What Is It? An Interesting Question

[Lotech]

Parnelli, you're right on the mark. I took classes on teaching in one of my many past occupations and I learned somewhere to:
1) Tell them what your going to teach them.
2) Teach them what your going to teach them.
3) Tell them what you taught them.
Verbal participation, and in fly casting, physical participation is mandatory. Above all, be friends with everyone. They listen better and learn faster, if you are their friend.


------------------
Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.
----------
Lotech Joe

[Gigmaster]

How are you going to teach Fly Fishing if you don't know what is is ?! I mean, I've heard the old joke about those who can do, Do... the others teach......
But this is the real thing, and much too important to muck around with. I have many friends who are teachers, and one of their favorite jokes is when a man applied for a job as a teacher in a rural school, the Chairman of the School Board asked him... "Do you believe the world is flat?".....
And the prospective teacher replied " It Doesn't matter...I can teach it either way..."

If you are not at least familiar with the basic physical techniques ( ie; be able to demonstrate, yourself), then I submit you are not qualified to teach this subject. And the philosophical ramifications (which to me, are paramount) cannot be ignored.

I teach guitar, piano and voice (which I make my living at as a performer and a songwriter....in the real world) to students at the local schools, and adults, when I'm not on the road performing. But I would not try to teach someone to play the saxophone (which I do not play) or to sing opera (ditto...thankfully) because I don't understand the nuances involved. I would do a poor job of teaching those subjects, and my students deserve better!

If you are not a fly-fisher yourself, then you're not fit to teach it to someone else, except to tell them where to find a bonafide teacher. It's much too important of a life-lesson to do otherwise...

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.....

Semper Fi, and good luck!

[This message has been edited by Gigmaster (edited 26 January 2006).]

[Gigmaster]

My last post may have been a bit harsh, but this is a subject very, very close to my heart....second only to performing, in my life.

I realize that there may be reasons why you cannot refuse to attempt to teach this subject, and they are none of my business. My best advice to you is to find a fly-fishing instructor in your area, go to their classes, become a fly-fisher, and pass what you've learned on to your students. You owe your students that much.....

Semper Fi!

[Gigmaster]

One more post, and I'll quit.

It is possible I have mis-understood your question, and that you are a fly-fisher, and merely wanted input as to the ultimate meaning of the term.

Bad news (for you)! Fly Fishing is different things to different people. If you are a fly-fisher....look into your heart. There are no clear cut answers. For some, it is a pass-time (although I would argue that they are not being honest...there are cheaper and easier pass-times), for others, (me included) is is a therapy from the ravages of war, divorce, the loss of a loved one, becomming one with nature, consolation for things not accomplished (yet), and many other things. It is Orvis's version of Tai Chi, it is yoga with waders, it is Bushido with bamboo and carbon-fiber.....it is ballet with Osthiechthyes.......

There have been numerous books written on the subject, and all of them merely scratch the surface. My best advise is to look into your heart...and do your best to impart that to others.....

Semper Fi!




[This message has been edited by Gigmaster (edited 26 January 2006).]

[nick0danger]

WOW some of you make it really complicated.

Fly fishing is what you want it to be.

[l1ranger]

Betty got it right - its fun - and what is fun. Thats different for different people.

Some people might behoove themselves to think a little bit about the question and the one asking it before questioning the motive behind it
FYI
Mr. Murphy has been registered at this site since DEC 2001 - one would assume he either fly fishes or has some sort of disorder where he posts a lot of information on things he really knows nothing about.

------------------
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - "WOW-What a Ride!"
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

[Steve Murphy]

To clarify, and settle Gigmaster down (Sorru Gig I had to get a Dig)

I am a 20 year veteran of the sport. What I am NOT is a teacher. In this regard I have to rely on my astute collegues in the venture to do help out. I have lined up a Conservation Officer, a Fisheries Biologist, a husband and wife that have been fly fishing together for 50 years, to name a few.

I am there to tech the techniques of knot tying, fly tying and casting. I would not claim to be an expert in any of those fields but would consider myself qualified.

My point to asking the question "What is Fly Fishing" was to get some ideas other than my own as to what makes the sport great. Like it has been said it is many things to many people and very dear to our hearts.

How about I tell you what it is to me.
It is my passion, my escape from the daily grind, excercise, social time with good friends, or quiet time by myself. It has taught me to be patient, to appreciate the importance of protecting our environment, the comraderey enjoyed getting involved with people with the same interests, and to speak up when something is wrong.

The aim of the class is to try to get a few women involved locally in fly fishing. If mothers do it, sons and daughters will do it.

If we can impress only 1 person to the point where they actually do start fishing regularly, it will be mission accomplished.

I digress,

Steve

[Newfoundlander]

I think you should define it by what it really is, to someone just starting out a basic definition will be more valueable to them, leaving them to discover there own reasons for doing it. Defining your reasons for doing it, isn't really a definition of the sport, now is it, .
To each of us the definition of fly fishing should basically be the same, just like how baseball and hockey is fundamentally the same game to each of the baseball or hockey players on a team, although they all have different styles, means and reasons for doing it, in the end the game is the game.

Heres how I would go about it.
I would state that fly fishing is exactly what the name implies, fishing with flies. Then I would go on to state how we go about it and how it works covering different aspects of the sport like you have suggested, maybe during some part of the course you could offer your reasons for doing it but not until they have the basics.

later
Mike

[This message has been edited by Newfoundlander (edited 26 January 2006).]

[Steve Murphy]

Thanks For all the help guys, I showed my co-pilot for the class and she thinks we should write out some of your quotes to display each night.