Since the late ‘90s, Sisters on the Fly have been caravanning two-lane roads in their vintage trailers, telling tall tales around campfires, and having “more fun than anyone.”
The idea for the group began when real-life sisters Maurrie Sussman of Phoenix, Ariz., and Becky Clarke of McCall, Idaho, were fly-fishing in a drift boat on Montana’s fabled Madison River.
“We were happily drinking a glass of wine in celebration of catching an 8-pound Brown trout,” recalled Sussman in a telephone interview from her home, “and we thought it would be great to share the fun with our girlfriends.”
That was 16 years ago and their girlfriends now number more than 4,500 across the United States, Canada, England and Australia. They range in age from 21 to 93.
“We are a group of women who challenge ourselves in all that we set our minds to do,” said Sussman (Sister #1). “We are committed to getting women outdoors to become more independent and self-reliant. We encourage them to pull their own trailers, fly fish, kayak, camp and be a cowgirl.”
Members include mothers, daughters and grandmothers. Most are married, some single, some work and some are retired. There are school bus drivers and dog walkers; mayors of small towns and school teachers.
Part 2 of this 4-part series talks more about the Sisters’ small vintage trailers.
Photos: (Top) Sisters on the Fly frequently travel in caravans of vintage trailers along two-lane back roads to their fishing and camping destinations across America. (Photo credit: David Foxhoven)
(Bottom) Sister #2 Becky Clarke (left) and Sister #1 Maurrie Sussman fly fishing in Montana. (Courtesy of Sisters on the Fly)
