How proficient does one have to be to attend a fish-in? I read articles with people throwing a line 60’ to 90’ with a perfect loop and hitting a target the size of a desert plate with a double haul. I’m just happy not to hook the person I’m sharing the water with.
“Illegitimus nil Carborundum”
I certainly hope I’m not held to that “standard” for a fish-in participation!!!
I’m planning on meeting people I’ve “known” for years, sharing food and thoughts, learning new stuff, and casting, not 60 - 90 feet, but to the closest fish I can see.
Sure hope you’re planning on the Fish-In in Michigan! I think it’s going to be a great group (check out the who’ s coming section).
Trouts don’t live in ugly places
Coach,
I am self taught, have NEVER even come close to laying a whole line out, am SURE the Sage casting analyzer will laugh at me, but I LOVE to flyfish & have fun doing it. I also believe that most FAOL members are closer to our abilities (or lack of) than the ones you mentioned. The ones with great abilities always seem eager to help those of us who are lacking.
As Betty said, I also hope you are able to come to the Michigan Fish-In…I have already committed LF & JC to help me learn proper casting, including showing me what a double haul is. If nothing else, I can guarantee some fantastic food & a whole bunch of laughing & good conversation!!
Mike
This site’s about sharing!
[This message has been edited by ohiotuber (edited 10 March 2006).]
The analyzer is quite an amazing little gadget. It is amazing what it “accepts”. As bad as we are at tossing, it obviously did not hold it ALL against us! 
…lee s.
PS - Last pie plate we hit was with a fork…ONLY pie plate we’ve hit! 
All Fish-Ins are for all FAOL readers. Everyone who reads this website is most welcome. There are no registration fees or fees for anything - but we do pass the hat for things like food when someone is doing a special meal.
Fish-Ins are a great opportunity to put faces on the names you may see here, to try out some rods, tie some flies, and just hang out with folks who are ‘like-minded.’
Catching fish is great, but we’ve had folks who never wet a line too.
Plan on hitting one if you can, you won’t be disappointed.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Coach Robb;
When they see my casting I’ll be assigned to K.P. for the duration!!
Kidding aside, I think we’ll all come away from the Fish-In better Flyfisher’s.
Due to cookin’ & jawin’, ol’ Jack & I will be hard pressed to do much fishin’ at our Fish-In, but we’ll get plenty of reports from folks fishin’ with OUR rods! Other folks enjoying the rods I regularly fish is as much fun as fishin’ with 'em myself…ok, ALMOST as much fun! Just think…it’s a chance to fish with my ‘boo, the Sage I won here on FAOL, & Jacks’ home-made masterpieces!
Mike
This site’s about sharing!
Hi Coach,
If you’re there, you’re proficient enough. At the Roscoe Fish-In there have been guys who’ve fished for decades and guys who’ve fished a few days. Many of us are more than happy to help out but sooner or later the ‘newbie’ is on his own. Some guys/women pick it up easily and some not so. After all, there are ‘good fishers’ and there are those who ‘fish good’.
On a second note: Next time someone boasts they can cast 75+ feet(or even 60 feet) and land a fly ‘50% of the time’ on a plate using a 5 weight or less flyrod with a 5x tapered leader, see if they’ll back it up with a serious bet. I’ve challanged anyone I’ve heard make this boast and they’ve all backed out.
Go to a Fish-In and you’ll have a great time.
Allan
Dont worry about how well you can cast to attend a Fish-In. I have been to the last two in Idaho, and my lack of good casting has not held me back. I would be very willing to bet I was the worst caster at each one. Now does that mean I didnt have a good time? Heck NO!!! I had an absolute blast and caught more than my share of fish. Shoot I could go and catch nothing and have fun, the people at the Fish-Ins are what really makes it so fun (I will definitely be doing that at CWFI LOL)
Last year I had a chance to try the Sage Analyzer in Idaho and learned a few things . I also had the chance to get some help with my casting from JC and LF. I would be that at any Fish-In you could find someone to help you learn to cast better.
The bottom line is as mentioned by other posts, as long as you have fun flyfishing, then you will have a good time at a Fish-IN.
Take care everyone and cya around. Mark
As a reminder, casting is only one part of fishing. I know people that I consider excellent fishermen who rarely cast more than 10’. With Lisenring or high sticking you barely cast at all.
There are also attendees who don’t fish (i.e. spouses of FAOLers) and they 1. are allowed to be a part of it all and 2. Most surely have fun.
jed
Coach, all I can say is thanks goodness you’re wrong! I can’t cast worth a &*%$#, my tying is , well, primitive, and I don’t know how to retrieve with any finesse or much about drifts. And I, for one, plan on having a blast at the Michigan fish-in. I’m even planning on ditching work for a day or two and having another blast at the Roscoe fish-in. So have no fear, Coach. You’d be in good company.
I can lay out all 40 yards I am proud to say.
I cast about 40 feet out and strip the line off as the canoe goes down the pond. I end up with it all out.
Rick maybe the worlds worst caster.
PS I don’t hit a dinner plate as I might break it and I like to eat to much.
Coach, … To attend, … the only requirement is to be able to find the place (or hitch a ride with someone who does)!
Heck, … I’m ORGANIZING one and can’t cast worth a darn
Actually, … it’s my evil plot to get some experienced folks to show me which end of the DT line to tie onto the backing
The WHOLE idea of the Quebec FishIn is to get folks out who would never have thougt about hitting a salmon river (which also holds world class brookies).
The “intimidation” factor on fly fishing rivers is old school. The more the merrier !!!
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:9b686]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:9b686]
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:9b686]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:9b686]
Chris,
Da*n, you had to say this:
“The WHOLE idea of the Quebec FishIn is to get folks out who would never have thought about hitting a salmon river (which also holds world class brookies).”
The probability is still almost nil, but it certainly deserves some additional consideration.
Do you have the specifics: Dates, place,etc?
Allan
LOL Chris…everytime I read one of your articles or see something about your Fish-IN…I get this urge to try to attend. But alas…since I cant take time off from work in the summer, it just cant happen for me 
. I got a chuckle out of your comment about your casting…I would bet its a whole lot better than you are willing to admit to us. If nothing else, its probably way better than my casting LOL.
Take care everyone and cya around. Mark
It looks like the “Two Hearted Ale” will have to be rationed. I will alert the Kalamazoo Belle brewery to step up production for mid August in the Grayling stores. It will rival Red Hook from Ballard and Anchor Steam from the bay area. For all you IPA aficiondos…Strong coffee in the morning too.
“Some of the best fishing is done not in water but in print” Sparse Grey Hackle
The print on this website attests to Sparse’s words…
Jonezee;
You are now the “Grand Master” of the “Keeper of the Grog”!! The most important position of the Fish-In!!
All we need now is a “Recorder of the Lies”!! A Scribe to put to paper all the wonderful tale’s that will be told during this gathering of the …whatever!?
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
Jack, I am not worthy…
“So here’s to you a hearty draught, and to all that love us, and the honest art of Angling”
Izaak Walton “The Complete Angler” (1653)-----------------
Allan, …
We still plan to do it the week BEFORE the MI FishIn. Monday, August 7 - Sunday August 13 [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:4623d]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html[/url:4623d]
It’s a sure thing now too that the Bardsville site will never be ready for us in ealy August, … so we’ll use the Ferme 5 etoile (5 star farm): [url=http://www.ferme5etoiles.com/en/index.html:4623d]http://www.ferme5etoiles.com/en/index.html[/url:4623d]
Mark, … Hmm, … Can’t do a summer fishIn, … We’ll just have to look into a '07 one in the second season here. Schools and schools of juvenile sea run brookies … No bugs, less $$ and brook trout on a dry. They,re smaller than their adult counterparts though, … an average one only about 10-14 inches.
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:4623d]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:4623d]
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:4623d]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:4623d]
Hey All,
“Bells” is 1 of our customers,I deliver a load of pallets there once a week. I’ll start talking up the Fish-In, maybe I can get a donation.(hasn’t done any good in the past 7 years,but for a good cause who knows)
Bill