WFS 375 – Casting for Recovery with Faye Nelson – Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/375

Presented By: Drifthook, Togens Fly Shop, Range Meal Bars, FishHound Expeditions

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month! So we’re here today with the Director of Casting For Recovery, Faye Nelson. She provides a behind-the-scenes look at the organization with the mission to provide outdoor healing retreats for breast cancer survivors.

We find out how you can get involved in breast cancer awareness, how they hold 55 events a year around the country, and how they manage to get going with an almost all-volunteer-based labor force. 

For over 25 years, women from all walks of life have benefitted from CfR’s inspiring program model. How does it work? Why is this an important topic? And how does breast cancer affect the lives of these women? Listen to the episode to learn more.

Casting For Recovery Show Notes with Faye Nelson

04:30 – Faye is the Chief Executive Director of the nonprofit at Casting For Recovery

06:30 – Today, the organization holds 55 retreats around the country.

10:30 – St. Croix designed a traditional spinning rod in pink called, The Triumph Rod – they made only 500 of these and sold them for $150 each – Casting For Recovery received $100 for each rod sold. They sold out in less than 4 hours on Oct 1st.

11:45 – You can get involved in their movement by emailing them at to get started.

12:45 – They have an event coming up on October 22 called Cast One Home Waters, where you can submit your fishing photo and win Yetti prices. Click here to learn more.

13:35 – They also have a virtual live auction that people can tune into. They auction trips to Alaska and the Driftless Region, and some non-fishing prices like bird dog, etc.

14:40 – CFR is based on a huge volunteer labor force. They have about 1800 volunteers every year.

19:45 – CFR started 26 years ago with 2 women who were fishing together – 1 was a guide and 1 was a breast reconstruction surgeon.

25:30 – About 10 years ago, Faye joined an organization, Warriors on Quiet Waters – they serve combat veterans through fly fishing.

27:22 – They have 13 national staff all over the country that are paid employees of the organization.

29:55 – They have an opening for a Southern Regional Program Manager role. If anyone is interested, reach them by email at

36:00 – They’ve also done snowboarding for breast cancer with Yetti

37:00 – They’ve partnered with Project Healing Waters before

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/375