Perhaps I’ve just been lucky but I’ve yet to encounter an unpleasant situation (snobs etc.) with another fly fisherman regardless of the method of fly fishing I’ve been using. Usually, we exchange fishing reports, some well intended suggestions, occasionally a fly or two and best wishes for good catch. This includes fly fisherman of all ages, all equipment levels and all proficiency levels. Heck, I even get along with the bait fisherman and the hardware chuckers. Most of them are pretty nice too. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
[This message has been edited by Eight Thumbs (edited 20 September 2005).]
This is the very reason that fisher…people have never had any pull in politics, alot of O-pinions… it is about like Fridaynight at the hippy bar and the Cowboys show up! aint long and there is a fight over some one useing a fome fly and a guy fishin rubber grubbs!! LOL Excuse me while I spit out my chaw!
Labels are usually placed on others by people who either are a little jealous or lack knowlege or facts, or, see that person as a threat to their own self centeredness Then these labels are repeated over and over. Politicians do this all the time. I certainly have no problem with people keeping fish for a meal or how they fish for them. I do have a problem with people who break the rules and laws. I have not seen a “game warden” on a stream in at least 20 years. In the late 40’s and through the 50’s I can remember meeting the game warden on a stream pretty often; checking creels, measuring fish and asking to see your license once I was old enough to require one.
Trout especially, live in a fragile environ.
I can well remember my brother and I relentlessly weekend after weekend fishing a small brook near my grandfather’s farm. Everyone I ever saw on this stream fished worms or minnows except for one elderly gentleman who fished wet flies. As the summer wore down our catches became fewer. We had been part of the problem of “fishing out” this little brook. Later I learned that at one time the stream held native brookies but for years had been stocked with browns: I think about 500 small trout a year.
About the third year that I came upon the old fly fisher along the undercut banks of my childhood trout stream did I finally get up the courage to speak to the old timer. I asked him if he got any as my brother and I had not had any luck. Not answering me he asked instead, “Ever let any legal ones go so they can grow a little?”
Looking back now I guess that ‘was’ his answer but at the time ‘letting one go’ wasn’t even thought of unless it was under the limit.
My father had taught us to fish. I remember him instructing as the line began to move, “Let him swallow it before you set the hook”. Everyone thought the same way after all we were going to eat the fish weren’t we. Many times the fish was ‘gut’ hooked so some times we would have to explain to the game warden that, yes we knew the fish was a half inch short and then would explain why we kept it.
I have seen quite a few wormers and spin fishermen get a ‘second’ limit. I have seen them fish in C&R waters and claim ignorance when told they were in such water. I have not seen a fly fisher do that.
When I have seen fly fishermen do some wrong it has usually involved some form of breech in stream etiquet such as crowding another angler. Of course the spinner and bait crowd do that too.
Is it only a perceived notion that trout and their environs need more protection than warm or salt water species that has been fostered on the meathunters?
Is it because we recognize this danger that they start ‘labeling’ us?
Fly fishermen indeed have issues among themselves as to what is considered ‘fly fishing’ and what isn’t but that is between themselves.
It is funny how we can always find reasons to support our beliefs. How we ‘spin’ the facts to make them fit our needs. It’s kind of like taking a telephone poll. I have yet to start taking one when at some point I notice the questions began to be fashioned so that the answer ‘has’ to fit the pollsters agenda. At that point I usually hang up!
I think that it is more Truth than snobery that bothers some people…Just my 3 cents worth,…Bob
There is no doubt that some fly fisherman are elitist snobs that feel that their way is the only way to fish. Most of the time, I fly fish, because I enjoy the challenge of the sport and I want to get better at it.
I still use conventional gear, because sometimes it works better than fly fishing, and sometimes I fish for species where fly fishing just does not work well. I like to fish for walleye and sauger in early spring and late fall, and if I limited myself to a fly rod (or even limited my methods to “artificial lures only”, I would not catch many walleye. The bottom line of fishing is to have fun within the regulations.
In the dumbed down United States of today, anybody who thinks with more than half a brain is dubbed elitist. And since I can pronounce the latin names of the flies I copy, then I guess I meet the minimum standards… Im proud to be an elitist… FB.
Well, I’m certainly not an elitist or a
snob. I love fishing, and I generally like
my fellow fishermen pretty well. When I
fish, it’s from a boat. I have an extra
bass seat and I generally am able to fill it
with a friend. Sometimes fly fishermen and
sometimes bait fishermen. Bothers me not
a whit which one. We always have fun.
I’ve converted a few bait fishermen to the
fly rod, but it was thier choice. They saw
that I was having fun and something about
the process appealed to them. So I’d put an
extra rod in their hands and give them a
few pointers. The rest was up to them.
Now I’m teaching several of the convertees
some basic fly tying patterns. Their
choice and I’m glad to help. Warm regards,
Jim
elitist / snob … in FFing … call it opinionated choices and move on. But if one really over-opinionates themself on a matter … you’re going to wear a tag … most unfortunately.
Some strongly believe in what they choose to do - for reasons sometimes best beknown to them only.
I’ve seen examples of strongly opinionated flyfishers - thats who they are.
But … the majority of flyfishers I run into, have shared the fly of the water / day / week … etc., cast a line over here or there … on a crowded bank (of fly fishers nonetheless) active spots given up for others to have success / try.
There’s a mix definately, but … take 'em as they stand
There isn’t many flies that I have not used while fly fishing. I even use Bass Poppers for trout.
The last time I saw a snob fly fishing was on Nelson’s Spring Creek many moons ago. He was leaning against the gate going to the upper creek smoking his pipe wearing a tweed coat with a nice cane rod leaning against the fence. They use to let guides come out and fish if there was an opening. That is what I wa doing. It was about 2 in the afternoon when I was able to get there to fish. As I walked by him I said Hey! and he said “You missed the hatch, The fishing is all over with” I said that “I knew I had missed the hatch and was going to fish anyway” He told me it was a waste of time. I said that I would catch fish anyway and walked off. I did to. Catch fish that is.
Each to there own. I fish what it takes to catch fish as long as it is considered a fly. I learned a long time ago that if you limit yourself to one type of fly the only person you hurt is youreslf. But I always let people do as they please it just leave’s more fish for me to catch. My favorite fly fishing of course is dry but I like the rest almost as well, Ron
[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 20 September 2005).]
I always enjoy post of this nature. This one reminds me of how I explain fishing with nymphs or wet flies to the novice fly fisherman. Fish them like you are fishing a worm or salmon egg. Cast upstream, let it drift, and wait for the feel of the bite. Many a fisherman have given me a dirty look at that description, but I see no different fishing wets/nymph then fishing eggs/worms. The only thing abour flies - you have a better opportunity to release then with bait. That my friends, is the only difference, and that may be what separates the two.
I have noticed (unfortunately) on my local creek the non-fly-fisherman is in one main group as follows:
One that leaves the following debris behind after their day of fishing: Flourescent power bait, Power bait wrappers,
beer cans, gatorade bottles, nests of tangled fishing line in low hanging-trees, sticks in the shape of a Y plugged into the ground, packages of eagle claw wrappers, half-broken bobbers, and usually some empty bag from Wendy’s in the parking lot.
Now I know that this does not come from fly-fisherman because they have no need for the above - the gatorade, Wendy’s and beer notwithstanding. But, the original list only classifies us by the method of fishing - no other means.
So if we are viewed as snobs - because of how we fish - who is making that stereotype. Us or the non-flyfishermen?
Just an observation.
**PLEASE DO NOT POST A REPLY SAYING “NOT ALL NON-FLYFISHERS/SPINNERS ARE LIKE THIS.” MY OBSERVATION WAS FOR MY LOCAL CREEK, BUT I AM IMAGINING IT MAY BE THE SAME IN OTHER PLACES.
fcch,
If you can’t use weighted flies in ?Canada?, does this preclude the use of Beadhead flies–either glass, brass, or tungsten? Or are they referring to just lead fuse wire wrapped around the hook shank? Seems like it would be difficult to tell if a fly is tied with underwraps of wire.
I fish with any and all methods/types of flyrod, line, and fly combinations. I “prefer” nymphs and midges, but also fish dries, streamers, terrestials, san juan worms, and any other “fly” that I think might work.
I don’t fish with a spinning rod, but that’s my choice, not my being snobbish. I couldn’t care less how someone else fishes as long as they do it legally and with respect for the fish and the fish’s environment.
Typically I try not to judge people - for better or for worse. Sometimes the Orvis Boy threads strike me as being reverse elitism. Some are in fact pee pee heads but not all Orvis Boys are elitists, snobs or even remotely bad people.
That being said I have to break my own rule and pass judgment on someone that I do not know. I do this only because it is so blatantly obvious that the person is a classic state of the art first rate self promoting narcisist.(Is that redundant???)
Has anyone seen the show “Whatta Catch” that has been on recently. My goodness do we think higly of ourselves…
Actually the biggest snobs I’ve met anywhere while fishing were the “decal” bass fishers at Lake El Salto in Mexico. Talk about looking down long noses at a fellow who just wanted a chance to catch a 15 lb LMB on a fly I’d tied and on a rod I’d wrapped. On the other hand, I’ve seen and been party to a whole bunch of us, regardless of the locale and species, stand around poking our noses in each other’s fly boxes, sharing flies as well as spirits and great tales. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve never ever witnessed any spin fishers trading Rapalas. Not saying they don’t, just haven’t seen it happen. I will ocassionally use my spin equipment for the fellowship of a couple of my old friends. I also know some on this site who would swear I’m a warmwater “purist.” I just don’t have any trout, bones, stripers nor baracuda within striking distance, and I feel the magazines of our sport are way top heavy on cold water fishing. Personally I couldn’t give a rattail rasp how a person fishes, nor what he or she fishes for as long as they respect the environment, the species and one another. On the other hand, I so thoroughly enjoy fly fishing that several times each year I teach classes at state parks, with 4-H and the scouts, as well as in community ed classes. This probably isn’t really true across the board, but I honestly believe we fly fishers DO have more respect for the environment, the species and one another. Can’t remember seeing it any other way over the 50 years I’ve been doing it. JGW
I haven’t traded Rapalas, but I have certainly traded spinners, jigs, and bait with other fishermen. One can decide to share or not, regardless of one’s hobby. One can decide to be a purist without being a snob. If you enjoy drifting dries rather than nymphs, so be it. Once I spent a very nice hour of trout fishing a riffle that likely held no trout. I knew that it held no trout. I didn’t really care, that time let the rest of my party spread out up the stream and it was some of the nicest fishing that I have ever done. It was a great day in May and everything was about as perfect as you could want, except that there were no fish, other than soke sculpins. I was able to watch my fly bobbing along and make side-arm casts in an area free of obstructions. I was under a canopy of trees tall enough to cause me little or no problem. The weather was warm with a nice breeze and I was wading wet. I still think back to it fondly. It has been over 20 years since I was on that stream.
topics like this are repeatedly opened. they have been hashed, and re-hashed several times. however, between each arrival of this topic, are different experiences. someone may hold a certain opinion now, and 4 months from now have been exposed to different point of view, or had a different set of circumstances arise that has changed their opinions. not to mention the addition of new members who may not have had the opportunity to reply before.
seems to me, the topic is FF related, in the appropriate spot, and being handled with tact and respect. so whats the problem? dont want to read it? you dont have to. dont want to hear it? not to be rude, but nobody really asked you. if you havent an opinion, and you havent a response, dont waste your time responding in the manner that you did.
dont get me wrong. i respect you and your replies. ive read most of your posts, and have developed a deep respect for you as a fisherman, and a very talented fly tier. but your response was really unnecessary. not only does this topic (and others)repeat itself, so does the response that you have provided. it wastes more of your time to respond in that manner than it would if you simply ignored the topic…
Everyone dies. Only the lucky ever truly Live. Take your time.
Dr. Sigmund must be laughing his A… off at all the anal people out there (but then, these species not only hatch upon the streams, but on golf courses, in traffic, & everywhere else in life). Bam, I use & tie whatever pattern it takes to catch the fish. God forbid, I have sat with my kids with Berkely Power Bait on the hook, though they do also fly fish (oh the horror of political incorrectness). My wife was a worm dunker from Montana (Ohhhhhh Blasphemy; though I am teaching her to flyfish). I do not spend an over abundance of money on the most expensive fly rod, or line, or whatever (my wife cusses me out enough on what I spend on fly tying materials). Luckily, I have not joined the ranks of the “Cranky Old Farts Club” (God Luv Ya Archie) !!!
Ron