Fly Fishing Technology And Tradition

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
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Hey Folks,
With todays attitude of “Get It Now”,Do you think that technology has taken away from the tradition of fly-fishing?Or, Has it made it easier to become a good fly fisherman?

I personally don’t think it makes you a better caster but, it does speed up the learning curve. I kinda like the allure of finding out things from different people and meeting mentors and such. I believe the electronic age of technology detracts from the tradition. I want to meet new people and learn from them. Some people have told me that they think fly fisherman tend to be secretive about their trade. I haven’t seen that to be true. Every time I have asked someone for help they have always been helpful.

I have the newest latest and greatest gear but I think the tradition of camaraderie needs to live on.

Thanks,

Rich

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define “tradition of fly-fishing”

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I like the new technology and think it’s neat that we have the stuff they could only strive to make back in the day.
As for the camaraderie, If you’ve ever been to a fish-in or other outing they keep camaraderie alive and kicking. Never before has it been so easy to communicate the plans and details of a get together than with the advent of the 'net!
There are silver linings to this technology. :slight_smile:

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Rick I agree with the above 100% but also think the new technology including the Internet helps us new to fly fishing. That being said I think the best thing a new fly fisherman is a group of experienced fly fisherman that enjoy helping the new guys. A couple of weeks ago I ran into such a group at the Micro Fish In in Michigan. Though I caught no fish I came home a better fisherman through what they showed me or we talked about. I will always be grateful to all who share what they know as it only helps keep the art of fly fishing moving forward.

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I personally define tradition as being “as it was in the past”. Not by making technology the PRIMARY source of your information and such.

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My reel is 50 years old.

That should give you a hint of what I like. :wink:

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Rich,

With all the old dood’s keeping all this stuff secret…We NEED all that this tech can provide!!! Like this site…It’s an infomation highway…

Still, Most who visit it ask on the BB as to where each bit of the info they seek is located along it’s length…Imagine where we’d all be without just this one site! and the old dood’s that freely give the directions time and time again… I think that like the fly fishing it’s self, The tradition’s and those who share them are ever changeing…

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I don’t think new technology detracts from the art. After all, “old technology” was once cutting edge.

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Rich,
Right here at FAOL you have the BEST of the past and present! All the experienced Fly Fishers sharing info with new Fly Fishers which translates into making Fly Fishing stronger! I’m much happier learning about Fly Fishing on FAOL than I was in the 60’s-80’s without FAOL.
Doug

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It’s been my experience that the “old doods” (I love that term, Bill) the I have learned much from, understand the the new technology, and for the most part they appreciate the new materials, rods, lines, etc. They also continue to embrace and pass along the traditions of the past, while creating new traditions made possible by the new technologies. I don’t believe the past is lost, I just think some folks are not looking hard enough to understand where this sport has evolved from. Maybe I’m just fortunate to be surrounded by fellow FFF fly fishers who are great mentors and educators. It was one such “old dood” that mentored me to the point where I am now comfortable teaching the things I learned just a few short years ago. I don’t do it exactly the way he does it, but I get good results with the students I have taught.

Don’t shortchange these guys and gals. Some of them are just burned out from upholding the traditions for so long, and are taking a well deserved rest. I salute those who came before us during a time when it was difficult to get information. I have learned from them and I appreciate their service to this great sport. It’s up to us younger whippersnappers to start carrying more of the load and to allow them to relax.

FFF’s philosophy and motto is: “Educate, Conserve Restore.” We are ALL called to embrace this as a way of life if we want the sport to continue and prosper. Let’s learn from the past and help create the future. Remember, the only constant is “change.”

Joe

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Some thoughts on old “doods” from You Can’t Make a Living Tying Flies about my mentor, an old dude, Steve Kozak:

"Steve has been my mentor and my fishing companion through all these last 20 years. Steve is 83 and is not a steady wader anymore. He still fishes from a float boat or a chair in the shallows but he can?t wade the big waters anymore. But like all fisherman, myself included, it is getting to be more fun to sit around camp and play with your gear and talk memories. Someday we will fish the streams of Heaven together.

And a few thoughts about the relationship between a mentor and his pupil as it relates to fly fishing. In times long gone by when a person grew up, lived, and died within five miles of where he was born and when nothing was written except a few scraps of paper and even those were colored with the unintelligible dialect and inconsistent phonetics of the time and place, the only way knowledge could be passed was from father to son, mother to daughter, mentor to pupil. And so it was with fly fishing.

These were the days when a rod was fashioned from tapered and bonded pieces of whatever wood was available. Long tapered rods of 16 feet or more to suit the stream. And line was woven from horse hair. Short lines they were ? shorter than the rods. And they were tied to the end of the rod ? no reel. Flies were tied of whatever manner of bird feather was available on whatever piece of brass or bone could be had to fashion a hook. Tied to size to represent whatever manner of insect that was hatching and died to match its color. And fished in whatever stream or river was available. All with not a written word of instruction. And all as varied as the land and people that pursued the pleasure. All peculiar to that five miles wherein someone would spend his entire life. All mentor to pupil, for nearly a thousand years before any consistent written record ever existed.

But today and especially since about 1970, there has more recorded, more written, more videoed, more photographed than ever before about every manner of fish, of stream, of river, of ocean that ever was. What happens is an overload of information that the poor mind cannot or will not sift through. I might suggest that it is now, more than ever, that you need a mentor. Someone who has sifted through the fog. Someone who can focus and localize all the information into something that can be fathomed and used. Someone who can bring a piece of the past into this information deluge. Such was Steve?s relationship to me. Since my father didn?t fish and died while I was still relatively young, he was my only teacher.

So when you learn to fly fish, in whatever proficiency you attain, you are tasked to pass on your knowledge - no? driven to pass it on. When someone asks you to teach them to fly fish, keep this in mind. This is not something that can be learned properly from a book."

Godspeed,

Bob Bolton

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The best of today’s new techniques, methods, technologies, target species, etc. are tomorrow’s traditions.

Greenheart, cane, steel, fiberglass, etc. were once the newest technology.

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Bob, Well said and something for all to take to heart. FF in the future will be what we all make it though what we can pass on.

Take a child fishing, share what you know and let them discover the the places the long rod can take them.

darryl

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NoLuck,
I think this is a very interesting question. Yea, we could define exact terms and probably wade through the haze a little easier, but I think I know what you mean. Be warned, this may be a bit lengthy…

I’ve wrestled with this question in my mind a hundred times before. On one hand, I absolutely can’t stand the lifestyle that modern technology is providing. The idea of having everything at your fingertips is not all that it’s cracked up to be.

If you don’t have to work hard for something, then it probably won’t mean much to you. For example, if you can hop online and read a fishing report, find out where to go, what to use and how to use it–then you can easily go out (most times) and catch fish. When you hook into that first one after 2 minutes, your thoughts might be, “wow, that report was right on. Lets ge this one in and find the rest.”

The other, more traditional side of this might be this example: You arrive at the stream early, not sure exactly of where might be the best spot to get in, so you take the easiest looking route. You sample some insects, observe the water, top and bottom. Note the temperature, time of day and year, location of the sun, breeze and make some educated guesses on how you might be able to land a few fish. Let’s say this is a stream you’ve never fished before, so you’re using the past experiences you’ve had fishing or what you heard from the guy at the fly shop or the ranger at the booth where you came in or you’re totally in the dark. When you finally land that first little fish 2 hours and 10 flies later your thoughts will probably be, “Boy, its about time!” But I bet your heart thumps a little faster than the guy who just hopped online and went out and you may take a few extra moments to study, analyze and enjoy what just happened. And I almost guarantee that you’ll remember that fish longer than the guy with fishing report.

My point here is this: The things in life (or fly fishing) that are the hardest to maintain, are the most worthwhile. Also, you might say “You get out of it what you put in.” If its easy to learn how to fly fish well and you can suck the knowledge out of total strangers that you’ll probably never meet, on line…it might be easier to disregard the true joy that comes from this “art.” And it may be easier to walk away from it when the fishing report is wrong.

As far as gear technologies go. I’m all for it. I’m really glad that I can fish with whatever material rod I choose and a line, leader and other gear that is designed specifically for what I’m fishing (as opposed to whatever is available).

All this being said, you can see how often I use this technology and I can honestly say that things I’ve been taught here have increased my knowledge of the art. I’ve caught more fish and my love for fly fishing has increased because of this site. So, you see my internal dilemna… :?

You asked:

Has it made it easier to become a good fly fisherman?

 I think so, absolutely.  But, I cherish my time on the water and learned more from one season of fishing by myself than I could ever learn here.  (Not all of that learning has to do with fly fishing, though.)  Camradarie??  I feel more of a FFing comrade now, than ever before in my life.  Again because of this site.
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I think there’s way too much empathise on flash over function now-a-days, both on the net and in magazines.
Here on FAOL you’re far more likely to see posts on “Compare X rod to Y rod” or “is this fly material comparable to this other fly material”, than you are likely to see a post on the life cycle of caddis or the sight window of trout.
“If I use XYZ line will I be able to cast 3’ more than if I use ABC line”…does this stuff really matter!!
Only to the manufacturers, advertisers, and retailers
“Back in the day” there was far more discussion on the fish, the bugs, presentation… the how and why stuff.
The kind of things covered in books and discussed after a day on the water.
Now folks think they can get all the information they’ll ever need from the web…fat chance

Sorry… time for my chill pill… anyone got a chaser?

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dudley,
That was very thoughtful, insightful, refreshing! TOYS are more fun than Bugs!
As far as someone thinking they can be a pro fly fisher by reading…Well, In their Dreams (Legend in their Own Mind!) :lol:
Doug

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Great replies all around!!

The reason I asked this question of the people is because of the trends I see. I guess you have to judge ones self gratification. I may personally think that I have succeeded when I put it all together by myself. Another person may feel that they have succeeded when they have gathered it all by what ever means possible.

I don’t want somebody telling me how to do everything. If I ask for help fine. But, there are tons of people that want everything done for them.

I kinda feel that technology has been put in place of people in general. It isn’t only in fly-fishing its in all aspects of life. There are companies out there that have to make a buck to survive. I can understand that too. But, I personally don’t feel that you can buy success. It seems that companies now days try to make you think that you can buy your way to success no matter what the subject. One of the reasons I fly fish is because its against the norm . I’m quite sure if I wanted to catch more fish, I could go out and buy spinning equipment and catch a ton of fish but, it isn’t what I feel is gratifying.

You see the same thing in hunting equipment as well. I am traditional bow-hunter now because I like the extra challenge of hunting with equipment that is at a far disadvantage over today’s hi-tech stuff. Sure, I have a good pair of Simms and a Sage rod and so on. But the true joy to me is the camaraderie and learning from PEOPLE. Yes, I agree that boards such as this are great too. But, I cant take it out to the stream and let it coach me on my casting. I guess I could go on and on but I won’t.

I am just glad that there are people like the ones here and on the waters and in the shops that can guide us in our craft. No technology will ever replace that!.

Rich

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“I LOVE TECHNOLOGY”
Kip Dynamite, 2004-
I like todays technology, and I like the “traditional”, (which was new technology at one time). Look at the fly tying materials today, along with the rod materials, wading (boots and waders), floating and boating, etc.
Plus along with new technology, I have some older and older -
I can throw cane in the morning on a small stream (new technology at one time), go to a little larger river an hour or so later and play with a fiberglass rod (brand new after WWII). In the evening a BIIX tickles my fancy. Silk line on a Condex with the 'boo rod, Sylk line wound on a Hardy JLH on the 'glass. and Windcutter II on a Lamson Litespeed Alox sitting on the Boron stick. Ain’t life wonderful. Best of yesterday, today and tomorrow so to speak.
Keep the new stuff coming, cause it’ll be old hat 20 years from now when I’m gramps age.

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Technology—we didnt have it in the early 30’s. I caught as many fish then, as I do now smetimes with the same equipment and flies. We didnt have the magazines and FAOL–didnt need them. Saw the fish that we wanted to catch and either had the fly or tied some stream side. FAOL is a source of laughter some times and then if some one has a problem and I have a answer i try to help. BILL

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Bill,
You are the BEST!! I welcome your Advice anytime!!
Thanks,
Doug