[CoachBob]

Last year we did a poll and found that, as a group, fly fishers and tyers are on the backside of 40.
Take a look at http://www.flyanglersonline.com/images/col...oesepagetop.jpg
What can we do? You could take the opportunity to introduce a young person to fly fishing.
You might check out http://flyanglersonline.com/features/bobboese/060809.php

[Gustav F.]

I´m 17 and I have fished since I was about 8 years old. When I get the chance I usually try to sneak fishing into the minds of people I spend time with, or just some stranger I start chatting with. Especially if it's a young one I do what I can to aid the interest, maybe take him/her fishing, tying or just sharing information.

But I wouldn't worry too much of there being a lack of interest in fishing and similar activities, they are after all quite popular among the younger generation.

[utyer]

I think this may mean that (as a group) fly tyers live longer.

But I do notice quite a few younger tyers posting. Of course most everyone is younger than me, but I meant younger than 20.

[TitanFlies]

I think this may mean that (as a group) fly tyers live longer.

But I do notice quite a few younger tyers posting. Of course most everyone is younger than me, but I meant younger than 20.

Present and accounted for!

[JSzymczyk]

We can try to instill the values of patience and attention-to-detail into the next generation.
We can do everything we can to break the image that fly fishing is only for old white guys in the east, or dope smoking unwashed "trout bums" in the west.
We can prove to other people that fly fishing does NOT require thousands of dollars in initial investment.
We can Walk the Walk, show that conservation and respect for the environment has nothing to do with political affiliation.

It's difficult, VERY difficult to show a kid that fishing (or anything outdoors) is more fun and more valuable than sitting at the controls of an XBOX.

I've got a ten year old. It's not easy. He wanted "Guitar Hero" for his xbox. I told him and showed him how much cooler it would be to learn to play a real guitar, and he loved it. I told him I'd buy a good electric guitar, amp, and pay for lessons so he could learn the real deal. Tried to make him think 7 or 8 years down the road, picture being at a party and a bunch of losers are playing the video game, and you can pick up a REAL guitar and wail. Who do you think is going to get the chicks? He was doing really well with it. Then he got some money for his birthday and bought Guitar Hero... hasn't picked up his Strat since....

It ain't easy.

I know that we MUST pass on the passion for the outdoors or things will become ever more divisive between the haves and have-nots. I don't mean the outdoors on Saturday morning TV, yahoos running around all over shooting whitetails on ranches, from heated apartment buildings on stilts, or always fishing guided trips on private water or billfishing offshore or golden-dorado fishing in South America, or screaming like idiots in their $40,000 bass boats during a tournament. I mean fishing the public waters near home for half an hour after school, hunting squirrels or rabbits somewhere for half a day on Saturday, EVERY DAY outdoors stuff.

The media has bastardized outdoor sports into a sickening mess.

[BigDaddyHub]

working on bringing three sheep to the flock...My oldest is almost firmly attached to the sport. My daughter (6 yoa) has begged me every week since Thanksgiving to get her her own fly rod (and I will this spring) and the baby sits across from me and smiles while I tie....think he's already hooked.


Hey J,

Brilliant post. I agree commpletely.

[BigDaddyHub]

working on bringing three sheep to the flock...My oldest is almost firmly attached to the sport. My daughter (6 yoa) has begged me every week since Thanksgiving to get her her own fly rod (and I will this spring) and the baby sits across from me and smiles while I tie....think he's already hooked.


Hey J,

Brilliant post. I agree commpletely.

[trizkid]

im 22 and have been fly fishing for about 2 and a half years now and tying for just over a year...love it all!!!

[Old Hat]

3 years ago I started a 4-H fly fishing club. I received a lot of equipment from donations including a very generous donation of 6 fully outfitted (rod, reels, lines, leaders) Cortland fly rods from the local fly shop and enough tying supplies for years from a wonderful bunch of guys on a local fly fishing forum, Westfly, and 10 copies of the Curtis Creek Manifesto from Amato Publishers. I have had consistently 8-10 members every year with an average age of 10 or 11. We meet once a month, do a couple outings, tie flies once a week in January and February. It is very rewarding and a great program. It is very easy to start a 4-H club or get your child into one and they learn a lot more than just fly fishing.

[Chase Creek]

Being very involved with Boy Scouts, I know that ANY sport or activity has a lot of competition out there. I've been a Ham Radio opereator for over 40 years, and a poll done several years ago found most Hams were over 50, with not too many youth entering the hobby. It's not just fly fiching.
As we used to say in Scouts, we have to compete with the smell of gasoline and perfume, but now we're competing with a lot more.

One thing that bugs me about our sport/hobby(?) is that so many non-fly fihers see it as an elite (you can read "snobbish", if you like) group that requires a big dollar investment to join. Although this seems to be getting better, that picture is still there. I think we need to emphasize that you don't have to spend $650 on a rod and another $300 on a reel just to get into the sport. That $25 rod/reel combo from WalMart will get you going, and provide many hours of enjoyment stalking the elusive Bluegill, etc.

Our Boy Scout summer camp once hired a local (well, not so local) fly shop owner to teach the then brand new Flyfishing Merit badge course. He was showing the kids high end rods, reels, and every gizmo under the sun. If you added up this stuff, it was well over $1,000.
How many of those kids do you think went home and asked Mom or Dad to buy them equipement so they could try out
the sport?? NOT MANY. They walked away from the course with thier merit badge, and no thought of ever getting into the sport. (we have changed that situation since)

I know several shop owners who really are interested in helping kids get going, and go out of thier way to do it. (Chris Helmes is one, there are many others), and that's what we need to do as a group. If someone approaches you about doing a tying of fishing presentation, jump at the chance. If you don't feel comfortable about doing it, put them in touch with someone who would be able to do it. If you're fishing the local pond, and some kid comes up to ask what you're doing, don't brush him off; explain it to him, give him a fly, let him try casting. We need to take the mystery out of flyfishing. After all, it really is just another way to catch fish.

I'll shut up, I'm wearing the letters off my keys.

[FishyboY]

i am a kid and have loved the outdoors every since...... well ever since i hatched =)

the thing is with kids these day i think it is all about their parents. usually parents are busy and not home often to take them to do stuff or such... so their parents feel bad for them and buy them like an XBOX or such and it totally ruins there life. The thing is parents have to introduce their kids to the sport when they are young and don't know much about video games or such....... When there is not much to do and your parents cant take you to do things like go on a hike or go fishing then you resort to things such as video games to fill your time.

Then they discover all the other kids play XBOX also and then they never ever want to quit..... it is pretty lame. I think all the kids who play video games are lame.....

I take my brother as an example...... he is sort of into model trains but then he bought himself a fancy xbox a few months ago.... and now all he does is shoot up people on call of duty..... it looks pretty lame...... now he rarely ever goes back to the trains......

If you are thinking of geting your kids into fishing dont take them to some pristine wild trout stream or such.... take them to the local stocked stream or trout pond where it is easy to catch a fish and makes it fun because they are catching fish. once the have lots of fun catching stocked fish then they want to get into fishing for wild trout and such....


just 2 cents from a kid

[smallieFanatic]

think all the kids who play video games are lame.....

Woa now! Its not the Xbox that makes people lame, it the people who have no self control.
I play Halo on Xbox and its fun. but I don't over do it.
I got started in Fly fishing and tying several years ago, and had spin fished for 2 years before that. Since I got started in Fly Fishing Fly tying, I've gotten my little brother Ethan (8) started in it, and now the kid rocks at it. My little sister (5), My older cousin (17), and right now I'm working on my older brother who is 25 and is married and in college.

[SmallieHunter]

I'm actually encouraged by the amount of young people that post here and don't buy into all of the "doom and gloom" of fly fishing(or other outdoor activities) disappearing with the younger generations. I would bet if you go back 50 years there was not a bigger percentage of young people fly fishing then there is today. Fly Fishing is a pastime that is something that people "get" once they can actually appreciate the quiet moments in life away from the chaos of everyday life.

[BigDaddyHub]

Exactly Will! I remember a particular website that was started by a young man who was very upset at the lack of information on fly tying that was available on line to interested young tyers. I'm so glad that young man personally invited me to work with him in those first early years!!! I can't keep the neighborhood kids out of my garage in the summers because they are amazed watching me work at my bench! I love it!

[Brian Brown75]

i do agree with fishboy on the xbox, people over do it entirely, i have kids at my school who play literally 24/7 and run on redbull and twinkies lol, i dont think its a bad thing to play occasionally but i dont understand the obbsession with shooting games and gore