UNDERSTANDING FLY FISHING - Neil - May 23, 2011

UNDERSTANDING FLY FISHING

Recently I have been reading and reviewing some material on fly fishing when it suddenly occurred to me that many aficionados of the sport do not realize that there are two distinct and separate philosophy's of fly fishing. While most fly fishers understand that some people attempt to match the hatch while others just pick out something that looks edible I don't believe that most anglers realize that a far deeper divide exists within fly fishing, and it is this divide that explains many of the discussions that develop when anglers start talking about fly fishing.

Right on! I couldn't agree more. I'm sure you will get some criticsim but thanks for speaking for me and a host of others. Oldster

There is another type you missed Neil. There is a group of people who take great pleasure in trying to understand the physical sciences behind fly casting. You don't see it a lot on this website but there are others where the physics of fly casting are discussed continually. Here you will find people with names such as Perkins, Lovell, Hanneman, Richards, Spolek, Angus, Gatti, Judd, Phillips, and more discussing and being discussed. Here a math equation or model is king and the joy becomes in putting numbers on what we consider to be a natural skill. It is an aquired taste and not all will like it. In fact most won't. But it remains a passtime for some. Be careful though. Narcisists are attracted to these sites and the test of your metal is not how far you can cast but how well you understand integral calculus. Discussions can get ugly there too. And personal. Tread with care.

I liked your article.

Bob

I like your article a lot and identify with several points...

I loved your article, it shows how much you know of both sides of the issue. It gives good food for thought.

Last year I came to the realization that I don't need any more gear. That led me to the realization that I don't really want any more either. I can feel this divide in your writing.

I usually split fiy fishers into those who always C+R and those who eat fish where it's legal...seems to be a natural philosophical divide there.

Excellent points, Neil. Remember Gadabout Gaddis? I loved that guy. I can hardly watch current fishing shows because of the push to sell stuff. This isn't confined to commercials...its the whole show. To me, this is sad, and it takes the soul out of the sport. Anyway, thanks for the article.
Bill

To me there are several types of fishermen. One is there to catch fish at any cost. This persons stress level will rise the longer he goes without catching a fish. Another is there to test his skill against a worthy advisary. Thus catching the biggest fish and once more proving his worth as a fisherman is important to him. Another is there just to get away from it all and to enjoy the quietness and experience what the day has to offer. If he catches a fish its a welcome bonus but not the most important thing. I always try to be that third person but usually its a combination of all three of them.

Thanks for your observations. For me fishing including fly fishing has always been an escape from the hamster wheel of life which is essentially competitive. Compete for grades to rank high in class to compete for college entry to graduate at the top of class to be in the best position to get the best job and start over competing for promotions and better jobs. I fish to escape That.

Great points, Trav. The only thing you didn't say is that not all "industry folks" are hucksters and sensationalists, etc. Some never lose sight of the truth and even run their businesses according to those guiding principles. But they are RARE. Dave Whitlock comes to mind. There are others. Even in fly fishing media and literature there are some excellent examples of people who have learned to make a modest living in the fly fishing industry by focusing on the recreational aspects and shying away from schilling for the mfgs and big retailers. Gierach comes to mind. Many of the custom bamboo rodmakers specialize in OLD stuff instead of "new and improved." It's worth mentioning so that we don't paint with too broad of a brush. But I think you are right about the fundamental differences in attitude toward fly fishing. It's a quest to extract money or ego for some, but an opportunity to escape all of that stuff for the rest of us. And the majority of "industry folks" have completely lost sight of that escapism. Indeed, they are no longer providing the best service possible to their potential customer base once that happens. And...frankly...I feel sorry for the folks who cannot do anything without turning it into a human competition. I suspect they all die earlier than need be of strokes and heart attacks.

Over the years my regular partner has become much more aggressive when fishing, especially when he's not catching anything. It finally reached the point this past fall where it's no longer pleasant to be on the water with him. We were on a small stream in Idaho and I was working a pool with a dry/dropper, picking up a few little cutt-bows; he hadn't caught anything yet, and seeing my "success" decided to move into the pool and start swinging a streamer through. I had words with him (this was the 2nd or 3rd time on the trip where he either moved in to a spot or hole jumped) and the plane ride home was unpleasant, to say the least. I figured he'd got the message, but darn if it didn't happen again a few weeks ago when we were fishing a little mountain stream in MD; I just hopped out, went back to the car, packed my stuff up and waited for him to show. More words and another unpleasant ride, except this time I told him to find someone else to fish with. It's pretty sad because he's an excellent angler, usually fishes rings around me and doesn't need to resort to these kind of tactics (also sad because now I gotta find someone else to split costs with me this fall when I go out to MT! - lol).

Regards,
Scott

My point was not to paint 'industry folks' as hucksters and sensationalists, although that might well be the reality of many in the industry. My point was that, when reading information, taking part in various discussions about the merits of this piece of equipment or this method of fishing, consider the source. Industry folks need to sell equipment, guides and outfitters need clients, just like auto dealers need to sell cars. Their view of how things work are, by necessity, different than the consumer of their product or service. Certainly there are honest and honorable industry folks, and those that are in the business merely to make money at any cost or to stroke their ego are sad, unfortunate folks, and quite frankly I feel sorry for them.

Agreed. I used the words I did because I make value judgments based on actions and outcomes, not by trying to determine "intent." The end result of advertising and PR or the merchant who sells for the highest profit instead of the best value for the customer (over-selling or passing off inferior products as superior because of a higher margin) is deceptive. So is constantly making mountains out of mole hills like when a company introduces a "new and improved" product that is really just a different color and renamed. Probably the thing that bothers me the most is the "Made in the USA" thing...and not just in fly fishing. But I don't need to name names and start a whole different conversation! LOL So...for me...dishonesty is dishonesty, and exploiting a customer's lack of knowledge is greedy and dishonest. It's a very short-sighted and amoral approach to business that has put our entire business culture (not just fly fishing) where it is today. These are just a few examples. But the "greed is good" and "it ain't wrong unless you get caught" thinking of the 1980s is what lies at the foundation of this whole house of cards.

I can't change the world. So I don't even address the big picture. But a few little folks can make a difference in a sub-culture the size of the fly fishing community.

I like your attitude and frankness about fly fishing. And reading critically is another skill in short supply these days! The old saying, "consider the source," just doesn't get much more than lip service when folks read and listen nowadays. Heck, that might actually take a bit of effort - examining the author/publisher's background, business associations, etc. to get a clue about the perspective from which they are speaking.

The vast majority of the greatest and most knowledgeable people in their fields whom I have come across in my life are not the famous or popular "leaders" and world-champions. Commonly, they are very quiet, unassuming, often reclusive individuals who actually KNOW that they know because they actually HAVE "been there...done that...got the Tshirt" more than once. A true expert doesn't need to prove that he/she is an expert. A true "master" of an art or craft makes it all seem as easy as breathing. They're rarely wrapped with impressive window-dressing. The champions and record-holders are folks who were pursuing precisely that: affirmation and recognition of their exploits. The fact that he/she has been declared "best in the world" by someone hardly means they truly are. In fact, it's probably some little guy who lives alone in a shack somewhere who hasn't forgotten the pure meaning of it all who is "the best." He simply doesn't need (and often doesn't want) to prove it...not to himself...and certainly not to anyone else. He does what he does for the love of it - plain and simple.