It?s a good bet that many modern warm-water anglers have been frustrated at one time or another by a well-meaning person’s Angling-Impaired assumptions about fly fishing. Many is the time that a person has seen my fly gear and immediately said, "Oh, you’re a trout fisherman, huh?? I’m sure they mean no harm. But why is angling so tightly associated with trout? I have a few ideas on the subject. Please bear in mind that they are strictly my own ideas, rather than proven fact.
I actually had a little chuckle when this article popped up. It brought back countless memories of my own fly angling experiences.
The fly rod angler is a rare thing here in Southern Ontario. I like nothing more than to pull up to a warm water lake or river, get out my fly rod and go see what’s in it. Often there are others around and often I listen to the quiet side comments of anglers and observers who whisper…“Look at her. She’s fly fishing! Ha ha ha… What does she think she’s doing, fly fishing here? She’ll never catch anything”,proceeded by numerous giggles and finger pointing. The assumption being, on their part, that fly fishing is for trout…and only trout. I love this part and it always makes me laugh.
I learned early in my fly fishing career, that fly fishing is for fish…any fish in just about any situation. My home waters…500 meters (a few more in yards, in Yankee talk) from my door, is a warm water river. I learned most of what I know about fly fishing, on this river. I also have a few warm water ponds withing a few minutes drive but Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair are often within reach for me. I gave up my spinning and bait gear long ago. I only use a fly rod…and when I see the looks on those unbelieving observers faces when I bring in fish, I have to admit that it brings me great satisfaction. …and it teaches them a valuable lesson.
During my many years at Ft Bragg, North Carolina, I spent many hours fishing small ponds and lakes with a fly rod. I got the looks of disbelief that a fly rodder would even dare show up at those lakes. There were no trout there.
When bass, crappie and bream fell prey to my flies, my fishing style and method became a subject for conversation and accounted for several converts to the ways of the long rod.
REE
In a takeoff of “Blame Canada!” from the “South Park” Television Series, all the blame for "Just What is considered proper Fly Fishing, can be place on the "British Empire! Most who are alive today, never grew up in a time when there was an “Bristish Empire” that the sun never set on, throughout the World. Ireland, Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, Jamaica, Bermuda, Gibraltar…and many more areas large and small; were all regional parts of the British Empire.
Before WWII (1939-1945) the “His Royal Magesty the King of England was Ruler of the British Empire” controlled a vast network of regions throughout the world. It is said that wherever the British Flag was planted, they also planted roses and trout! And every proper British Citizen, knew their place in the order of things, and which things were proper, and those things that were not proper. And since most of our history on fly fishing in the America’s comes from the British Empire’s influence on what is proper and not proper, we have a large population that when they see a person with a fly rod, or someone says that they are a fly angler, all those who do not partake of this specific pastime, still immediately think of “Trout” or “Salmon”!
Even today, when in public, if I mention that I am a fly angler, I am always ask where do I go fishing. I gently respond with “Wherever there is fishable waters to fish!” Then that person get a puzzled look on their face, and asks “Don’t you fly fish for Trout?” I reply, "If trout are in the water I fish, I do, otherwise I fly fish for whatever local species of fish is available!
Soon the conversation ceases, and they move off, to talk to others about that mad person who goes fly fishing for fish other than trout or salmon.
I am comfortable with this, as I find those people with closed minds, are not that interesting to converse with! After all the British taught us all that fly fishing is considered “High Church” not to be confused with the various the “Lower Church” classification of all other anglers!
~Parnelli 
Most who are alive today, never grew up in a time when there was an British Empire! It was proudly stated, The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire!.
The British Empire ruled rule a vast collection of regions (large and small) throughout the whole world. The King of England, who was also the Royal Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith, as well as the His Royal Majesty Ruler of the British Empire!
Wherever the flag of the British Empire was planted in the name of King and Country they also planted roses and trout. Only those of the higher classes were considered deserving to fish for trout, and only by the long rods, that we now know as fly fishing.
So that even today, it is common for those who does not fly fish, to still thinks that there is some Golden Rule , that states a person can only fly fish, for Trout and Salmon.
Hi,
I really enjoyed this article. Thanks.
It’s funny though. All I could think of while reading it was that when I was growing up in Nova Scotia fly fishing meant salmon. People tended to fish trout with worms. It wasn’t unusual for people to fly fish for trout or anything like that, but the first thought would be flies for salmon and worms for trout.
Some of the British flies, Derbyshire Bumbles in particular (see Donald Nicholson’s site), seem to have been specifically targeting greyling. Curiously, the British don’t seem to have transplanted greyling anywhere near to the extent that trout were moved. I wonder if the “flies for trout or salmon” is more typical outside of the UK, while in the UK it’s trout/salmon/greyling?
- Jeff