

Heather and her best friend, Stephanie, hiking in Boise.

It’s always incredibly refreshing to get out of Washington, D.C., and go back West. Rather than my usual Christmas trip, I was able to visit Idaho in August to see family and friends.

This was a shorter trip, so I wasn’t able to get off the grid like I usually hope to (the idea of being out of cell range seems to terrify most DCers but I crave it!) – though I was able to go on a short hike with my best friend. We didn’t leave the city limits and were able to go on a real hike, people. I can’t tell you how invigorating that is.

So as we finish out this day and dive in to the long Labor Day weekend, Whitney and I hope you’re able to enjoy some time outdoors. Go shooting, take your reel out or set off for a hike!

Britt Lamotte

Panoramic Living

Next week I graduate from the University of Idaho. It makes me laugh to imagine opening up the mail after they send out my diploma this summer, how small it’s going to seem compared to what I actually learned during my years at school. It also makes me laugh because I’m job hunting and have no idea where the envelope holding my diploma should be addressed.

Oh, well. Idaho requires an appreciation for the unexpected from its residents. We expect the weather to surprise us as often as the pot holes in the roads do, and with cardigans and four-wheel drive we try to handle it gracefully. It’s only natural in a state famous for ski hills, sand dunes, whitewater and big open spaces; the northern and southern halves connected only by a two-lane scenic highway...