Fly Rod vs. Conventional Tackle Tornament Anglers
Has anybody actually participated head-to-head against fishermen using more conventional tackle in a tournament? I'm aware that the late Tom Nixon used to and won using fly tackle. I've also read elsewhere on the internet that there are bass fishermen who would be eager participants in this type of tournament. I actually would like to see the best fly fishermen head-to-head against the best conventional tackle fishermen.
It would be interesting to say the least. If the fly fisherman fishes in his waders and the tournament pro stays on his boat, I go with the tournament pro hands down. Pro can cover more water.
Steve
I'd intend this have both anglers on as level a playing field as possible with both types or anglers having equal access to all parts of the lake and able to use any lure they want just as long as they can cast it. No favoritism shown to either side.
Never fished a tournament this way, but I've fished with a friend of mine in his bass boat several times with him throwing conventional gear in the bow and me tossing flies off the stern. Some days he does better, some I do. Mostly though we're pretty even at the end of the day. We tend to adapt as well as we can to what the other is doing that's working rather than competing so maybe that makes a difference.
If it swims and eats, it'll eat a fly.
I have been told by someone familiar with some tournaments in northern california that a small number of anglers have used fly rods in events that permitted them, but only as a complement to their baitcasting and spinning rods, not as a primary method.
There was a flyrod only bass tournament in northern California last May and another one in May '09 . www.bassnfly.com
There was a 'fly rod only' bass tournament at Lake Pleasant here in Arizona last spring. (The same core group was involved with at least one of the similar events on the California Delta as well.)
A few of my friends fished in it.
It was won by a conventional tackle tournament fisherman who just used a fly rod for this event. The top finishers were all 'bed fishing', so the difference in tackle was not much of a factor. Some of the fly fishermen that fished it did okay, but 'bed fishing' is a skill that many don't practice much, if at all.
Fly tackle can be more efficient in a very few specific conditions, and can be 'made to work' in several others, makiking it more of 'special niche' type thing for a tournament angler.
My feeling is that under most tourmnament condtions, if you allow a choice of tackle, the better anglers will choose the most efffective gear for the conditions they face. A fisherman who decides to fish 'only' with fly gear would be handicapped from the start and would have an uphill battle.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. But it would be difficult for most 'fly only' anglers to compete at a high level in national tournaments.
Where I think we may be heading is the 'fly rod only' format. I know that the event in Arizona was sort of a 'test', as were the ones held in the California Delta area, and they may try it again. If they can get enough industry support, we may see a whole 'tour' begin that will feature fly rod only competitions. That, of course, is the key. Whether or not the fly fishing tackle industry will get on board. To run these kinds of events successfully requires serious dollars. The boat manufacturers are ready, but the need for a few others; rod makers, reel and line manufacturers, etc., are what will decide the future of this type of thing.
How you feel about that, of course, will depend on your own points of view.
I think that, if it gets going, it will bring a lot of inovation to the bass fly fishing arena. We'll see lots of new flies, and lots of new techniques. Could be interesting.
The larger question is, would YOU compete?
Buddy
It Just Doesn't Matter....
If memory serves me correctly, Tom won one local tournament in the late '60's. Times have changed a lot since then. Top pros like Kevin Van Dam and Mike Iaconelli are machines. They fish all over the country in all conditions. They know bass behavior forward and backward. They are versatile and are not wedded to one lure or technique. They are comfortable fishing against a clock and against top-flight competition. I'm a big fan of Tom's, but I don't think he would have a prayer against today's bass pros.Originally Posted by cycler68
Also, Tom wasn?t fishing with poppers and nymphs. He was tossing jigs, plastic worms and spinnerbaits just like the other guys. He just modified them so he could cast them with a fly rod.
Read the regulations of the national tours now. You can't use fly tackle.
Andy
The FLW Series tour has no length or rod type restriction (http://flw.flwoutdoors.com/rules.cfm?cid=1).
WON Bass (western states) has an 8ft restriction with no restriction on type of rod.
To my mind, Tournaments are anathema to the principles of fly fishing. We don't fly cast just to try to hook as many fish as possible, or eve the largest. Fly fishing is more esoteric by nature. It is more meditative, more graceful, like the difference between pro hockey vs gymnastics. It is Zen, with graphite and feathers. I'd rate a Fly Fishing Tournament right next to Full-Contact Golf. I hope it never happens.
If you didn't catch it from the post, I don't like Fishing Tournaments at all, of any kind. I believe they ruin the sport, as well as the habitat. And I don't mean to offend any Tournament Fishers that may be on this board. It is just my opinion. As a Volunteer with the US Army Corps of Engineers, I get the privilege of helping to clean up after these Tournaments.
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