I admit that that reputation kept me away from fly fishing for many years. When I started fly fishing, I didn't let a lot of people know, because I knew I wasn't doing it the "proper" way. Since then, I've met many people in fly fishing and now know that the stuffy exclusive reputation is largely a myth. I still do it my own way, but I realize that there are many others who have similar habits. For example, I often catch a few sunfish in a polluted stream in one of several city parks on my lunch break. I don't change into waders, and I don't even change my shoes. I'm sure the janitor wonders why there's always mud under my desk, but I know. I also fish small wild trout streams that require hiking in, and can be stepped across in summer without even jumping. The fish are small, but the scenery is spectacular, and most importantly, it's nearby. Meanwhile, the "real trout fisherman" in my area are drifting power bait elbow-to-elbow in roadside streams hoping to catch stockers that were placed yesterday. I have never traveled to fly fish, but when I do travel, I take at least one fly rod.