Decline in Fly Anglers?

[PastorEd]

What do you all think of this?

Copied from [url=http://www.midcurrent.com/news/index.html:5b099]http://www.midcurrent.com/news/index.html[/url:5b099]

OIF Says U.S. Fly Fishing Participation Declines 20 Percent

It's been a long time since the fly fishing industry has enjoyed an "upside surprise" in any participation research. Still, it's worth digging into the most recent numbers a bit, if only because data can be skewed by weather events and sampling techniques. (Note, for example, that bicycling showed an even larger decline in 2004-2005 than fly fishing, this in a year that Lance Armstrong won his 7th Tour de France and bicycle retailers reported increased sales.) Perhaps the numbers say something about buying habits: sports that require "technical" gear are on the decline. We think it also says something about time management; activities that require an overnight commitment are also losing participants.

But here it is: the annual Outdoor Recreation Participation Study done by the Outdoor Industry Foundation was released on June 19 and shows that between 2004 and 2005, participation in fly fishing decreased by 20 percent. Overall, total outings decreased by 11 percent. Trail-running and snow-shoeing showed the largest increases in participation. "'The Outdoor Recreation Participation Study confirms trends that emerged last year: participants are focusing on low-commitment activities, especially those that can be done in a day, in locations near their homes and with limited technical equipment.'"

You can read more details of the study on the OIF Web site.

[J Castwell]

Only that they are wrong.

[mantis]

I often wonder where they come up with these studies. I find the rivers more crowded than ever. Fly shops still run out of Red Quills in April and early May and out of March Browns in May.
Like so many new fly pattern you see written up just to put an article in a magazine and have never been fished...I think a study like this is mostly made up just to create an article that sounds interesting. Like any study or poll, the person taking it can make it come out the way they want just by the way questions are asked, or the type of question asked, or where they ask it. I fish only during the week for some years now. The weekend trips to streams and rivers I do now are pretty much social with little actual fishing.

[Fatman]

Okay don't want any barrels pointed this way but I go to lot's of different boards and I'm seeing more and more in the for sale sections "getting out of fly tying and fly fishing all gear for sale".

I'm seeing more and more stuff showing up at flea markets too where folks are giving it up.

Now I'm sorry but that means "Decline" to me.

Fatman

[LadyFisher]

Don't believe it for a moment. As a former research, I know numbers can be jiggled to produce whatever one wants. I have three different "studies" in my files; one says there are 12 million active fly fishers, another says 20 million, and last but not least, shows the number at 65 million.

I can tell you that the number of people coming to FAOL increases about 20% each year, and about half of those people say they are 'new' to fly fishing.

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

[WarrenP]

My personal opinion on this is that in some areas of the country, where there may have been a lot of fly fisherman, there may be a decrease in fly fisherman and an increase in other areas. I know my area here is really crowded on weekends and it never use to be. I have been teaching a beginners fly tying class for over 6 years and the class always makes and I always seem to have students. Overall, I think there has been a steady growth of new people to fly fishing. Just my opinion.

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Warren

[PastorEd]

I don't believe it either.
The claim that fishing has declined by 20% is just too increadable to be true. So where does this stuff come from?

It is clearly possible that they are innocent but inept researchers. But it is hard to beleive that anyone could be THAT bad.

The other option is that they have intentionally skewed their date and findings. What possible motive could they have for that? I can't imagine that anyone is going to be helped by proclaming the demise of fly-fishing?

I don't have any idea how the Outdoor Industry Federation is, or what their ajenda is... that may explain their study.

weird stuff.

Ed

[This message has been edited by PastorEd (edited 20 July 2006).]

Since I have no financial interest in the increases or decreases within fly fishing, this has little relevance to me. As a fly fisherman, a decrease might mean less crowded water and the opposite if there's an increase. More fly fishers also means perhaps greater legislative clout.

By the way, how is 'participation' defined? Is it based on a questionaire? The number of licenses sold? The amount of $s spent (retail or wholesale)? What time of year was the study performed? Where was it performed? Etc.?

I once recall reading a study that concluded that the use of flies was down. The conclusion was based on total flies sold in retail shops. Study failed to consider flies tied by individuals or sold in non-traditional ways (over the internet).

Allan

[Jackster]

We're trying to do our share to fire up a new generation of fly fishers!
We are having the second meeting of the Carolina Fly Fishers Club... a new club that got off to a grand start!
Our main focus will be on education.

[J Castwell]

"If it bleeds,,, it leads!" Make a lot of noise about terrible things, gets you a lot of attention.