Josh Waukau
NR 320
November 8, 2011
Fly fishing in my opinion is one of the most gratifying experiences in the fishing world. Fly fishing is a lost and dying art. My dad and grandfather speak of days when all the anglers in the family knew how to fly fish and went on a regular basis. Today, many anglers choose not to fly fish because they have many other tools available to them like spinning reels. Other anglers say that they do not fly fish because they were never taught. I believe the main reason people don’t fly fish is they are just too lazy. Over the last few decades anglers have gotten progressively lazier. They would rather use a spinning reel or bait casting rod to go fishing. Another issue with those methods of fishing is the fact that many lures have more than one hook, some with multiple treble hooks. In some fly anglers minds that is cheating. Most of the lures used in fly fishing are single hooks; some of them even have the barbs removed. Removing the barbs allows for a less damage to occur to the fish if it is either caught as a recreation activity, or is too small to keep and eat. Fly tying is another activity that can be practiced in tandem with fly fishing. A person who ties their own flies can make many different variations of flies to try and mimic natural sources of food for fish. I am by no means trying to say that fly fishing is any easy activity to learn. If an angler is not exposed to fly fishing at a young age and no one takes the time to teach them. It will be very hard for that person to teach themselves. With the right teacher and a little bit of patients and practice, one could learn how to fly fish. Overall, fly fishing and fly tying to me are considered both an art and a skill. The skill of casting for example can be very gratifying. When done right, an angler can make a connection with the rod, line and lure. An angler can feel when a cast is just right and the line will effortlessly flow through the air delivering the fly to a precise location. Why should I take the time to learn how to fly fish you ask? One of the best feelings of accomplishments can be achieved through fly fishing. When an angler takes the time to make their own creation of a fly to use as a lure; then takes that fly and uses their skills and catches a nice sized fish. An angler can have one of the greatest experiences in the fishing world. I challenge anyone who is skeptical of what I have written about and to stop being lazy and learn how to fly fish and tie flies. It will be a skill set that they can cherish for the rest of their lives and pass on to future generations.
5 comments:
I confess, I know little about fly fishing. I have jigged for panfish, and that's about it. My brother, however, fly fishes (ties his own flies, too!). I was under the impression that when one is fly fishing they are fishing for trout, specifically. Could the death of this fine art be due more to an interest in other species? Or perhaps because good fly-fishing streams are difficult to find?
If it seems like fisherman are getting lazier, I would attribute that to a preference for instant gratification over the actual sport (or art!) of it. Fly fishing is an involved process. They view it as work. And who wants to work in their leisure time?
I must confess, I know have no first-hand knowledge of the art that is fly-fishing. I grew up jigging for pan fish. My brother fly fishes, however, and he even ties his own flies! I was under the impression that when one is fly fishing, you are more or less fishing for trout. Could the death of this art be due more to an interest in fishing for other species?
If fishermen seem to be getting lazier, I would attribute that to a preference fore instant gratification over the actual sport (or art!) of fly fishing. Fly fishing is a very involved hobby. Some may even view it as work. And who wants to work in their leisure time?
Good blog-style point of view, Josh. I don't fly fish, but I teach fly-tying in my summer ecology class because it's a good way to learn about indicator insects.
I have personally never had the chance to learn fly-fishing, but I think the concept you are talking about can be applied to many challenges in life. I’m not trying to belittle fly fishing by any means, but I don’t think everyone would get the same feeling as people, like you and me, who enjoy who enjoy those out door activities. I think the more important principle you are talking about is the great feeling that comes with taking on and conquering a challenge. Success in any form is nice, but success in something more challenging is that much more gratifying. Fly-fishing is one of those great challenges.
Everyone brings up going points. What Kelli was getting at with the fact that it can be attributed to many other things in life is very true. Fly fishing to me is very gratifying and my hope is that more people will take the time to experience it as I have. It is a challenge that can be very rewarding like I talked about. Being passionate about something such as fly fishing is a way to enjoy nature. It can be replaced with many different outdoor activities. To touch on one of Jennifer’s points, you can fly fish for any type of fish. At first it was manly for trout but over the years it has evolved into being able to catch anything fly fishing. It has added to the overall excitement of the sport. I myself fish more than just trout and think that being able to catch other kinds of fish adds to the experience. Overall I think fly fishing is an art that should be preserved and if I can convince someone to give it a try, I have achieved my goal.
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