Has anyone here given any thought to looking “Old School” while fishing with contemporary ethics? So many of the fly fishing products websites show all the new and must have items and I wonder why the old school gear does work any more. I guess what I’m trying to ask is why does a new up-downer hat or Tilley hat have to be the norm? They are great hats and I know they have their place as far as protection from UV rays and shading your sunglasses so they don’t reflect the sun from behind you. But, why wouldn’t a snap down brim hat work just as well with some sunscreen and shade baffles on the stems of your sunglasses. I know that the new fly fishing vests with all those pockets work very well, But why couldn’t someone wear a tweed vest with only two small pockets, and then carry your chosen flies in your shirt pockets? I know that Simms and Patagonia make the cat’s meow as far as chest waders go, and most of the time, most of us only wade as deep as our knees. So why couldn’t we wear only hip waders and still have access to our belts and zippers? I know that there are many different types of ways to carry all you need as far as tippets, leaders, extra reels, nippers, forceps, thermometers, water bottles and all the other stuff, But why couldn’t we just use an old fashioned wicker creel to carry most of that stuff. We don’t have to put fish in them after all. I guess I’m trying to ask if there are any other folks out there who feel a tug toward the traditional ways of fishing. We don’t have to keep the fish, and we can still pinch the barb and catch & release.
I’d be very interested in your viewpoint.
hey joe… this is so weird , i was just thinking the same thing last night. i could see a tweed and canvas day at the fish ins lol!
I really never thought that I was trying to go back to traditional ways of fishing, but recently some family members bought me a package of flies from Wal-Mart. The package said they were ten “Popular Flies”. They were poorly tied traditional wet flies. I used the Black Gnat and caught three rainbows today one right after the other. It almost made me want to go back to cut-off jeans, a baseball hat, and my Cortland Fairplay fly rod with a wind knotted four foot leader.
Great idea. Matter of fact, I had one at the Idaho Fish-In a couple of years ago. Tweed vest, button down brim hat and bamboo. It was fun. 
Hey nothing wrong with the Cortland Fairplay fly rod!! I’ve used mine for 3+ years and it works just fine. Now that my son has left I now have his Renegade fly rod which works very well also.
Fatman
I used to sport a tweed hat in my earliest days as a fly fisherman. Later after I abandoned it, I’d wear it when I toted along an F.E. Thomas wet fly rod in my collection with full intermediate wraps on those trips when not many others were looking. I still have the hat but found other options cooler, “cooler” and more practical.
I always wanted to do the full dress old time thing, maybe incorporating a derby or top hat along with a long tweed jacket but I never did. The stream-side reactions would be worth it to me for the same reason I WILL someday hit my favorite non-fly fishing only trout stream with my usual fishing attire and a SpongeBob SquarePants kiddie fishin’ pole.
I still lust for a Hardy tackle bag but no matter how hard I try to justify using it; it can’t beat the compartmentalized bags out there just made for the gadget collecting fly fisherman. It’s not that I don’t think it won’t work just as good, it just isn’t as convenient. I try and limit the majority of my hassles stream-side to figuring out the fish.
The tweed hat of my youth blocked the sun just fine but was hot as heck. Also, back then I didn’t need to have Flip Focals attached to the brim. A baseball cap is the answer for me, my perfect hat for all seasons and I can easily pull a wool watch-cap over it in winter and the Flip Focals don’t have to go anywhere.
A tweed jacket looks pretty darn cool but I can’t even handle wearing a vest during the summer months so a regular jacket would only work for me a few months out of the year when a thermal sweatshirt is a better option for staying warm.
I guess the Old World style isn’t for me except when I get nostalgic or want raise a few eyebrows.
You are correct, there is nothing wrong with them. I beat the heck out of mine for 9 years. But I am sad to say that on a trip a couple years ago I had it leaning against a tree, with new line mind you, and I forgot it. I got to the bottom of the mountain, went back up and it was gone with no honest people in sight.
My Dad always wore a treed jacket & hat…
Matter of fact there is a red feather in one of the hats - two styles of hats!
One brown sport and Grey english treed.
I have them hanging here in the office, but never gave it a thought
about wearing them to the river, until now…
Dads been gone 18-years in August, I have him smiling tonight…
What about a suitable necktie? Now, that would really get em going when you showed up streamside so attired.
Lads,
When wearing the appropriate fishing clothing, Tweed Sport Coat with suede elbow patches, Matching knickers and vest and, of course, the traditional Irish tweed cap, one must not forget a proper tie in the colors of one’s fishing club. A white shirt with a crisply starched collar is also a must for the gentleman fishing with the angle.
As for all the gadgets, that’s called marketing and convincing folks that the newest, latest, most technical devices will make up for lack of skill with your tools and knowledge of the quarry. You see this in all forms of fishing, hunting, bowhunting and muzzleloading. This years graphite is better than last years…this years camo is better than last years, (all ya gotta do is be still and wear drab clothing…proved it too many times), this new muzzleloader is better than gran’pas…(oh yea?), and the list is endless. No, those things aren’t necessary and a lot of the time even needed…if you know what you’re about.
I’m pretty hard core traditional…but I never thought about the proper attire while fly fishing. I’m rather minimalist when I do fish so tweed and knickers wouldn’t present a storage problem…hmmm…food for thought…and I like it!
Vic
My grandfather use to wear a battered fedora, a buffalo check wool jacket and hip boots
I had totally forgoten about that untill I saw John Grierach dressed the exact same way on the cover of one of his books
I’ve never been a beau brumel. I dress strictly for practicality and comfort. When fly fishing that usually means a pair of jeans a work shirt, a wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off my head and face, waders and then a vest or jacket depending on the time of year.
Fishing in Tweed? Sorry… I would kinda chuckle at you. I’m into fly fishing and the really deep past about it… but that seems too much for me!
CLOTHES YOU MEAN YOU WEAR CLOTHES??? WE DON’T WEAR CLOTHS IN THE ISLAND NATION OF OHIO. WAIT TILL THE GUYS HEAR THIS!!
Nothimg wrong with tweed, a Harris tweed jacket
has its’ usees in a climate like ours.
A Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers is going a bit
over the top. I do not like jeans either.
they are not suitable going through wet heather.
I prefer corderoys with deep pockets. (lol)
Good morning All.
Well folks I have and wear a woollen tweed hat while fly fishing in the fresh.
People laugh, thats ok.
But it is me that is silently laughing at them.
Because when it rains, my woollen hat is still warm, even when its totally water logged.
When its freezing and windy, my head is still warm, on a hot day, its cool.
The above is the joy of wearing wool.
The ‘you beaut’ man made fibres maybe ok, but does or has your high tech fishing hat lasted over 45 years ?
My woollen tweed hat has and has now become a part of my fishing, a friend.
Only last year my wife thought she would be nice and buy me a new tweed hat, that was nice however it was made with a percentage of poly something and once wet, it turned to a cold hat and I turned back to my good old friend.
The Tweed hat isn’t as silly as some people think.
Kind regards,
UB
well said uncle barry! the purpose of this post i think was to say it is nice to keep some traditions alive. i don’t think it was intended to say do it every day on the water but it does have its place. i could see a crisp autumn afternoon a tweed hat and jacket. thats living and keeping the traditions alive. its not for everybody but it is sad to see people scoff at an idea that is put out there just to enjoy and have fun.
For many years, yes years, I would not fish for brown trout in the Flies Only section of the Au Sable river unless I was wearing a brown tie. (well, tan actually)
i love it J.C.!