‘I Fell in Love With Fly Fishing, and That Became My Entire World’: A Q&A With Shyanne Orvis

Shyanne Orvis or “shy on the fly” is a fly fishing guide, travel host, mother, and rep for multiple companies including Backcountry, Ford, Smiths, and Hydroflask. Shyanne never took to traditional “girl” activities and instead built her life upon a life-long love of the outdoors. Skipping college to pursue the mountains instead, Shyanne has an adventurous flair that she shares with her thousands of followers online.

We sat down with Shyanne, and here’s what she had to say.

Outdoors.com: Why do you love fly fishing?

Shyanne Orvis: My love for fly fishing grows with each trip to the river. It’s calming, grounding and healing in so many ways. It’s the only thing that silences my busy mind and keeps me in the present moment. Targeting fish through fly fishing is such a unique way to connect with the water and the fish in them. You’re essentially attempting to trick a fish with feathers and for me, there’s nothing more challenging yet rewarding at the same time. 

Outdoors.com: What are three things about you that would surprise us?

Orvis: Honestly, It’s kind of challenging to come up with three things that might surprise folks. I tend to be an open book—to a fault at times. Given that I share so much of my life on social media, I try to be as real and authentic to my audience. I don’t hold back on it because I don’t want people to see a version of me that isn’t true. So I share everything. The good, the bad, and the in-between. 

Outdoors.com: Tell me about your outlook on life.

Orvis: My outlook on life is always evolving. With each year, it becomes an entirely new perspective on life. Especially this past year with stepping into motherhood. I’d say the only things that have remained true and unwavering are my love for exploration and my appreciation for traveling and connecting with other people. I want a life well-lived, one that is rich with meaningful experiences, and my newfound purpose is sharing those moments with my son.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about the steps you took to get where you are now.

Orvis: There were a lot of steps and hurdles that I had to overcome to get to this point in life but I’ll try to keep it brief. I was born in Flint, Michigan and after a challenging childhood, I found solace in playing outdoors. Through fishing, skateboarding, wandering the woods—anything and everything I was exposed to I was willing to try. Eventually, I was old enough to get out of the situation I was in and I decided to opt out of the college route and moved to Colorado. Chasing my love for the outdoors, I knew there was so much to explore in the mountains. I pretty quickly fell in love with fly fishing and at 18 years old, that became my entire world. My passion turned into a guiding career, hosting trips globally and creating events that introduced women and children to the sport. Now, nine years later, I feel so much gratitude for that spontaneous decision to move to the mountains because it changed the entire trajectory of my life. 

Outdoors.com: What is your most memorable fly fishing experience and why?

Orvis: Every fishing trip is memorable in its own way but one that stands out in particular is my recent trip to Rio Marié, Brazil. I brought my 13-month-old son with me to fish a remote river in the Amazon. The mission was to target giant peacock bass, and it was truly an incredible fishery and experience. It’s a memory that will forever be engraved in my soul. 

Outdoors.com: What is your greatest fear?

Orvis: My greatest fear is that becoming a mother means I have to give up traveling and this adventurous lifestyle. Oftentimes I get a lot of pushback for integrating my son into my nomadic life, but I constantly challenge that narrative, because I don’t think becoming a mother means you have to give up the things you love. Sharing my passion and these experiences with my son will only enhance his childhood and encourage him to be a curious, thoughtful, adventurous little boy. 

Outdoors.com: What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you? 

Orvis: I’m not sure what the worst thing said about me has been. There were a lot of social media trolls coming after me in the early days of my career and, at the time, it was so hard to navigate all the negativity. However, I knew I was where I was meant to be and as long as I knew my truth, and my why, I wasn’t going to let the outside voices impact the way I showed up in this sport. I stopped listening to the nay-sayers long ago. The only feedback that’s important to listen to is from those I admire, not the internet or keyboard warriors who have nothing better to do. 

Outdoors.com: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Orvis: That you only get one of them. So make each day count. 

Outdoors.com: Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Orvis: If I could host a dinner with some of the people I admire the most in my field, it would be April Vokey, Joan Wulff, Meredith McCord, Alvin Dedeaux, Christian Pretorious, JT Van Zandt, Jako Lucas, Carter Andrews, Flipp Allot, Alejandro, Cruz, a.k.a. Mr. Sand Flea. There’s too many to name here. 

Source: https://outdoors.com/interview-with-shyanne-orvis-professional-fly-fishing/