Sarah Wiser

A local yoga instructor who finds calm on the water

Tell us about yourself: Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

I was born in Oregon. As long as I can remember, I have loved the thick, forest mountains. My parents moved to Utah when I was young, and I grew up in Bountiful. We spent most of our free time in the mountains. I now live in Farmington, with Farmington Canyon right at my fingertips.

The work I do is quite physically active. I am a yoga instructor at a mental health diagnostic center. I am also a massage therapist. I love working in the mental health field and watching my talents help others see life with more beauty. I also serve as a gardening teacher/coach at the diagnostic center. I am an avid gardener. I love to be outside working in my yard and enjoy helping others with their plant questions. I have taken an advanced master gardening course and worked in a garden nursery for years.

I am married and have three grown children who I raised to also love the outdoors. We love to camp, climb, hike, ski and fish!

Why do you fish, and how did you get into it?

I learned to fish when I was young from my dad and grandpa. I loved spending time with them outdoors. I started with spin/bait casting. My family would go camping and hiking a lot, and would fish at the mountain lakes and rivers. My grandpa had a little boat that we would take on the lake, and we would spend hours on the water together.

As I grew older, my love for the outdoors only grew. I learned to love fly fishing when I met the love of my life. He took me fishing on one of our first dates. He said later he knew I was the girl for him when I cleaned the fish and wanted to cook it for dinner. We fished together for years, and he taught me some of the basics of fly fishing. We taught our kids to fish at young ages.

As I got older and had more time to develop my talents and hobbies, I decided I wanted to further my skills as a fly angler, so I started taking fly fishing courses in my 40s. I learned about entomology and how to tie basic flies. I practiced casting in a football field where the instructor critiqued my form. I have since learned a lot, including how to fish in all kinds of weather. I caught 13 fish one winter morning on an icy river in Ogden. That experience solidified my love of fly fishing.

What is your favorite part of fishing?

I love fishing because it is cathartic for me. The beauty that surrounds me on the river is so calming — the dark colors of the river and the crystal blue and dark green color of the high mountain lakes. It is also stimulating to learn about what each ripple of water means, and I love to learn about which bugs are hatching at certain times of the year. I love the knowledge I've gained and love to learn new things every time I fish. I also love the catch-and-release aspect of fly fishing. It's so fun to watch the fish when I release it and watch it wriggle back into the water.

What are some tips you would offer someone who is interested in learning to fish?

It's never too late to learn a new skill! I am so happy I took the fly fishing course when I did. My advice for someone new to fishing is to find a class. It helps so much to get the basics down before heading out on the water. Memorizing your knots is also helpful.

Once you learn the basics, go out and enjoy it — don't worry so much about what is right or wrong. Find your own way of being on the water. Fishing can be really frustrating at times, so remember that you have to be patient. You need to have a growth mindset and be willing to look at what you need to change to be more skilled. Expect that it won't be easy when you start. It will be frustrating and when it is, make sure to pause, breathe, reset and begin again. Look up into the sky, at the water, the trees and take a breath. It's beautiful to be alive and to have the opportunity to be outdoors.

Want to get started fishing? Visit our fishing for beginners page.