REFLECTIONS OF A PISCATORIAL CURMUDGEON - Readers Cast Ralph Long - May 17, 2010

[rtidd]

REFLECTIONS OF A PISCATORIAL CURMUDGEON

Recent discussions between friends and acquaintances, on some of the online boards, have caused me to take a look at myself in comparison to some of the current opinions. Most often when among fly anglers, I find myself nodding in agreement. Though in recent years, and possibly as a sign of age, I have found myself feeling like an outsider at times.

[wgflyer]

Hey Ralph! Good one! I feel very much as do you on the matter. Trout, and trout environs, are to be appreciated and responsibly enjoyed, not worshiped. If one paid too much attention to the Sierra Club, et al, we'd only be able to enjoy trout fishing via cinemax, or get access to a stream with a licensed guide with "special ties" to contemporary elite. Thank you for your well articulated statement.
Cordially, Bill Hillman

[jeffro]

Howdy rtidd,
I am new here and know exactly how you feel.
If it would make you feel better I will be happy to send you some of my flies,I dont get to fish much these days.
I have some extras, even have a liddle blue and yellow one im sure Texas fish wont like at all.
Cheers

[Gandolf]

Hi Ralph,

I am pretty much with you. It seems like these days some get into the extremes, and anything short of that is unacceptable to them.

I have spent a good portion of my life thinking scientifically, about science, and doing science. So actions that I also have seen advocated which go far beyond anything that good science can support tend to rub me the wrong way.

Seems like their idea is to "act now, if we wait it might be too late", even though it has not been proven that the action that they are advocating will help at all. "The action might help, and will not hurt, so we should do it." Often times it seems to many of us that the action they are pushing affects our lives negatively, and in my view such is not a "will not hurt" situation. Affecting what others want to do does not seem to bother them.

Extreme environmentalism, which is often supported by folks philosophy rather than good science, is not "the moral high ground" in my view.

Good article.

Regards,

Gandolf

[Jax]

Ralph; thankyou for your thoughtful article. It is like looking into a mirror and seeing myself.

I'm in my seventies now and have been branded as an Elitist often during my fishing life, and, mostly by people who endow our trout and other species of animals Etc; with Human Traits. Something I cannot understand and which causes me to give such people a wide berth.

FACT: I ENJOY fishing for Trout Using a Dry Fly. FACT: I WILL continue to do so. Have Fun. Jax

[deschaine]

I immediately 'personally connected' with your article..... keep sending them in.

Tom Deschaine