JC has been fond of the asking the following question, “How long does it take to learn fly-fishing? No one knows.” ~Grand poo-bah
I finally found the true answer to the question, supplied by a quote by Theadore Gordon.
“One can never learn all that there is in fly-fishing. Only men of limited experience think that they know it all.” ~Theodore Gordon
Just like the old tootsie pop commercials…the world may never know.
Just a little longer than one’s time on earth!
Mike
That’s easy…!
Two (2) lifetimes …!
Dale
I would kind of look at learning fly fishing like learning the computer. Just when I think I have mastered WindowsXP someone shows me something new or the darn thing locks up.
I re-boot whenever I break a shoe lace.
And you always find those know-it-all’s on every stream. I always chuckle when I hear them talk. I always think “Know, what you know, admit what you don’t know, and have the sense to be able to tell the difference”. The more I learn about fly fishing, the more I realize how little I do know, ya know.lol.
I think you could live several lifetimes and never figure it all out.
Ahh…and there, in part, is why we fish!
My thought is that you can easily learn to flip fly in an hour, another week to learn to fly fish. To get good at it, well I have been fly fishing over 55 years and I am still not to the point that I am good at it.
Jim
When or if you think you know it all you are only fooling yourself. You may know how to cast, read water, catch fish, tie flies, etc; but you will never know what goes on inside a fish’s head. What you learn is patience and use that to try and entice a creature with a brain the size of a pea to take your offering. He or she has the ability to frustrate you to no end, yet can bring such joy, pleasure and satisfaction that is immeasurable. So time is not so important, it is the challenge, rewards and learning that keeps you going forward.
Jerry
And as for me, I know all I want to know and think I know all I need to know… Sometimes I stumble onto something useful and evaluate whether I need to add it to my knowledge base and proceed accordingly. I think there is absolutely NO NEED to know it all so why beat yourself up or humble yourself because you don’t?? As is often mentioned here, it’s supposed to be fun.
Mark
Great answer.
Philip
If you don’t learn something each time you go out, you are not paying attention! 
When the Good Lord tell’s me I will let you know. 
Ron
If the mystery was revealed, you’d have to quit it.
to date it has taken me two and a half years. I have been fishing two and a half years. In one year it will be three and a half years and…
And while we’re on the subject of what you know…
How would you know you don’t know what you don’t know? :?
I think I know. Someone else would have to know what you don’t know and tell you what you don’t know. But, since we obviously don’t know everything and we don’t know everyone, we’ll never know what we don’t know, because we’ll never know we don’t know. You know?
No?
No… :shock:
My answer is… I don’t know. 