When was the last time that you could actually say that you just went fishing for fun? As a consummate observer of people’s behavior I have noticed that I see more and more people that appear to find fishing especially fly fishing, anything but fun. A typical scene at an access site is a bunch of determined people that appear to be setting out on a mission that is a matter of life and death. Once the boat is in the water the race is on to see which angler can catch the first fish, the most fish and the biggest fish. The casting is methodical, machine like with a stoic determination without any apparent concept of what they are doing or why they are doing it. Is this the future of fly fishing?
I would suggest that fun for one may not be fun for others or you. What you describe sounds like a bass tournament that, by the way, is probably fun for those doing it. I think most of us fish for fun and tie flies for fun. Fly fishing is especially for fun and relaxing. I really don’t follow you on this. What is your definition of fun?
I have to agree with jcampbell here. I don’t have any leisure time activities that are not fun. If the activity ceases to be fun, I stop that activity.
Have fun!
Ted
For many here maybe that’s the case. However for the majority of the fly fishing public I have to agree with the article. I’ve seen folks boil over when losing fish, quit early in anger when their fishing buddy is having the better day. Ruining things for the whole trip. Serious fly fishermen…experienced. Folks argue with guides, refuse to accept guidance or help…all because they are competing more than they are just fishing, and when they stop winning, they stop enjoying it.
I swung through an Orvis shop on the way to a local twp pond to hit some gills and bass with poppers one night to pick up tippet. A guy was in there complaining about the closest trout stream being too off-color to fish, and it was his only day off in the week to fish. I asked the guy if he wanted to accompany me to the water I was heading to for some popper fishing. He looked me square in the eye and as rude as could be said…“Now why in the &^%* would I want to do that? Do I look like I’m 10 years old?” Then went on to add how when he fly fishes he likes to “Match wits” with selective trout. I laughed and complimented him on matching wits with a fish that will rise for a thing-a-ma-bobber…then went fishing.
He probably went home after whining to the fly fishing clerk for another hour about how his fly fishing prowess was ruined until next week, kicked his dog and yelled at his wife. If we are all lucky maybe he broke his best rod too. 
I caught a lot of fish that night…and had fun on a day that began with thunderstorms. He…did not.
I can’t believe that you think you can speak for the majority of the fly fishing public with such negative comments and one example of an idiot you spoke with in a fly shop. Come on Troutbum, what is the point of putting down on the fun MOST of us enjoy with this sport. Unhappy and angry people are everywhere and will always be with us for whatever reason. But trying to say that our sport in full of them is just not true. This negative stuff is not sending a positive message to the youngsters.
I’m glad to see that at least someone is actually reading the articles that we put up each month. The opinions set forth in my article are not simply my view on the current state of our sport. Are there lots of guys out there that enjoy fly fishing, is fun different for different people - the answer is yes. If you don’t encounter these types of individuals where you fish you are blessed, but if you talk to the guides, outfitters, shop owners and individuals like Kirk Deeter who make their living from fly fishing they will tell you that they are seeing an increasing number of people who are just like the guy NJtroutbum described. I don’t like to see it, I don’t enjoy writing about it but I cannot deny that it is happening.
Not saying that all of fly fishing is this way, in fact some of the best people in my life are part of it. But it is more prevalent than some would like to see. I don’t think this sends a bad message at all. If anything, for young folks entering the sport it should be a gentle reminder of what you “don’t” want to become.
OK, the undesirable things mentioned on this thread are not the thing I experience, but I’ll concede that they may be more prevalent in the larger world of our sport. I’ll just leave it at that and assure you that I’ll do my small part to be, and convey, what most of us want our sport to be…Fun, enjoyable and challenging. Peace!!
Great Question! I made my living for many years as a wilderness fishing guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I found out that I hated fishing! Day after day of taking walleye fishermen out and drowning leeches, crawlers and minnows so they can catch walleye. And if you are not catching Walleye ever 2-3 minutes, they are wondering why in the world they hired a guide. I grew to dread going on the water!
Then by happen chance, I made contact with Tom Hellgeson who was editor of Midwest Fly Fishing. We chatted, I placed an add in his magazine, and he sent a writer up to do an article on Fly Fishing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I knew virtually nothing about fly fishing and fly fishermen. Tori McCormick and a friend of his came up for a couple of days of fabulous fishing and I was absolutely hooked on fly fishing. More importantly I was hooked on taking fly fishermen into the BWCA. Fly Fishermen are the polar opposite of a walleye fishermen.
Although I no longer guide in the BWCA, I take several long weekends and fly fish around the BWCA, taking a few of my friends and old clients along. It doesn’t matter if we have a banner year (100 fish a day!) or a crappy year (only a couple of fish), we have a blast. It is more about camaraderie, sitting around the campfire, enjoying good food cooked over a campfire, a drink as the sunsets, and strong coffee! Fly fishing has rekindled by joy of fishing and I look forward to my next day on the water!
I go fishing for fun every time I go fishing…or I wouldn’t go fishing. For me, due to my location on Kauai, it is very expensive to go fly fishing. I go at least once each year to the Montana/Eastern Idaho area, and occasionally to Patagonia because my son lives in Chile. I would not spend the money to travel to these places and stay for a couple of weeks if I didn’t have fun fishing. It is my passion and I love it and enjoy it thoroughly.
Concerning what guides think of their clients… A good friend of mine has been a fly fishing guide on the Henry’s Fork for over 30 years now. He often tells stories about his clients. Mostly, he mentions their ineptness…not that they didn’t enjoy their fishing. And, although I know and like many guides, I would point out that guides may share our love for fly fishing, but they are also earning a living guiding others…not fishing themselves. In fact, some of the guides I know rarely get a chance to “go fishing” themselves during the best time of the seasons. If successful, they are too busy during the fishing season to go out and enjoy the sport…they are making their living by taking these other folks fishing.
“Concerning what guides think of their clients”, that should remain between "his " ears. After pocketing $400 or $ 500 plus a "required " tip, the ONLY experience he should share about his client(s) is with his peer guides and NOT with someone who will possibly post that on a website. Sufffice to say, if i were looking for a guide on the Henry’s Fork,( and it’s not my cuppa) I for sure would eliminate this individual with 30 years experience with the loose lips and the gall to mention my “ineptness”.
Mark
As I said, he’s a good friend and he doesn’t share names…just anecdotes. I think most of us, regardless of profession, share stories about “interesting situations” in our work without sharing names.
I agree with you totally on this Marko. I really don’t think Byron meant to use the term “ineptness”. That’s a spicy word for incompetence or stupidity. It would be utopia if guides only got brilliant expert charges on every trip, but this ain’t utopia. Maybe the guides and shop owners are part of the problem here if that’s the way they view and talk about their clients. Private conversations among friends eventually surface to the public one way or another as evidenced by this thread. Their names are not as relevant as overall attitude.