THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR - Sharon Trammell

February 6, 2026

What Speaking up about My Imperfections on the River has Taught Me.

I caught this Fall Chinook the week after we lost the boat; although I was tempted to give up after that incident, getting back on the water was one of the best decisions I have made to date.

When my Dad and I got our first drift boat a Clackacraft, last Fall (2024), I felt very uncomfortable around many of the anglers in my community. I felt judged for being a beginner. I felt nervous of how I would be treated on the river, especially as I had absolutely no clue how to row. I had practiced a grand total of two times in a friend’s boat, and in frog water, at that.

I wanted to go during the week, not wanting the weekend competition on the water, the bigger part of me was just afraid I would make a fool of myself in front of “pros” on the river. I was worried I would become the joke of the community.

In truth, this fear had started long before we became boat owners. It had started when I got into fishing and was surrounded by a group of low-life men who had nothing better to do than judge newbies, women, and pretty much anyone else who dared to fish “their river(s)” without daring to be part of “their group”. Really, this group was quite a sad lot of fellows. Most didn’t have jobs, all had serious addictions, and none had kind hearts. Regardless, this is what I was used to. I believed all people that fish were like this, and that they were in the right, and I was in the wrong, just for existing, I guess? Either way, they had successfully intimidated me. It didn’t help that I had (almost) been part of the clique at one time. The more I had tried to assert myself as being valuable and taking up space, the more they made fun of me. The guy’s chat was, I am certain, full of screenshots of my fishing adventures, and mis-adventures, because, yes, I wrote about those too!

Anyway, I lived under the shadow of feeling unworthy of a place on the river for a long while. My first year out there I constantly compared myself to these types of people. They were great anglers, to be sure. Most had days upon days to fish every season, and due to this, they all had a lot of knowledge I didn’t have. This made the comparison even worse for me, someone who only got out for a couple of hours at a time, and usually with kids in tow, didn’t catch much.

Having learned the basics of rowing before my Dad, I was holding my breath here to see if my Dad would avoid an overhanging tree we were headed directly towards last Winter.

One day, in early November, my Dad and I took our Clackacraft drift boat out for the second time ever. Something embarrassing happened. While we were letting our boat down the boat slide we lost control and it ended up floating down the river unattended. I quickly dressed down jumped in and swam frantically in my underwear to retrieve it. Then another nice group of drift boat anglers threw me a rope and successfully towed me soaking wet and wrapped in my sons blanket back to the slide. So no one saw my wet bra as we floated back. My first thought, “I hope no one saw that." To my dismay, the paramedics and sheriff had been called. The guys at the slide who were launching also saw me. And along came one of the low-life boys who loved to poke fun at me. I knew my cover had been blown. I would officially become the laughing stock of the community.

However, this proved to be a turning point in my journey, both as a boat owner, and as a woman who was finding her true self. While the entire community did in fact hear about the woman who went swimming for her boat in her underwear in November, most were supportive. Where I had thought the entire fishing community was comprised of men who lived low-vibration lives and made fun of beginners and women, it turned out that many anglers had actually been beginners at one time themselves! Shocker, right? When I returned home I went to the local online group to thank the people who had supported me that day. I was met with many more people who wanted to support me and show me love and remind me that mishaps are all part of the learning experience.

I was all smiles here a few weeks prior to losing the boat and getting wet swimming for it.

This was just the beginning for me. Through an unexpected mishap, and speaking up about it instead of cowering in shame, I had begun to find my voice. When I wrote an article about this experience, for Northwest Sportsman’s Magazine, even more people came to me, telling me how much they could relate. Not only that, but this had shown me that I was worth taking up a space on the river. My experience, instead of being worthless because I was a beginner or a woman or whatever it was these low-life men hated, was unique! My viewpoint was one of a kind, and yet so relatable. My story had meaning, and people were able to connect with me because of that. I was able to reach people who had also felt how I felt and help them to come out of their shells.

I also discovered, after this, that while some haters do in fact exist, many more are kind hearted people who want to see others succeed. This encounter led me to make some amazing friends on the river, in specific, Grant Scheele, Scott Ammerman and a few others in the Siletz Anglers Association. I discovered an entire group of guides and sport fishermen who believe in equality for everyone on the river, regardless of their experience level.

But more than anything I was reminded, again, that when we face our biggest fears speak up about them. And sharing our stories helps us grow. Just as I grew from speaking up about abuse in my memoir, Becoming Strength. I grew from speaking up about my mishap on the river!

An early summer steelhead I caught last spring, marking my first summer steelhead ever.

If I can leave you dear reader with anything. It's to remember that each and every one of us has a unique story to tell. Each and every one of us has invaluable knowledge, insights, and perspective that the world needs! Each and every one of us has a gift that is just waiting to be shared. And when we speak up we not only bless the world with that gift. But we give voice to that inner child that has hidden in the shadows for far too long afraid to reveal our true self. May we each embrace our full self and step into our highest divinity!

Editors Note: Sharon will have a booth at the 2026 NW Sportsmen's Show (Feb 11th - 15th in Portland, OR) where you can purchase her two new books or products in person. Or you can visit her website by clicking on Sharon's book titles below: