Is it still flyfishing if I'm trolling?

[swen]

It wasn't the most enjoyable, but it was the most effective way to get fish. When I just sat in the boat and cast I would get bluegills and small bass. But if I trolled I got Pike, Crappie and larger Bass. The Pike bite on a red and white Pike Bunny (see FOW archives) but the most effective fly for me was a bucktail craw tied with chenille and a beadchain weight tied hook up like a clouser. Caught a nice 16in bass, when he realised he was losing the battle he burried himself deep in the weeds, so I moved the boat over and worked him out, pulled up a couple of pounds of weeds with him but I got him the boat, unhooked him said thank you and sat him gently back in the water. Minniyota in August is not the best time to fish, but it was still fun. Added 2 new species to the list of ones caught on a fly, if trolling counts, that is.

[Fly_Line]

I am not even going to try and answer that one
Opinions are like you know whats and everybody has one.
Congratulations though on opening up your horizons and getting
creative enough to catch more fish.
Glad it worked out and count em if it works for YOU

[tailingloop]

I think of trolling or towing a fly as fishing with a fly rather than fly fishing. If you are into IGFA record stuff, a catch made using this method would not qualify. Same as if I am casting a fly and bubble rig with spinning gear.

If I am presenting the fly via flycasting, then I feel I am fly fishing.

I use all of these methods though I prefer the latter. Its all about having fun. Sounds like you did just that.

[BassYakker]

I think anyone caught trolling with a flyrod should be shot!

..got to go...someone's at the door...funny, I didn't order pizza

[rrhyne56]

Were you having fun? If so then what you were doing was "having a good time on the water fishing".
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[rainbowchaser]

Yes, you were fly fishing but now you have to cast and retrieve a quarter ounce hot-n-tot with your three weight for an hour to balance things out. Optional equipment should include a kevlar vest and hard hat.

[Jed]

In Maine trolling with a fly is an honored long time tradition. In some lakes it is prohibited as well, but it certainly is noted in the regulations. Many of the Carrie Stevens flies are made in a trolling version. In saltwater trolling is also common. Everyone has his/her definition of what is and is not fly fishing. If it were me, I'd call it fly fishing and you can make your own call.

That's my 2?

jed

[Bluegill222]

I've spent a lot of perfectly wonderful hot days kicking around in my float tube dragging a streamer or large nymph behind me on a sink tip line. It's saved a lot of days for me when other methods have failed and the fish are deep and/or scattered. But is it flyfishing? Well, I've found the method detailed in many books on flyfishing and in a few dvd's I know of (none of them titled "Flyfishing and other methods") and all of them treat it as a valid method. Of course one of those books also treats plastic worms as a valid fly as well, but I choose to not let that invalidate the source . At the end of the day it depends on these things:

Is it legal where you are?
Does it work?
Are you enjoying yourself?
Would you admit to your mother that you are doing it?

Basicly, if you are having fun, catching fish, and staying legal, then it doesn't matter whose definition of flyfishing it fits as long as it fits your own.

[white43]

Although I may get chastised for this, I do believe I've heard of trout fishers "trolling" while lake fishing. Yet, what difference does it make? There are so many aspects of this sport. The tying. Casting. And the fight using a long and limber rod. We really get hung up on definitions and categorization instead of just enjoying ourselves. I have learned so much from my disabled son, who no matter when you ask him, no matter which day, nor what might have happened in his day or what he's doing, he says, "I'm just enjoying myself." So, it really doesn't matter. Just enjoy yourself. JGW

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

There's a technical difference between trolling, and trawling, and harling. I think traling involves a net, trolling and harling use a line. Harling, I think, requires that the boat is just drifting while trolling has the boat under power of some sort (either rowing/paddling or motor)?

I can't recall the exact difference between trolling and harling though, but harling is often used with respect to fly fishing, and is considered a "fly fishing technique".

However, like most everyone else who has responded, if it's legle, and you're having fun, it doesn't matter what anyone calls it. Fishers are funny people; remember, there are some who think that the only "proper" way to fly fish is to do exactly what they do, when they do it, and where they do it. There were times when people would suggest that if the pattern did not represent a adult mayfly, then it was not fly fishing!

- Jeff