Flyfishing envy/prejudice

[mikechell 0]

Yeah, this has become a bit of a joking thread ... my apologies to the original question. Are fly anglers snobbish and elitists? I don't know about y'all ... but I feel it's hard to sympathize with the turkeys when you are soaring with eagles. And most of the people I meet on the water ... and some of you on this site, definitely qualify as turk ... eagles.

[Trouser Trout 0]

I've been following this thread for a little while, and decided I'll add my $.02 I've only started fly fishing for trout this past summer, and was one of those spinning guys chucking hardware for the past 10 years. I can honestly say that the fly fisherman I have encountered as a spinning guy were for the most part were just as respectful to me as I was to them. I can't say if they muddered something under their breath as they walked away, but at least not to my face. I think it comes down to fishing etiquette. If I see some moron sloshing through the water and stomping along the banks, I have no problem telling them "Not only are you ruining the fishing for yourself, but also everyone else within an earshot." I've never seen a fly fisherman doing anything like that, but I'm sure there are some out there. But if that same guy is quietly going about his business doing what he thinks gives him the best chance to land a fish, then there's no reason to interfere. As long as someone is respecting the river, the fish, and the others around them, there is no reason to be an @$$hole to them.

 

To be 100% truthful, I was always jealous of fly fisherman. It was one of those things that seemed more like an elite sport, and only those of a higher standard could participate. Last year my uncle sold me one of his Orvis rod/reel setups, and taught me how to fly fish. I am still just a beginner that often times can't cast a fly to save my life, and still have a lot to learn. But that has given me even more respect for the guy that forms tight looped casts and can softly land a tiny fly exactly where he intended. Do I think flyfisherman are snobby? Some can be, but most are not. My uncle is one of those guys that looks like he just stepped right out of an Orvis magazine always carrying $2500 worth of gear and looks like he's above everyone else. But he is the most down-to-earth rich guy I've ever seen, and is just as comfortable conversing with those that look like they got the bare minimum from Walmart. I guess it all depends on the particular situation. But if one person is ruining the experience of many others, then something should be said whether it be by a fly, hardware, or bait fisherman.

[Bucket 0]

I went to a Fly Fishing Show (Expo) once, I'll never make that mistake again. The place was dripping with snobbery. Apparently I wasn't even "up to snuff" for the vendors to pitch their products/services to me, which made me laugh on my way out the door. I did see Lefty Kreh there though, he seemed pretty cool.

[mikechell 0]

What'd you do, Bucket? Show up in a t-shirt with the saying, "Does this beer make my Butt look big"?

I've only been able to get to one fly fishing expo, and I had to dodge the offers to sell me something. I'd stop and look at a rod and have three people trying to sell it to me in a second.

I hung at the tying tables and watched. Every few minutes, someone would step near and mention that there were flies for sale just like the ones being tied, "at the next booth."

The only snob I ran into was a guy trying to sell boats ... if you didn't look like you were buying, he didn't want to explain anything.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Lets try to keep it on topic guys.

 

And what it comes down to is this. There are "snobs" or whatever you want to call it in every group/hobby/sport/club/past-time ...whatever you want to call it. Some of my other enjoyable things in life are Muscle cars and aquariums. Case in point, muscle cars.... Guys with Big blocks look down on guys with small blocks, guys with back halfed tubbed cars look down on guys with street tires, guys with tube chassis look down on guys with back half cars, Chevy vs Ford, etc etc. In the aquarium hobby you always have guys that look down on guys that have hybrid/peacock cichlids just because they are a mixed Hybrid and not some pure strain of fish even though they actually are more colorful. Guys with 6-8ft tanks look down on guys with 3-4ft tanks....See where I am going with this?

 

You will have a small portion of people that will look down on others no matter what the group is. Just ignore those people and do what you like and you're life will be more enjoyable.

 

Steve

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

Oh great Steve looks down on small block full framed street rods with 29 gallon takes I get the picture now

[netabrookie 0]

Yep Paul, I have heard of some of those boron rod toting big block guys being really prejudice against the lesser little block bait fishers and tackle chuckers. I think I will leave the old Silver Tip rod and worn out vest alone today and break out on of my Orvis rods and try my new LL Bean vest my son gave me. I am feeling a bit snobbish. Now, as long as I don't fall in the creek because I am trying to look down my nose and wade at the same time... I apologize to shoebop for using this to pass some time and try to give a couple of us a laugh or two.

[mikechell 0]

Cars, Steve? You're into cages? Four wheels, a protected little environment that seals you away from the outdoors?

Ride free, motorcyclers of the world unite and lets all stare down our noses at cage drivers !!!

 

 

(Please disregard the fact that I sold my last motorcycle about a decade ago.)

[flytyer62 0]

shoebop,

in general all fisherman are good guys, but some be them fly fishermen, bait or hardware fishermen have an attitude that just stinks. I spend a lot of time on the water in an average year both recreational and as a guide, you bump into all types. good and bad fly and not, I actaully was put onto a large brown a couple of years ago by a spin fisher who tried to get the trout but could not, neither is s I. I have had two fly guys throw stones at a guide client and I because we were fishing in thier hole, funny thing was they were tresspasing on posted land to get to their speciall hole,that I work at for 5 years and two bottles of good single malt to get permission to use. I have also been personally attacked by dry fly elitists for nymph fishing? it is not the type of fishing they do it is their general attitude. I will from time to time work the counter at the shop I guide for( i don't do it often as I am not cut out for it little time for ego carrying dumb asses). This past fall on a saturday I was helping out and had an older gent come into the shop and start to look around seemed like a nice enough guy unitl he saw the sign for bait and noticed that we also carried lures for trout and bass. Started to loudly repremand me about calling the place a fly shop if we were going to carry this other junk, he promply left. I actually bumped into him fishing less than a week later, funny thing is he had just started fly fishing after having never fished before, poor guy could barely cast(he still has a crappy attitude). I have also had bass guys( we are less than 2 miles from one of the best smallmouth lakes in the state) and get on me becuse I was a fly guy behind the counter. so my point is I don't think it is a matter of one kind of angler being snob or elitist I think it comes down to some people are and they just happen to using one type of rod/reel or the other. For me I really had no choice, my dad was a fly fisherman as was his dad, I was using a fly and bubbly at 4 and had a fly rod by the age of 12 other than a short bout with bass spin fishing that is how i like to fish no matter what kind of fish I am after. But I will never fault anyone for how they fish. I believe that the vast majority of all fishers are like that just the few bad one hurt us all.

 

steve

[throwinflys 0]

I know exactly what "certain michigan sportsmans forum" you guys are referring too. I don't waste my time on there anymore either. bunch of know nothings. Gear restrictions are there for a reason, to protect the fish. I'm 23 years old and started fly fishing at 16 with my Grandpa on the Au Sable. I broke my spinning rod about 2 years ago and ever since then i've only ever used a fly rod. I've caught everything from trout to panfish to walleye. I mix with the batifishers like they aren't even there and love the chuckle of landing a walleye on a piece of fur tied to a hook from my 14 foot aluminum boat when they are trolling 6 lines of flashy fleshy lure behind their big fancy fishing rig. I also laugh at the fly fisherman trolling upstream in a duckboat painted camo. To me fly fishing is special. its where i went with my grandpa. its an entire experience. Its taking a break to read a few pages of a good book, eat some cheese, and enjoy the scenery before returning to the water to drive myself crazy trying to land this line off the end of a 9 foot pole into a 12x12 inch area. I spend HOURS practicing my casting and I've recently spent at least 2 hours every night fussing with small thread, small hooks, short hairs, and unruly feathers. i've never once tasted trout. i plan to one day cook one over the fire and have no problems with people who eat their catch. well... i should specify... i DONT like people who think they need to eat a huge mess of trout once a week all year because it's "their right" to do so. So... all this being said... if i have some small feelings that maybe i'm a little more devoted, a little more responsible, and a little more crazy about my sport than those that throw worms or lures... so be it i say. i love it just the way it is. i'll never bother a soul that doesnt bother me. while the arguments over trout fishing regs rage on forums all over, i'll be asleep under a cedar tree. i dont care. but if the day comes that those regs that protect the waters i fish go away, and if my way of fishing and being at peace in nature is threatened by people acting like asses and trashing what i've put so many hours into... i'll be one riled up son-of-a-B. just like the frac drilling on the mason tract in grayling. MAD.

[Flyunder 0]

The way I see it is deep down we all just want to feel the tug, does it really matter what one's holding?

[Piker20 0]

I fished with a guy that was long in the tooth and cut the hook points off his hooks. He fished for the pleasure of feeling the fish grab his lure and knowing he had tricked it. He very rarely brought them in before they let go but that was enough for him.

[Flyunder 0]

Interesting... I say that because I've more than once had that very thought. But I've never done it. Really like to shake the fin, if ya know what I mean?

[Piker20 0]

yeah for me I enjoy the beauty of the fish not just the fooling. So I keep a point on mine but it did make me think.

[DUBBN 0]

I fish nymphs, streamers and soft hackles. It's you dry flyers that are the snobs. :-) A bait caster told me that one day at band camp.