
Big Water, Bigger Grit with Karly Barker
From Talk Is Sheep by Kyle Stelter and Greg Rensmaag
April 1, 2026 · 50 min
About this episode
Karly Barker discusses her experiences as a female fishing guide and the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry.
Karly Barker joins Hana at Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show for a great conversation about life on the water, forging your own path, and earning respect in one of the toughest working environments out there. Raised in the outdoors and shaped by a life connected to the coast, Karly now makes her living as a guide with Queen Charlotte Fishing Lodge. In this episode, she shares why a career in the trades was never the right fit, how she found her place on the ocean, and what it took to establish herself as a female guide in a profession still largely dominated by men. Karly dives into the realities of guiding on the open waters of Haida Gwaii, where big water, changing conditions, and high expectations demand grit, confidence, and skill. She and Hana talk about what it takes to succeed in a male-dominated industry, what guests can expect from a QCL experience, and why conservation remains such an important part of the conversation. Queen Charlotte Fishing Lodge is a valued partner of the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia. To learn more about their world-class fishing experiences, visit fishqcl.com. Presented by: @sitkagear Supported by: @yeti @zeisshunting @frontiersmengear…
People in this episode
Host: Hana
Guest: Karly Barker
Topics covered
- guiding
- fishing
- female empowerment
- conservation
- ocean life
- male-dominated industry
Keywords
- fishing
- guiding
- female guide
- Haida Gwaii
- ocean
- conservation
- trades
- outdoors
Sponsors
sitkagear, yeti, zeisshunting, frontiersmengear, onxhunt, stoneglacier, wild_tv, schnee_hunt, precision.optics, gunwerks
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Wild Sheep Foundation, Queen Charlotte Fishing Lodge, Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia
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