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Thread: Just What is Fly Fishing?

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    Quote Originally Posted by bluefish View Post
    I've met hundereds of Great Lakes steelheaders that would disagree to a man. Many spinfisherman and center pinners use flies. Your picture is not of a fresh run fish, either. Many people flyfish for steelhead-which means actually casting using the weight of the line, as opposed to chuck and duck, for the challenge and sport. A fly that has thread and one material that imitates a common bait, cast on a
    spinning rod is really stretching the meaning. NY state regs. would agree. However, you look to have had a great time and the Niagra isn't a that much of a flyrod friendly river. Spey, switch, and longer one handed rods do a great job of fishing farther drifts. I have no problem how you caught it, but it's not flyfishing.
    Most highly successful fishing techniques anymore are hybrids of sorts. As you mentioned, a spinning outfit like mine or a center pin/noodle rod with all monofilament using "flies" may not be "pure" flyfishing, but it IS FLYfishing of sorts. We could all argue till we're blue in the face of what the definition is, whether it is defined by the delivery method or by the "bait". Does it REALLY matter so long as you're legally catching fish??? Personally, I think not.

    BTW, you're right that that particular fish was not "fresh" run. This was caught down in Whirlpool State Park, and toward the end of the season. I was in Buffalo for work, and was just happy to get there in time for any Steelhead fishing period. Most of the fish being caught at this point were in pretty poor condition. I caught a couple of others that day which were "fresher", but they were returned to the water immediately, no photo! This one was a good mix of being in decent shape but not "fresh". It wasn't the largest I caught that day either, and I should mention I also used large stoneflies successfully that day as well. It was a GREAT day of fishing, and I had a blast!!! I will fondly remember it for many years to come.

    I would have loved to have used a fly rod and more "fly fishing" gear, but being there for work for a few weeks, I was limited on how much fishing gear I could bring along. I chose a 7.5' spinning outfit, and brought lures, spinners, etc. and an assortment of flies and nymphs as well. This was a good compromise for fishing ponds, tailwaters, and big water like the Niagara and Lake Erie within a hour or so of Buffalo (I also managed to catch my first Tiger Muskie on that trip using the same rig and different terminal tackle; a decent 26 incher).

    Quote Originally Posted by Royal Wulff View Post
    If a state designates certain bodies of water or stretches of stream "fly fishing only" I would suggest that everyone know what fly fishing means in that particular state. Usually it is spelled out in the regulations. It's a pretty standard definition.

    rw
    This is a good point!
    Last edited by CO_Flyfisher; 03-28-2011 at 07:05 PM.
    "Engineers don't idle well."

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