What Motivates Young People to Get into This Sport?

[mikechell 0]

I am a "hand liner", too. I've never brought a fish in on the reel, but many people do it.

 

Since I am not found of children ... I'd say the best way to get them into fly fishing is with a whip and the threat of not being able to sit for a week.

Wait ... that's for not doing homework.

Nevermind.

[flytire 0]

But, in the movie when the guys landed a fish, they were cranking hard on the reel.

 

There's a lot of fly fishers that still do it that way.

[JSzymczyk 0]

 

 

...and the right way would be...?

 

for bass or panfish!!!

[Troutbum11 0]

That's how I got started at the age of 12. Bluegills and brookies

[Patrick3885 0]

Some one that cares and a kid that wants to learn.

[planettrout 0]

Fathers make time to do it with their kids...

 

 

PT/TB

 

[Adventure568 0]

I'm 16 and have been fly fishing since I was 8. I saw my dad catching way more fish than me so I turned to a fly rod. My first fish on the fly was a 15 inch brown trout caught on a blue wing olive. Ever since then I loved fly fishing. It's also different than all the mainstream sports.

[EzGoing 0]

Fathers

 

Not always so. I tried getting my kids involved in fishing to no avail. Just not interested in it. But, my wife has taken a tepid interest. Kids are all different. They've been exposed to much and I let them find their way to the things they enjoy such as old electronics, music, and so on...things I would have never taken an interest in. It's a two way street.

[gfirob 0]

I’m afraid there are two major faces presented to young people today who have any interest in fly fishing – the heavily marketed sales presentation of the big companies and big stores (all of them trying to sell expensive and complicated equipment) and the elite and confusing traditional presentation which features expensive equipment, arcane knowledge and the suggestion that it takes decades to understand the insect life of a river or the nuances of casting.

 

While the commercial presentation does suggest that it is fun, it also suggests that it will cost you about $1,000 to get started (Able nippers anyone?) unless you want to look like a fool on the water. The elitist and traditionalist presentation just makes it look like a pain, which is really unfortunate since the tradition and history of fly fishing is fascinating and adds a lot to the experience, if allowed to be explored on its own terms. Too often it is treated as if it were the secrets from the medieval Catholic church.

 

What you don’t see promoted is the idea that the whole enterprise is accessible, affordable, learnable, fun and within the reach of anyone with modest means and genuine interest. I mean, it used to be an ordinary blue-collar sport. This kind of information does come from fathers and grandfathers or neighbors. Sadly it does not seem to come from Trout Unlimited, at least in my area.

[mikechell 0]

"... big companies and big stores (all of them trying to sell expensive and complicated equipment) ..."

 

I strongly disagree. I have several rod/reel combos from Bass Pro Shops (they don't get much "bigger") which cost less than 150.00. Both BPS and Cabela's have many low priced options on rods, reels, and the rest of the equipment.

Plus, almost everyone I've talked to in both stores ... in different places all over the Country ... have been readily available, easy to talk to and more than willing to work with people within budgets.

[Stilljerkin 0]

I'm 21 my dad got me into fishing he hate river fishing and fly fishing just won't do it well I got into on my own what I know about it is what I found out myself other than a few YouTube videos and this site the last few months. For me it's hard to stay into just I won't be catching fishing then I put down the fly and pick up my spinning and just start slamming them again so I just have to learn to do it on the fly iv only been taking my fly rod the past few trips I get mad but I will learn someday I guess or I won't catch as many fish. For an example say I go fishing 5 hours for bass on lake Ann that's a good lake. Ill catch around 25-30 bass small and large mouth take my fly rod for that time same lake catch 8-10 bass that's my problem

[essequamvideri 0]

Good morning to everyone,

 

This is a great thread and is a subject I enjoy. Unlike some, that will remain named (Mikechell), I have taken great enjoyment teaching my daughters what I know about the outdoors.

Just a coulpe of things that have been a large learning curve for me, first I am not the one fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking...What ever it is that we are doing together. I find it more enjoyable to watch them discover than I do to be doing it myself. Last year we went stripper fishing in R.I. I never told then how to real in a larger fish, but they took to it like it was something they had always done. I asked how they knew what to do and their responce, "I remember it from those shows we watch at Grandpa's.

Second and the biggest one I learned was to watch their time. When they get board or cold it is time to pack it in and head home. Not with out first stopping to get something like hot chocolate or ice cream.

One last thing, lets not forget all the amazing women that have taught us about this sport. My biggest influance in tying and fishing was a woman that I am proud to call my friend now. The first time I went fishing with her and her husband, I saw her standing in the front of a 17' canoe casting 90 plus feet of line.. To boot it was done with a glass fenwick rod. That was an amazing sight to see.

 

Michael

 

p.s. Thanks for having a great sense of humor Mikechell.

[shoebop 0]

...and the RIGHT WAY would be...?

Thanks Flytire for the example of how NOT to encourage people to be involved in this sport.

[Christopher K 0]

I'm 16 and have been in the sport for about 8 years or so, no one ever really taught me, however I was fishing with a spinning reel by the time I was 4. I'd say that you first have to get people interested in fishing and the outdoors early. Within a year kids get bored of bait and want to move on to lures, once they've had some time with that show them how similar fly fishing is to spin fishing and how much more fun it is to fight fish on a fly rod than a heavy spinning rod. I also find younger kids love playing in rivers, take some benthic samples and let them root around in there for bugs, as long as kids have a good time it doesn't really matter how much fly fishing goes on as long as they can look back and remember what fun it was when they went to the river.

[flytire 0]

how does asking a question discourage people from getting involved/motivated into fly fishing?

 

you're trying to read more than what's there