Just a thought

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Marco, like you, my wife and I are now fly fishers exclusively. Since there are two of us, that means at least two of everything. We each have a couple thousand dollars invested in rods alone, maybe more since some are bamboo, plus the reels and lines. We have rods that fit diffrent circumstances and allow us to fish despite limiting physical difficulties.

As to fly tying, only God knows how much we have invested in that portion of the sport. I do know that we could outfit a small fly shop very well and still have stuff for ourselves. We are well past the point of need, and work solely on want.

With the exception of FAOLer's, only a couple of our friends have tried fly fishing. They, despite our instruction and encouragement, decided it was a sport fit only for those completely mad.

Fly fishing and tying is what we do together for fun.

VEE has many other interests, mostly art related, mine is wood working and singing with a drum group. Fly fishing brings us together.

REE

[EdD]

Pleading the Fifth is still an option, isn't it?

Ed

P.S. People in the US "plead" or "invoke" "The Fifth" (amendment to our Constitution, of course). Now I'm suddenly curious, what do Canadians do? How is the right called into play in the UK?

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Could be, other folks don't have that option.

REE

[jcampbell]

Marco, like you, my wife and I are now fly fishers exclusively. Since there are two of us, that means at least two of everything. We each have a couple thousand dollars invested in rods alone, maybe more since some are bamboo, plus the reels and lines. We have rods that fit diffrent circumstances and allow us to fish despite limiting physical difficulties.

As to fly tying, only God knows how much we have invested in that portion of the sport. I do know that we could outfit a small fly shop very well and still have stuff for ourselves. We are well past the point of need, and work solely on want.

With the exception of FAOLer's, only a couple of our friends have tried fly fishing. They, despite our instruction and encouragement, decided it was a sport fit only for those completely mad.

Fly fishing and tying is what we do together for fun.

VEE has many other interests, mostly art related, mine is wood working and singing with a drum group. Fly fishing brings us together.

REE

Ron, you are so lucky to have a wife who enjoys the sport as much as you. My wife goes along on my fishing trips, but has no interest in putting on waders. However, she is very understanding of my enthusiasm for fishing and tying. Therefore, I have more stuff, on the bench and in the closet, than I can ever use. I had to stop and go count my rods. I think there are 11, (1 bamboo) and several very expensive ones. However, I still prefer an old Walton Powell rod for trout that I bought many year ago. Living in Florida, I also have several larger outfits for snook, bass and reds. Having a lake out my back door makes it pretty easy to fish everyday we are home.

As for tying equipment and material, like many others out there I have one of everything and too much of most of it for one man to use in a life time. I try to tie every day or so around travel and work. I'll probably end up donating the materials one day to some club for the young folks coming along.

Mark, see what you started. Now you've got us counting this stuff

[NJTroutbum]

I probably have more money tied up in fly tying than fly fishing gear. But I tend to only have one rod/setup for a particular application. Not really into collecting flyrods. I like to invest in one setup that is the best I can afford. I have a 3wt, 5wt & a 7wt.

I'm not exclusively a flyfisherman. I go by what I enjoy. I am pretty much exclusive for trout, unless I have the kids out. I have never had a fondness for bass fishing and the gear that it includes....but I LOVE flyfishing for bass & bluegills. But I really do not enjoy flyfishing saltwater. I do it....but not exclusively....so for saltwater I am mainly a surf fisherman with cut bait and spinning rod. I love it. It's all about what you enjoy.

[EdD]

Could be, other folks don't have that option.

REE

Some don't, but those 2 countries do. A few years ago they changed the law in the UK. Now, if you refuse to speak, that fact can be entered into evidence. I'm not sure about the Canadian laws, but I'm sure that there aer plenty on this board who are. It was just a point of curiousity with me.

Ed

[LadyFisher]

Far too much. I am a pack rat. I have the 1st fly rod which was mine - not borrowed from dad, grandpa or husband. It is a Hedon Black Beauty, soft and probably a pos, haven't had it out of the case for at least 10 years. It will probably make the trip back to Montana but mostly for the memories. I also have all of JC's rods, some of which are already 'home'. He would have wanted that. Probably 25 rods, including 2 Kusse bamboo and two Hardy's (Fiberglass Perfection and Graphite Saltwater Angel). The rest are Gatti, Sage, one CF Burkheimer 4 piece 7-8-9, designed for distance. Never fished, lawn cast only. (For Sale actually) Even more decadent, there are matching reels for all. Worth, probably priceless, but isn't the worth really very personal? I mean in downtown (insert name) I probably couldn't buy a cup of coffee for one.
Sure an interesting topic.

[Kerry Stratton]

I am a fisherman. It is funny how we label things. When I was young and learning to fish from my dad we had spinning rods, bait casters and fly rods. It never really occurred to me there was much difference until I was in my forties (I'll explain latter). Back then we went fishing and sometimes it was with spinning rods and sometimes it was with fly rods. As I grew up and started travelling and working I got involved with commercial fishing and was an owner operator of a Puget Sound gillnetter. I also crewed on seiners and worked reef net gear. When I owned the gillnetter I had likely 30 to 40 grand tied up in fishing gear. After I left the commercial side of fishing I ventured back into angling. At first using spinning and bait casting setups then getting back into the fly rods. This is where I learned there was a distinct difference between the different types of fishing. To me it was all fishing but too many on the river there were very distinct dividing lines between fly and gear. Also there was some very noticeable animosity between the different groups. Fly verses gear. I had never seen this before. It is not as bad now as it was say 15 to 20 years ago but the lines are still there.

At any rate as I fished more I tended to use the fly rods more and more until now I almost exclusively fly fish. I will still pickup the bait caster on occasion when seeking salmon for the table or the smoker but it is fly likely 98% of the time. I don't know how much money I have into fishing stuff. I have 3 boats that are used for fishing. I own a dozen and a half or more fly rods, a couple of bait casters and a few spinning rods, all with reels and lines and stuff. I have an extensive fly tying setup. Not as much as some have but plenty more than others. It would take some time to figure it all out and it really doesn't matter. With all of this said I still think of myself as a fisherman. I have done one form or another all my life and do not think of one method as better than any other although I do have some very individual opinions on commercial fishing that are not relevant to this conversation.

[perch]

The Question was "How much of an investment..."? .
That is a bit of a loaded question.
What do we have?
How much time?
Where does it (F.F) figure in or thoughts or our actions?
See what I mean about investment.
I remember waching my Dad fly cast when I was a kid (a long time ago) and thinking that some day I would like to do that .
Some day is now.
I see flowing water either in person or on film or photo and my first thought is either"Trout" or "No trout" .
The tally of rods that are in my arsenal is around a dozen. None of them of the high end . All of them have a story.
The "Shakespear Wonder rod that Dad gave me in the sixties for my first fly rod. Then there is the little Orvis graphite that I picked up at a hospice thrift store for 2$ and that Betty Hiner rewrapped for me. There is baseball bat action rod that one of my daughters gave to me as a Christmas gift that I wont get rid of for any thing. The Oris that I continue to break but wont get rid of it either as my wife got it for me as a gift (I would not recomend that rod to any one).
I couldnt afford 1400$ for an Orvis tying desk so my wife took a look at the Orvis model and redisigned it , drafted it up and I built one better suited to my needs . Cost me 50 $ in parts (oak was free ) and only about a hundred and fourty hours in labor ,now I have a first class tool and material storage unit.
Most of my vacations are all centered around flyfishing .My wife has made all the arraingments for us to go to the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival this year. I have the basics for tying flys and am constantly on the lookout for different tools that can be used for tying (pester your local dental hygenist for used dental tools , they are awsome).
There are waters in the world that will never see the shadow of my rod cast across them . I dont regret that , the knowing that such places exist are enough for me.
Yours ,
Perch

[Marco]

Perch ,
Actually the original question was in relation to how much of your LIFE was/is invested in fly fishing. To many it constitutes their entire social and personal calendars. My curiosity was to find out from those who chose to respond just what "percentage" of ther life ( lives) , social and personal, was devoted to fly fishing. I think I implied mine was minimal although I love to and almost exclusively fly fish. I'd imagine that proximity to suitable fly fishing settings would have a large impact on the responses. BUT, probably i wanted to find out how many of (us) don't know from a house fly but love to fly fish as do I.

Mark