Another reason for the Euros winning the world competition is the superiority of their patterns (fly tying). For example, go to Rackelhanen. Just check out the caddis patterns alone (larvae, cased, etc). The fact that the Euros came over to Jackson Hole, & outfished team USA is humbling.
Even the Czech Nymph was invented by who ???
Tyeflies:
Many of the European teams are supported through their previous competitions. The Czechs have what I understand is a membership to even enter their first competition. Forgive me for any errors but here is how I understand that it works.
The Czechs pay a fee of say $5 to license themselves to enter competitions. It is much like our Federation of Fly Fishers since there are educational opportunities as well. Of that initial $5 like one dollar goes to support the national team. They have 500,000 members.
From there they pay a small fee to enter a competition. A percentage of each competition tranfers to an account to support regional and national competitions. Say you entered a tournament that had 100 people who all pay $5 to enter. They would award trophies and $500 would go to finance the regional tournament. Since there are lots of local weekend tournaments each local area accumalates considerable amounts of money to support their local, regional, and national teams.
Individuals who advance through these types of tournaments have tremendous amounts of money to support the team. These teams have biologists, fly tiers, casting coaches, team doctors, travel expenses, they send teams to prefish waters, and research that the USA could never afford.
The level at which some of the European teams are supported blows away the USA. The fact that we don't come in dead last it a testament to the fact that they are generally good anglers.
By the way the team that fished in Jackson was primarily made up of anglers from around the country not locals. Those people "did" pull out of their personal pocket to compete. Self serving or not it is very expensive for a "private" individual to compete. Even with the success I've had in competitions I am definately in the red on the money side. I took out a second mortgage on my house to raise the $14,000 shortage to take the youth team to Ireland.
Thank goodness for the limited amount of sponsorships we do receive. With out them, I can't imagine we'd have any team at all.
John
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Wow John, no wonder they win all the time.
"Individuals who advance through these types of tournaments have tremendous amounts of money to support the team. These teams have biologists, fly tiers, casting coaches, team doctors, travel expenses, they send teams to prefish waters, and research that the USA could never afford.
The level at which some of the European teams are supported blows away the USA."
Cheers
BG
Reuel: >>I noticed that we as USA-ers are very focused on the more technical/equipment areas of fly fishing. Rarely do I see a thread that deals with the actual practical catching fish knowledge<<
So true.
Bob:
The USA teams are just that a "team". Some of them have specific knowledge in specific areas and contribute as a whole (in theory) to the teams knowledge.
One of the things that the USA does not do exceptionally well is share information with each other. In your specific question even though I might have years of experience in weather related subjects or fish biology and behavior does not mean that the information will be properly applied to the rest of the team.
Some of the guys on the previous teams have been exceptional fly tiers, casters, nymph fishermen, or entemologists. The information they gather individually is rarely distributed.
As the USA begins to gain sponsors and support so will our coaching and training staff gain in its abilities as well I'm sure. We've been lucky a few times but it is going to take more than luck to consistantly send a competitive team to the world championships.
John
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I did not know that the USA fly fishing team played soccer, softball, or hockey. That shows great versatility, but no wonder they can't beat the Euros at fishing!
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Fishing the Ozarks
Lance Armstrong and U.S. Postal were quite a team. Without a doubt the finest in the world.
JC:
Who was famous that was on the team?
John
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No, J.C., not kidding at all. Lance would not have made it the first 100 miles in the running without his fellow team members. Many of his team mates never make it to the end of a leg or the series due to sacrifices made to the captain who was chosen to to win for the team. Plain and simple, if you follow that particular sport
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