With pink fishing lures, pre-launch mimosas, and the equivilant of shipboard cabana boys to deal with messy bait, Florida company Fishin' Chix is bringing swanky, female-friendly fishing to the women of Pensacola.

Sport fishing is a major tourism pull for Florida, where 30% of fishing is done by women. But Fishin' Chix owner Claudia Espenscheid, a former top shelf financial adviser, has built her new business on the idea of upscale, "armani-style fishing"

"It's my mission to inspire and fashionably attire women to get hooked on fishing," said Espenscheid, who is working on a line of pink fishing nets, lures, hats, boots and other items she hopes to market to sporting retailers.

Pink nets or no, the captain of the chartered boat used by Fishin Chix keeps a blog, and these ladies look like they're having a fun and rather swanky time, given an activity that involves fish guts.

The idea of women's fishing groups isn't new in the US; over in Fort Lauderdale Betty Bauman started Ladies, Let's Go Fishing 10 years ago. The company ships between 200 and 300 women a year off on seminars and chartered fishing trips.

I desperately want a swanky fishing establishment for women to open up for business in Scotland. I already have the perfect pink tartan wellies.

[Via: CNN]