Youth Fly Fishing Championship

[McManus]

I get a kick out of the One Fly. Is there a difference? I love my KC Chiefs--I'm a big Bears fan---America's fly fishing team?

I'm not sure. I think both of my kids enjoy their time on the water (ages 30 and 33). They both catch fish, I don't think I'd have enjoyed teaching them to fish with the same intensity that Matt approached football or Leigh with her nonstop basketball.

Too bad the Championship is over. I'd have liked for the winning French team to have spent some time next week in Pennsylvania with the guys and gals from Project Healing Waters.

[SilverMallard]

I have similar feelings about "competitive" fly fishing. It makes no sense to me at all.

And the media has really been inundated with it for the past year or two.

The fly fishing manufacturers are really pushing it and the fly fishing media is eating it up because they are hostage to the manufacturers' advertising money. Together, they're shoving it down the collective throats of the fly fishing population who, in my experience, are about 80% or more opposed to or indifferent to it.

And trotting the kids out and telling us what great humanitarian "internationalism" this builds in our youth is just way too schmaltzy for my taste.

[LadyFisher]

You might notice the only publicity we have given these various competitions is the results on the Canadian participation a year or two ago. We've not convinced the competitions are good for fly fishing, for the fish, the waters, or the people involved.
Hmmm, well not favorably convinced anyway. None of our Sponsors has put any pressure on us about them at all. (Just thought you'd like to know that.)

[Jed]

I too am not a fan of competitive fly fishing. To me it is a contempletive sport, not a competitive one. Closest thing I can think of is Doonsbury's competitive Sun Tanning.

jed

[alra195]

About the only real competition I can see with fly fishing is me against, well me (and the fish)? I can't make sense of the idea of trying to out fish somebody else. It just isn't relevant to me. I fly fish for lots of reasons, the relative solitude, the chance to concentrate on something other than work, it's really tough to find the right words to describe the "why" of it. I'm real certain that it?s not for some competitive reason. I surely don't want my kids seeing it as the reason to fly fish so I agree with the irrelevance of the competitive aspect. I value the activity too much to bring it down to that level.

[SilverMallard]

You might notice the only publicity we have given these various competitions is the results on the Canadian participation a year or two ago. We've not convinced the competitions are good for fly fishing, for the fish, the waters, or the people involved.
Hmmm, well not favorably convinced anyway. None of our Sponsors has put any pressure on us about them at all. (Just thought you'd like to know that.)

From what I can see, it's a relatively small group of industry insiders who are promoting it and a BUNCH of the mainstream media folks led by the outdoor sports writers for the newspapers, a few of the print magazines, and the TV folks. It's good to know none of the FAOL sponsors has pushed that agenda with y'all.

We all know what happened to bass fishing when the tournament crowd finally got their hands on big money. Today it's NASCAR on the lake. But I often think about what has happened to the breeding and training of hunting dogs in the US as a result of the AKC's love affair with "competition" when I think about the likely outcome of "competitive fly fishing." And it isn't good. And I'm a huge fan of competition. I think competition is the fuel that drives human endeavor. But I don't put salt on my birthday cake, either. Nothing is universally beneficial. Some things are best when they are kept out of the clutches of rank commercialism and blind ambition. "Competitive fly fishing" to me is like saying competitive marriage, competitive sleeping, competitive eating, or competitive book reading. Competitive sun bathing was appropriately hysterical too. I know there are people who do most of these things. But that doesn't mean it's a good thing. And it sure doesn't mean I have any inclination towards them. Take comp eating for example. Anyone here actually think that a guy dunking hotdogs in water and stuffing them down his throat as fast as humanly possible for a few minutes has actually improved the culinary arts? Does this improve my dining experiences in any way? Better nutrition? I think the answer is obvious.

[J Castwell]

Since I think there is no 'real' connection between actual fly fishing and competitive fly fishing, I see no problem.It is a fine chance for those people, so motivated, to have a fun competition. I don't see where they are promoting anything other than themselves. I see it as just a fun thing to do. I don't think they cause any harm to any environment or the fish, most are pretty savvy outdoors type anyhow. I never feel tempted to run right out and try to emulate what I see them doing. There might be some benefit that could happen though. Perhaps a guy might learn something about casting or fly fishing by watching. The most good I think may develop is the actual publicity. To just have fly fishing itself surface on a national level, even though it is not exactly exemplary, may be a opportunity for a little 'bait & switch', anything to help get more involved. Then again, I may be dead wrong about all of this. I have known well a member of both teams, youth and adult; both were quality folks.

[McManus]

OK, I feel better, now. Well said guys and gal.

[Heritage Angler]

Hi Guys,
Just returned home from the Championships. Anyone that hasn't experienced this event can't possibly imagine all that occured. I too was a "Doubting Thomas" (it IS my middle name!) about this type of event. The smiles on the faces of the kids erased all doubts I might have had. I saw abolutely nothing negative, and so much positive! Last week was simply the best week of my entire life.
There were several FAOL members there, at all levels of involvement, and each one will tell you the same thing. I got a chance to work with Wireguy, and he made a comment that sticks with me. He said " I've learned more about fishing in 4 hours here than I did in my entire life."
The best thing about fly fishing is that you never stop learning, no matter how long you do it. Spending time with people that share our passion for fly fishing, and learning all we can about it are why we're all here on FAOL. As with many things in life, competition drives the cutting edge of knowledge forward. Keep an open mind about these type of events - you might be surprised at what you learn.......Ed

[SilverMallard]

Hi Guys,
Just returned home from the Championships. Anyone that hasn't experienced this event can't possibly imagine all that occured. I too was a "Doubting Thomas" (it IS my middle name!) about this type of event. The smiles on the faces of the kids erased all doubts I might have had. I saw abolutely nothing negative, and so much positive! Last week was simply the best week of my entire life.
There were several FAOL members there, at all levels of involvement, and each one will tell you the same thing. I got a chance to work with Wireguy, and he made a comment that sticks with me. He said " I've learned more about fishing in 4 hours here than I did in my entire life."
The best thing about fly fishing is that you never stop learning, no matter how long you do it. Spending time with people that share our passion for fly fishing, and learning all we can about it are why we're all here on FAOL. As with many things in life, competition drives the cutting edge of knowledge forward. Keep an open mind about these type of events - you might be surprised at what you learn.......Ed

A couple of months ago, our FFF club sponsored a weekend event with Dave and Emily Whitlock. We had about 50 people there who all chipped in to pay the Whitlocks, buy the food, rent the tent, etc. We all learned more in that seminar than we had in years of fly fishing and events prior. But there was no competition. It was all cooperation, collegial attitude, and sharing. There were no trophies and no losers, but there were plenty of smiling faces to go around. So I fail to see your point.