What's The Fascination With Fly Fishing?

[jjtroutbum]

I think that I am sometimes in all four of those stages at once. Of course using a fly rod in all of them.

I want to catch alot of big difficult fish all at once on old fly patterns, found in a older book, tied by me, on a rod built by yours truly,using tapered leader that I hand furled.

Really the fish are not important as much as being able to enjoy myself in the most calming way that I have learned to.

In the stream

JJ

[Phil Lilley]

Did you know standing in cold water burns calories? I do it to lose weight.

[Trout God]

I like CC's response. Made sense.

Call me crazy, but I still like being the guy with more fish on the stringer than the guy next to me at the end of the day. If fishing with an ultralight and a five dollar Wal-Mart rig rather than a fly that I spent two hours tying and fighting for my trophies for six more hours garners me that, then that's what I'm going to do.

I respect the fish. During catch and release days, I catch and release. I use the proper tools to ensure that every fish I don't keep survives so that another might nab him, I do it. But I'm in it for the fight. And like most heavyweights, I want as many fights as I'm allowed before my time.

While CC's post made the most sense, I still don't understand why it's almost a lifestyle choice. Most that I talk to who fly fish will never fish another alternative. When they grab a fly rod, that's it, for life.

There are so many viable means to landing and fighting the fish of a lifetime, means that aren't cheap, that aren't disrespectful to the sport of the fish, and don't undermine the sport that are NOT fly fishing that I just can't understand why someone would limit themselves to that one particular method.

I like Captain Crunch. I think it's the best cereal ever invented. But I'm not going to ignore Golden Grahams because I like what I taste! I've tried fly fishing, and I will try it again, barring that I die in the next few weeks. That doesn't mean that I'm going to give up the Ugly Stik, the spoon, or the open faced reel because my taste buds require variety.

[Danoinark]

Trout God. You make a lot of sense too. I thinks its simply choice and challenge. The methods are different, but the end results are the same.

Dano

[The Caddis]

Did you know standing in cold water burns calories? I do it to lose weight.

Me too, my wife goes to the gym, I'm going fishing! Maybe we could start a class and call it something like pilates in a cold stream.

[Phil Lilley]

There's anglers on both sides of the isle... bassers, flyroders, spinners, deep seaers, even giggers. Some are exclusive and some are cross the lines and try them all.

That's the glory of fishing.

[catman]

Here's my take on the way I look at Fly Fishing.

Today I got to Roaring River at 8 AM and did nothing but walk down the full length of the area below the handi-cap area and back looking for the big fish I wanted to catch today, 2 hr. of looking. I found my fish, and worked him for 6 hours very carfully to not to spook him and or me. I would cast well above him and drift past him with dry's in the AM for 2 hours with NO responce, then I did a San Jaun worm the same for about 1 hour, No fish no spook, he was still there just hangings out. Then I tried 4 different types of Midges, NO go, same easy drift well in front of him and let everything go well past him when I picked it up to try again. Then at 2:30 I tied on a #18 Ruby Midge (I tied) and did it the same as I had done all day, BINGO on the first cast with the same drift. He got excited I guess with this color or something but HE did come alive like nothing else, he turned and circled and stalked this Ruby midge like you wouldn't believe and hit it. He was about 5 lbs. a very nice fish indeed. Lots of work but I call it fun. I got in his box and he couldn't do anything about it I guess. Now all I have is the memory and the picture. This is the reason I Fly Fish...

[Davy Wotton]

Troutgod.

In essence the true art of fly fishing is to fish a fly that is a representation of a food source a trout is likely to see in its watery world.

All be it we as humans cannot and never will close copy a natural food source, and in many cases many of the flies used to day are a far cry from that.

We create a act of deception, end of story.

It is at high levels consummate of many skills, of that there is no argument.

I will also admit after some 50 years fly fishing that the more skilled you become the more you self impose choices of how you wish to catch those fish, which is often the result of catching many 1000s in the past.

In other words, stripping say a bugger differs a great deal to fishing a midge rise, a trico hatch, splash and crash is not going to work as a rule here.

The most deadly way l know to catch trout is either with maggots or worms, if presented the correct way, which may also be done with a fly rod.

The second is with a fly rod and fly.

Bait fishing with corn and power bait may well nail the heck out of stock fish, see how well you do with that when fishing for wild fish.

Then again fly fishing will do same.

Spin fishing can also take its toll no doubt, but l will argue this, l good fly fisher will out gun a spin fisher as the fly fisher has way more options of choice for methods used.

In fact l fished a competition many years ago back in the UK, us fly guys easily out fished the spin guys.

You cannot fish dead drift, fish in the surface, fish along the substrate, and many other options with metal.

Davy.

[Al Agnew]

Interesting and thoughtful responses!

Flyfishing is more effective than any other method for catching trout that are feeding on insects. I do NOT think it is more effective for catching bass under most conditions, or BIG trout, or most other game fish.

When I go fishing for trout, I wouldn't think of using anything other than a fly rod. Same thing with farm pond bluegill, or salmon. When I fish for stream smallmouths, my greatest fishing love, or reservoir bass, or walleye, I seldom flyfish. Can't really explain why, exactly. It's just that I find one method more fun than the other, given different situations. Variety is the spice of life. I tie some of my own flies. I make many of my own lures...so not much difference in satisfaction there. I agree that the greatest, and most abundant fishing literature is on flyfishing for trout...in fact, I WISH that there was the same quality and quantity of writing for bass, especially stream smallmouth...I've often thought of trying that kind of writing for smallies myself.

For me, I fish with what just seems to me to fit...the fly rod for trout, casting and spinning tackle for bass.

[DavidF.]

Over the years I've bass fished in tourney's, crappie fished,and catfished, chased white bass and stripers.Even thou I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world I noticed that fishing was akin to a four letter word "WORK". I started flyfishing after inheriting a flyrod and reel when I was 20yrs old.

After hooking and landing my first fish with it I felt that flyfishing was

the most fun you could have with your clothes on. I still fish with the other hardware on ocassion but for the pure simplicity and enjoyment of the sport of fishing it's the flyrod and a simple fly that makes me happy.

DavidF.