CONFESSIONS - Neil - September 6, 2010

[CaseyP]

being new to fly fishing, and having attended a school to get started, i must say it has made a difference to us to have some sort of "qualification/certificate/credential" to look for when hiring a guide or instructor. for the first year or so, any sort of B.S. would sound okay to us, and the results were predictable, but when we stuck to "name brand" folks, we were uniformly pleased. we learned a lot and had a good time.

those lucky enough to have learned by themselves as youngsters on clean streams with flies tied out of gleanings from their mother's sewing baskets are to be much envied. those of us who reached retirement unversed in the arcane skills of this wonderful sport have to take shortcuts. those shortcuts are often paved with paper. those attempting to make a living from this sport have discovered this, and want to be able to offer that paper. diff'rent strokes, folks! room for everyone in this boat!

[LadyFisher]

Absolutely Casey - and room for everyone here on FAOL too. Welcome aboard!

[The Chronicler]

Dear Friends,

I think that some of you have missed the point of my article. First, if becoming a casting guru is your thing then go for it. If you want to master ever type of cast and get a certificate to prove that you can do them then go for it. If you want to tie flies that are suitable for framing then set down at the vice and crank them out.

I have been involved in various aspects of the fly-fishing 'business' for over a half of century, and JC and I were teaching fly casting and fly tying classes before most people had even heard of such a thing. We taught 'proper techinque' but our emphasis was to produce fly-fishers and not just fly casters. The purpose of fly casting - if your intent is to use flies to catch fish - is to enable you to present your imitation to the fish in such a manner that the fish will conclude it's edible. Now, granted, proper casting techniques may make the process easier but some of the finest "anglers" that I have had the privilege of sharing the water with had some of the most unorthodox casting styles. I sincerly doubt that Halford, Skues, Gordon or a host of the old masters could qualify for a casting certificate. The only critic that an 'angler' needs to satisfy with their casting or fly tying ability are the fish.

Over the years I have had extensive contacts with some of the finest fly fishing guides from around the country and if they have one complaint that I hear more often than any other is not that their clients can't cast but that they can't fish. Several years ago [nearly 30 now] I was asked by the late Dan Bailey to take a famous fly caster out on the Yellowstone and show them some place where they could fish for a few hours. What I discovered when we arrived at the river was that, although this person had forgotten more about fly casting than I ever knew, they did not have the slightest idea how to cast so that they could fool a trout. This famous caster did not understand drift, line control, or any of the other aspects of fly-fishing that are fundamental to the sport. The casting was flawless, great loops, impressive distance, but this was fly-fishing not fly casting. That singular experience has remained clear in my mind to this day.

My motive is to cause my readers to think, and to question why they do certain things. Do you need to be a 'certified caster' and if so why? To be considered a fly-fisher do you have to master all the various casts in order to become a successful angler? Are we feeding our egos rather than feeding the fish? That's a question that only each individual angler can answer. The real question might be, are we willing to ask the question of ourself or are we afraid of the answer?

The Chronicler

[Grubb]

Well said, I'v told many folks (along the same lines) when they ask "well did you catch fish? How big? I always say the same thing, its not all about big fish and how many, its about, How I go about catching them. They don't understand that. If all I'm after is a big fish then I can walk over to the freezer in the store and catch all I want... With that they begin to get an idea.... So if I can cast from one shore line to the other, ok cool, but there ain't no fish on the bank on the other side iether... A nice soft cast into a good drift, with a fly sittin pretty on the wate,r and the fish below just know a fly has landed in there feeding lane, then life is good.......

[Jackster]

I get it now, the cast doesn't matter as long as you have the right fly!

All else being equal except the ability to put the fly where you want it and in such a way as to prevent drag, I'll go with the fisherman who presents the fly the best through skilled casting as the better 'fisherman'.
Say what you will, I still say a skilled and talented fisher who is also a skilled and talented caster is the better fisherman over the duffer.
Is it a known fact that Halford, Skues and Gordan were great fisherman or were they just skilled wordsmiths?

[florida dave]

Sign me up for the back of the DRUM line......probably the worst caster you ever saw yet I have introduced several to fly fishing and they all cast better than me......Go figure......I love to be on the water whether it be warm or cold and I thank God for every opportunity I get.......By the way I thought there was some kind of Federal or State law the said you can't have "just" one fly rod......you mean there isn't.......I'll be .......You people at FAOL are the greatest........

Fish on............and Tight lines........

Florida Dave

[fishdog54]

No, I don't think you need a diploma to prove you can cast. I've never had a minute of casting instruction. I've pulled some fish out of some pretty difficult situations that I'm pretty proud of. I will also tell you that I have not caught some fish that I should have because of a lack of skill in certain areas.In particular I am in serious need of learning to double-haul. I won't use that skill that often, but when you have to walk away from a nice fish or a difficult fish because you don't know how to perform a certain cast thats too bad. I'd like to "clean" up my casting- I've gotten a little sloppy which could put a good fish down. The creek I fish in can be very demanding. Lots of over hanging trees/multiple currents/fish hugging the far bank. Put all three of these situations together at once and you have a typical scenario that I deal with. I'ts fun but can be very technical if you see what I mean. AND the fish you are trying for under those over- hanging branches is sipping on #24 BWOs!!! You do need accuracy. The less you have to cast over a fish the better. Right? Just as GRUBB said, its all about how you catch them not how big/many! Hope I have helped. BTW, I also carry a pair of binoculars around my neck and can be seen standing in the middle of the creek watching the birds/mink/ deer/turkey and other wildlife. I also use them to spy on those trout under the branches across the creek!!!

Best regards, Dave S. (fishdog54)

[Jack Hise]

I've had casting sessions with JC, LadyFisher and a Certified Casting Instructor here in Tullahoma. They have all helped me become a better caster which equates to a better fly fisher!! They all taught the basics and let you develop your own "Style". Could they cast for distance? Yes! Could they do all sorts of fancy casts! Yes! Very fun to watch and it just added to their credibility as teachers. Teacher should be highly skilled in their craft if they are to earn the respect of the student.

JC and LadyFisher were very determined to teach us, the average fly fisher, to be able to teach others. I remember a pleasent afternoon at Gate's Ausable Lodge where JC used the "Kill The Spider" method to teach a young lady fly casting! The next day her husband reported that she was now a better caster than he was! And, she caught more fish!

It seems that today one must have the proper credentials hanging on the wall to be considered a "Teacher", "Doctor", etc. Can I teach you to Fly Cast? Yes, if you listen! Do I have any papers to prove I can? No! And it's all free any way!

[Mato Kuwapi]

THANK YOU NEIL! I bow to your wisdom, sir. My sentiments exactly. It's sad to see or hear folks who want to take up this fun activity but decide that it's just too difficult. WHY? Because some make it a sport of perfection and competition. I love fly fishing because it's a personal thing. It's learned at a personal speed and for personal need. Me, I just want to trick a fish into taking my fly. How I get it there is learned from all the time spent on the water doing just that and having a bucket full of fun. I also learn from everyone I meet. Some info I gobble up, and some I cast aside. It's all about what works for me. It's also about how it's presented to me. I would rather ask for help and get it from those I invite to do it, rather then have someone come to me, uninvited, give me a long list of credentials then proceed tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Some...to many, turn fly fishing into a competitive thing. In my opinion, from years of observation, that's what's keeping new folks from trying it or sticking with it. It takes me about 20 minutes to teach a beginner how to catch a fish on a fly rod. That's it. That's all the really need. It also only take a badly tied bit of fur and feathers to get a fish. After a little success, they can be hooked for life. It's best to leave the rest to them. They will ask the questions, do the research and put in the time to learn what they need or want to know. I don't like being a critic. If that fly works or the cast gets the fly where it needs to be...GREAT! It's too easy to turn them off if the "pro" comes in and starts tearing apart the cast or the fly or the technique. If they're catching fish...what else do they really need? Just time on the water, and mentors that know when to give them the time, the ear and what they want to know....and above all, keeping it fun. There is nothing wrong with seeking perfection, if that's what you want. Just remember, not everyone wants or needs it.

I don't have a certificate. I don't need one. I've had instructors out to our club. Some with "certification" and many without. It really doesn't matter. I do know I get turned off, listening to the odd few, who like to spend too much time talking about their qualifications (FFF certification) to justify that they know more then others. I'd rather just see them teach a new concept and leave the certifications and long list of name dropping at home. I also want those without that glorified piece of expensive paper, to feel confident in their contributions. How do we develop new mentors with new ideas if we make them feel inferior without a piece of paper?

[FishnDave]

The thing I enjoy most about fishing is CATCHING fish. I love seeing or feeling the strike, feeling the strength of the fish, and then viewing the fish in hand. Fish are beautiful creatures. And I love seeing them swim away after our encounter. I hope to catch that fish again when its bigger.

Fly-fishing is just one way to reach my goal of catching fish, and I DO enjoy it more than other types of fishing. I don't particularly enjoy sitting and watching a bobber. And I certainly don't enjoy trolling lures around behind a boat waiting for a fish to hook itself so I can reel it in. Some people do enjoy those things.
I'm glad they can enjoy doing what they like, and I'm VERY glad I can fish the way I enjoy.

What does that have to do with casting vs. fishing? To me, casting is a PART of fishing....it is a way to deliver a fly or lure to the water, so that it can be presented to the fish in such a way that the fish want to strike it. Casting pretty is not my intended goal. I'd rather cast ugly and catch fish, than cast pretty and NOT catch fish. In some situations, maybe casting pretty is the BEST way to catch more fish. In that situation, I'm sure my casting would improve over time out of necessity.
I'm probably the worst fly-caster there is, because almost all of my fly-fishing is done along wide open shorelines with few objects to tangle in. Even then, especially if its windy, I'm known to occasionally get my fly tangled around my rod somehow. But I can usually catch fish, and that makes me happy.

I taught a young woman how to fly-fish last year, and we have fly-fished a couple times this year too. I gave her some general instructions and philosophy, but for the most part I let her do her own thing with the casting. She catches fish, and that makes HER happy. If she enjoys it, she'll continue fly-fishing. The more she fly-fishes, the better her casting will get, and she'll catch even more fish. So overall, I consider it a success!

I have a deep appreciation for that that can REALLY cast well. If I'm fishing in a situation where I need to learn some new casting techniques in order to place the fly in areas I can't reach with my current skills, then of course I'd want to learn from somebody who KNOWS how to do it, and it capable of teaching the technique to others.

My fly-tying reflects my philosphy too, unfortunately. I catch fish on my flies, but the flies aren't usually "presentation-worthy".
Maybe I'm a guy that can drum up excitement in others for fly-fishing, but somebody else should probably show them how to do it properly?