i dont understand fly fisherman

[hoochie]

been fishing most of my life, think I got my fist cod when I was 4 or 5. been a lake and river fisher for most of my life though.
Anyway, I see an entirely different culture when it comes to fly fishing.
Im the guy who goes out in a pair of shorts or whatever, ties a worm on a hook, or throws a spoon. I use wool for salmon. don't often use roe.
Fly fisherman, they get dressed up in $800 worth of gear, have a vest full of gear on them, scissors, flies etc.. like a walking tackle box.
But this, above all is what I don't get; a guy catches a fish on a fly, then proceeds to pump the fishes stomach to see what its eating, so they can change up the fly to "match the hatch"
To me, this seems silly. If you just caught a fish, isn't the fish eating what you just had on there? didn't that fly work? aren't you having success? are you looking for the magic fly that will catch a fish on every cast?
Is it at all possible that your fly is in fact the perfect one, but the fish aren't right there when you cast it? is it an impatience thing? or is it an obsession?
I get the obsession sometimes.. "just one more cast.... ok one more.... ahh ok we'll go in 10 mins.. I promise" then that becomes an hour later lol.

But if your fly worked, why change it?
I know with the way I catch trout, they like shiny stuff and a worm, every time.
IM being cheeky for the most part in this post, but I saw in another thread that someone said they spend $300 on flies. I don't think I've spent that much on all my gear combined in the last couple years.. line hooks etc ( rods/ reels not included).

[835]

There is a difference between you and me. I have a 1200$ fly rod for trout a 1200$ fly rod for Steelhead, about 2000$ invested in fly tying gear, 400$ in waders and boots, i take trips throughout BC every year to chase trout, i ran a 30,000$ boat for 7 years chasing salmon.....

Does that make me better?. No
does that make me enjoy what I do more then you? no.
it is just what i do, and where i choose to spend my money.

yep, im the guy that spent 300$ on flys.
But that is piss in a can over the whole thing.

[835]

i forgot to add,,, my Wife has more money invested then i do in Rods and Reels...... she on the other hand can kick most people asses in any trout stream.

[hare_assassin]

What I don't get is people who catch fish and don't eat them (regardless of how much gear they own). Seems entirely pointless to me.

Different strokes...

[835]

Assasin, You are like my Uncle...
he and i have at it when we are in 12' of tin! he drags a Gang troll and worm... kills his limit and its over. lots of fun having that chat!

[hoochie]

835.. after eading your post.. maybe i'm just cheap?? Wow man gear isn't cheap!

[hare_assassin]

Assasin, You are like my Uncle...
he and i have at it when we are in 12' of tin! he drags a Gang troll and worm... kills his limit and its over. lots of fun having that chat!

The quicker you get them, the more time you have to do other stuff. Sitting in a boat and not catching anything, or worse yet watching other people throw them back in the water; drives me nuts.

[Drillbit]

I go on a 6 day flyfishing trip every year with a bunch of buddies. 13 showed up last year, 6 with guitars (the band drinks for free!).

They have all the gear you spoke of and I keep it oldschool and simple, just like I did when I was a kid.

At the end of the day we all catch about the same amount of fish and drink the same amount of beer and we all have lots of laughs.

I agree with above, some people just spend their money on different things. For me, it's not waders and fly's, it's gas and ammo. I don't care what people spend their money on as long as it doesn't bother me.

I get the best laugh out of the Holier than Thou flyfisherman that look down at me spinning my pots and pans out there. I always offer them a sandwich or a beer because I know they don't have a free hand! lol Then I say, man that looks like a lot of work, I can lend you a spinner to throw on that thing if you want to catch something haha

[hare_assassin]

835.. after eading your post.. maybe i'm just cheap?? Wow man gear isn't cheap!

Nah. A $50 Ugly Stick and some spoons will get the job done, mate. Don't think otherwise.

[835]

What it is, is we all do things at a different level... certain people get deeper into it, spend more to do it. I learned to fish with a worm and weight. I have never forgot where i came from. But i am posessed by Fish, trout more specifically.
it just annoys me when people get to saying Fly guys are pompous. Some may be, it does tend to be for rich guys... BUT! go down to the Vedder durng the busy time there and see what people are like. Look at these bass tournaments down south where the winner gets 200,000$ There is pompous "Better then thou" people in every facet of fishing. I bought my gear while working at the front counter of Winsor plywood... i aint rich i just saved up..... Well i bought my first Sage from proceeds i made from selling a 9MM Browning Practical.... but hey!

We do what we do, some do it more some do it less... If you came over i would be able to show you what makes the difference between the cheap and the high end fly rod... It is HUGE. But if your only out 5 times a year...


And ya a 50$ ugly stick and some spoons will catch fish.. but not like me and my XP...

[Tenacious Billy]

It's all about increasing your odds of success. You might have got lucky with a fly the fish aren't feeding on, but why not increase (hopefully) your odds by using something they are feeding on?....more is better tends to apply when out fishing - catch and release or not.

[russm]

You can spend as much or as little as you want and still be succesful, I've seen guys Fishing the Vedder with a $30 "salmon combo" and they're out fishing the guy beside them with expensive gear, it just depends how you want to or how you can afford to spend your money.

[hoochie]

I see some guys on the river and think to myself "the salesman must have seen them coming!" Ive even seen one guy.. no joke.. had a price tag dangling. its all fun.
I wanted to try and find a "Gong" to take out on the fraser.. give it a good "Gong" when the shows starts up. You know.. like when a boat gets too close to shore and everyone on the bank casts at them.. or when a guy hooks himself in the bumb when he tries to cast... come on.. you've seen it too lol
and one year.. dude ripps off his pants down to his speedos and goes for a swim with all the hooks being reeled in etc. I think he did it to create space.. everyone moved away from him lol

[hunter1993ap]

i like to do whatever I do to the best of my ability, if you want to fish a lake properly the best bait is what the fish eat on a regular basis. mind you I don't spend a ton on fly fishing, I have invested a good amount of money. what I wanted to accomplish was an understanding of how to match what the trout eat at the times they eat it. if you don't go all out you wont learn what you need to when it comes to fly fishing. I always thought before I started fly fishing the fly fisherman didn't catch as much as the gear fisherman. man was I wrong. there are applications where fly fishing isn't nearly as productive as gear fishing, and in those places I don't care to fly fish. but just considering most Stillwater fishing for rainbows, fly fishing is the way to go. I don't care to catch spring salmon on a fly rod, because I believe using gear is more productive. another reason I'm big on fly fishing is because fishing out of a belly boat is awesome. my fly rods were second hand and I paid 100$ for two, and catch just as many fish as the guy with the 1000$ rod, if I can figure out whats working. I don't spend thousands on fly gear for the simple fact that hunting is my main priority and that's where my big purchases go to.

[835]

I worked in a Tackle shop,, filling in some hours. Mostly to get a Staff discount.... Any way, the guy who owned the shop told me a story.
He had a client book a trip to one of the fly in lakes. Client shows up and says "Set me up, i want the good stuff"..... never say that to a guy who sells Patagonia, Sage and Simms....

My friends wife went in to our local sporting goods site looking for a fly package for her husband.... He is a Dr. After a while of awkward conversation of her trying to understand fly gear she said... "You know Dru?" he said yep... She said "What would he get Don?"....... She walked out with a great DSII4# and Lampson combo... she said to me... "I say your name and im out 1k!" lol.... Don and dad Take trips every year to Merrit for Trout,,, plus a bunch of time on island fishing local back woods lakes..... Good fly gear makes you cast better and makes the fight more fun.

[Jagermeister]

[QUOTE=hoochie;1496761]been fishing most of my life, think I got my fist cod when I was 4 or 5. been a lake and river fisher for most of my life though.
Anyway, I see an entirely different culture when it comes to fly fishing.
Im the guy who goes out in a pair of shorts or whatever, ties a worm on a hook, or throws a spoon. I use wool for salmon. don't often use roe.
Fly fisherman, they get dressed up in $800 worth of gear, have a vest full of gear on them, scissors, flies etc.. like a walking tackle box.
But this, above all is what I don't get; a guy catches a fish on a fly, then proceeds to pump the fishes stomach to see what its eating, so they can change up the fly to "match the hatch"
To me, this seems silly. If you just caught a fish, isn't the fish eating what you just had on there? didn't that fly work? aren't you having success? are you looking for the magic fly that will catch a fish on every cast?
Is it at all possible that your fly is in fact the perfect one, but the fish aren't right there when you cast it? is it an impatience thing? or is it an obsession?
I get the obsession sometimes.. "just one more cast.... ok one more.... ahh ok we'll go in 10 mins.. I promise" then that becomes an hour later lol.

But if your fly worked, why change it?
I know with the way I catch trout, they like shiny stuff and a worm, every time.
IM being cheeky for the most part in this post, but I saw in another thread that someone said they spend $300 on flies. I don't think I've spent that much on all my gear combined in the last couple years.. line hooks etc ( rods/ reels not included).[/QUOT
You know you just committed blasphemy. But you're right.
I am a old school fly fisherman, I have a box full of flies that I tied over winter. If the fish ain't biting those, the fish ain't biting.
Pumping the stomach is cruel and unusual punishment for the fish if they're just going to release it. Packing fly tying gear and materials in a fishing vest is just anal.

[henderson]

I'm also one of those guys carrying my vice to the lake and tying flies on the shore. I have $800 waders that I wear all year long. I probably put them on more than clean underwear. I have 4 boats total ranging from a 12' to a belly boat. Does this mean I catch more fish? Not at all.

To me it's about passion. I have buddies who love reloading and spend countless hours at there press dialing in handloads. Lots of time at the range shooting at the same piece of paper. To me that's not fun but they live for it.

I work hard for a living and am not a rich dude by any means. I buy quality items so they last not because I want to look cool or impress anyone and it just so happens that comes with a hefty price tag most times.

There's also the whole art of fly fishing too. Anyone can throw gear out there and catch fish. But to me it's more enjoyable and more rewarding to throw a hand tied fly out and catch something.

Anyways that's my two cents. Each to their own. If that means drowning some worms for your supper good on yeah! At least you're enjoying the great outdoors.

[Foxtail]

I am also a beer drinking, board shorts and sandals fisherman. I usually catch more fish than anyone. Andmy smile is usually bigger than the guys that are decked out. :P iI use gear when I'm fishing the Fraser for salmon or sturgeon and I also use a fly rod when the occasion calls for it. My most expensive gear is my sturgeon gear because well... The big ones will break the cheap stuff. My 5/6 fly rod is a blank that got the wrong thread so the 2 pieces don't match... It was 9 bucks in a bargain bin. My 7/8 fly rod is a dragonfly cheapo... I think 30 bucks. You definitely can feel the difference between the expensive stuff and the cheap stuff but my wallet feels it more.

[kurtl]

Here's my take on fly fishing. Like most people I started out fishing with my dad when I was young. I loved it. Even when I was 6 years old I could troll around a lake in a boat all day no matter how many fish we were catching and I didn't care, I just loved being out there. Fishing was done by trolling or casting a panther martin, wedding ring, flatfish, or sometimes a gang troll of one kind or another. Just before becoming a teenager, my dad thought I wasn't interested in fishing anymore and sold our boat. That was the end of fishing for me until I moved to Quesnel and needed a pass-time. So I bought my own boat and got some new spinning gear and away I went. I fished like this for a couple of years. Then one winter I needed another pass-time as ice fishing wasn't something that I did, so I bought some Sage fly rod blanks and built my own 5WT trout rod. It was hard to wait to try this out even though I had never casted a fly in my life.

Finally the ice came off Dragon Lake and I was told to by the local fly shop to buy some chironomid flies and a strike indicator. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, a chironomid is a larvae looking stage to a bug, basically thread wrapped around a hook and the strike indicator is a floatation device (kind of like a mini bobber) so that you know how deep your hook is in the water and allows you to see 'soft takes' on your fly/hook. So fishing this way, I immediately realized an advantage to fly fishing with this method. First the chironomid is the first available food for the trout in the spring after the ice melts off the lake, so that is exactly what the fish are targeting. Secondly, the trout are near shore, but usually within a foot of the bottom, so now you can set the depth of the fly to the prime feeding level in the water column. I never had so much success that early in the fishing season before I used this method so I was "hooked".

The main question posted seemed to be about matching the hatch. I look at this a bit different than probably a lot of fly fishers. I noticed that when I started fly fishing that you could put out just about any 'searching' pattern and catch trout. Again if you aren't sure what a searching pattern is, it's a all around fly like a leech mainly used to locate fish, or to locate one so you can stomach pump it to see what it's been eating. Personally I did try stomach pumping a few times, and while it isn't difficult to do, I was never really good at it so I don't do it. Anyways, the point of matching the hatch for me is to target different fish. Like I said, the little trout will go after just about any old spinner, or any small "searching pattern" fly. BUT..... the BIG fish are a little more picky. What I have found is that I can target the large trout by figuring out what they're feeding on. That was the biggest change for me switching to fly fishing was that I started catching bigger fish.

As for the comments on gear, I have always bought medium quality disc drag reels, which probably start at around $150, and while my Sage rod that I built is nice, it was also my most expensive. I think back then when I built it, the blanks cost me about $400. After that I have always bought the cheaper rods that have lifetime warranty on them like Temple Fork Outfitters. My second rod was an 8WT Temple Fork and I think it was $100. I have replaced it on warranty already (I think 2 times). In my opinion, the most important piece in fly fishing gear is the fly line itself. And unless you like to get wet, don't skimp out on your waders if you stream fish or belly boat. The point is there is some really expensive gear out there, but it's like rifles, you can go buy a Savage for $270, or the same caliber Anschutz for $1200.

[goatdancer]

The quicker you get them, the more time you have to do other stuff. Sitting in a boat and not catching anything, or worse yet watching other people throw them back in the water; drives me nuts.

Yeah, you could go home and mow the lawn, vacuum the floors, do the laundry and all those other neat things.......

[Steelwheels]

What I don't get is people who catch fish and don't eat them (regardless of how much gear they own). Seems entirely pointless to me.

Different strokes...

Its all about the challenge .. What about the guy who spends untold amounts of $$$ on Sticks and Balls, latest fashion ware Etc... Pays for the time to walk (or ride) around a Grassy Meadow whacking those balls with those sticks trying to get them into little holes.. After succeeding ..The Dummy just picks it out and proceeds to whack it some more... Go Figure .. That seems to be a Brutal Sport.. Seen one of those balls up close all beat up smeared in green and brown stuff.. With little bumps all over.. Brutal Just Brutal...:confused:

Forgot to to mention the guys that wash those balls after it has been dug out of those holes and put it up on a little stick like its on display.. Only to sneak up on it to whack it some more.. Barbaric Simply Barbaric...:evil:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePG4oAtapkI&sns=em

[Fred1]

Fly fishermen... Yup its an obsession... its spending cold days standing in a freezing river with wet hands ... its feeling slightly superior catching less trout on a fly you made out of parts of your wool socks than the dude using the Blue Fox... its spending $500 on a rod blank so you can try building one of your very own... its art... its romance... its freedom... its what you make it! No different than hunting. Bows and arrows... guns and bullets etc... Spend $300 on a 30-30 and another $60 on rain gear and youre a moose hunter... Spend $10,000 on sheep hunting gear and your a "sheep hunter" ;) Its the same feeling when the trigger is pulled :) Make whatever you do your own, and enjoy every minute of it!
Tight lines! (I still use my 30-30 and the fly line does feel better on the rod I built :D )


Exactly! Screw the lawn mowing... pay the kid next door and wet a line....

[Good2bCanadian]

I won't fish with a certain friend of mine, because he's a fly fishing snob.
I like to get out and drag flys, wade rivers and take my little Jon out on some smaller lakes and get a good beer buzz, enjoy the sun and catch some pan fries.
Fishing is something I've done since I was 5 yrs old, and I will still be doing it when I'm 80.

I still have rods and gear from 25-30 years ago.

Run what yah brung and have some fun.

My go to is silver Mepps and a light spin cast. Fish the lakes like bass, chuck at the holes or Lilly beds and slay.
Ibe had a few days at Ross where I've put over 50 fish in the boat a day, but get chastised from the fly fisherman for scaring there fish.

[Everett]

What I don't get is people who catch fish and don't eat them (regardless of how much gear they own). Seems entirely pointless to me.

Different strokes...

I am with you I think torturing 50 fish in a day is down right mean. Catch them kill them and fry them is my moto. Though I will sometimes put back anything that's to small to make meal provided they are lively.

[Good2bCanadian]

Different strokes obviously.

You telling me when the fishings hot, you pack up and go home?

[Bc Deer Hunter]

I am with you I think torturing 50 fish in a day is down right mean. Catch them kill them and fry them is my moto. Though I will sometimes put back anything that's to small to make meal provided they are lively.
Well some people arnt huge fans of fish so keeping them would be pointless at least they can still get out to enjoy it! And to the OP heck you can spend lots of money on any sort of sports that your into, I absolutely love going belly boating with my fly rods and all my gear because its fun figuring out how to catch bigger fish general. I rarely get skunked fishing and also will have some great days out on the water, but at the end of the day I usually will have noting to prove except pictures and the satisfaction of the 'fight', now there's nothing wrong with that in my eyes!

[Spirit's Master]

I go flyfishing and don't really care if I catch fish or not. I use a relatively inexpensive but good quality rod. Tie my own flies and have it down to about a dozen that I stick with.

A day spent wandering around thinking about nothing..................Very therapeutic after a day at the 'office'.

cwf

[Ubertuber]

I learned to fish using gear. When I was 14 my neighbor gave me an old fly setup and a hand full of flies. To this day I prefer fly fishing over gear by a wide margin. Gear can be productive, but is somewhat boring (to me) with little skill involved. Fly fishing requires more knowledge of what, where, and when they eat. It seems a natural progression in fishing methods. I don't know of many guys that regress back to gear fishing once they learn to use a fly effectively.
Using nice gear, no matter what activity, biking, skiing, driving, fishing etc, usually helps performance and therefore enjoyment.
Your mileage may vary.

[Big Lew]

I prefer to flyfish lakes and streams, but will use spinners or lake trolls depending on the situation. I started fishing at 10 years old with a hazelnut pole with a gut line leader tied to a green fabric line that was wrapped around the pole depending on how far I was fishing. We would cut a new pole each time we went fishing. When we got a bit older we would make our own casting rods by attaching bent wire for line guides to the same hazelnut poles and coil enough line at our feet to make it out to where we wished to cast. We would often out-fish the older persons with their expensive gear. We would catch trout, dollies, steelhead, and coho salmon with these homemade rods. By about 16-17 I started to accumulate proper fishing gear but even to this day have never bought the 'top of the line' rods. I have bought high end steelhead casting reels. I used to tie my own flies but was never really good at it because of arthritic hands. One of my weaknesses is buying flies....I probably own several thousand dollars worth of them. I am an old school fly fisherman and I notice many of the people using modern methods today such as indicators, fish finders, the new clear fly lines, and specialized tapered long leaders catch more fish than me. I certainly am not a fly fishing purest and will use whatever seems to work at the time, although I've never had much luck fishing lakes with a bobber and worm from the shoreline.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Pretty much boils down to...you get out of life what you put into it.

SSS

[sobirch]

Great posts from everyone. Fly or hardware, release or keep, cheap or expensive, seems like we all agree fishing is a great past time. Just below Hunting.

[landphil]

If you've never caught a decent trout on lightweight fly gear, I can understand your point of view. Or caught a fish on a dry fly for that matter. Once you have, well, its kinda like riding a tricycle when you already know how to pedal a two-wheel bike - you can still do it, but somehow its just not as fun anymore. And yeah, some guys go overboard with fly fishing gear. Some go overboard with customizing their pickup trucks, some buy custom rifles, some have vacation homes - whatever. And yeah, the attitude that sometimes accompanies the fly crowd is un-necessary. I do it for the fun, and though it can have it's frustrating moments, the times when it all comes together are heaven on earth.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Pretty much boils down to...you get out of life what you put into it.

SSS

YUP and if you want it and can afford it then BUY it and use it - you only live once and each day your closer to not using any of it ! :wink: RJ

[bowhunterbruce]

Its all about the challenge .. What about the guy who spends untold amounts of $$$ on Sticks and Balls, latest fashion ware Etc... Pays for the time to walk (or ride) around a Grassy Meadow whacking those balls with those sticks trying to get them into little holes.. After succeeding ..The Dummy just picks it out and proceeds to whack it some more... Go Figure .. That seems to be a Brutal Sport.. Seen one of those balls up close all beat up smeared in green and brown stuff.. With little bumps all over.. Brutal Just Brutal...:confused:

Forgot to to mention the guys that wash those balls after it has been dug out of those holes and put it up on a little stick like its on display.. Only to sneak up on it to whack it some more.. Barbaric Simply Barbaric...:evil:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePG4oAtapkI&sns=em



hey coach, he's pickin on ur lifestyle.:mrgreen:, lol

[Sitkaspruce]

When I worked in Robinsons Sprting Goods, we had a saying that to this day stands as tall as it did back then, maybe even more so......

90% of all fishing gear was designed to catch one thing......and it is not fish.

I saw it back then and I still see it today. Plus now we have the peer pressure of "I have better stuff than you" that some fall for as well as marketing on TV, in magazines, radios that catch people eye.

Just like hunting, fishing is now a marketers wet dream.

Cheers

SS

[rides bike to work]

In my experience some guys are gear guys. For them it's just as much about the planning and set up as it is the trip. I do have a problem with this at times . I have one friend who will only chronimid fish he needs the boat double anchord just the right way then will spend hours and days trying different flies and will not troll or cast. Extremely anal and not fun to be with. The whole chronimid thing bugs me a bit sitting beside a guy with the same bug at the same depth and he's slaying them and I'm skunked. Drives me . On the hunting side of things I have a friend with all the most expensive optics camo trucks quads bullets sent killers packs and every other gizmo he can get his hands on. But when I call him to go out on a trip he usually says he's short on cah and can't make it. And if he does come and drops his expensive Binos or gets dirt on his new camo hi day is ruined and wants to go home.

There is no comparison fighting a trout on light fly rod and dragging a trout in behind a fender wondering if you even have one on

[Foxtail]

I took my buddy from work who is a hardcore trout fisherman out sturgeon fishing. Got him a nice little 4 footer. He couldn't believe the power and is now dreaming about more and bigger fish. He says he wants to buy sturgeon gear now... I told him not to bother, its too pricey. I'll take ya out whenever ya wanna go.

[Mulehahn]

Guess I am in the minority. I learned fishing from a friends dad, an ardent fly fisher, when I was in junior high. It wasn't til after high school and I could drive myself did I learn about gear. I still remember the looks I got when I walked into Berry's, knowing all about flylines, rods, and such but never seen a spoon before! Now I enjoy each technique equally, as each has their place. If I want to do quick run after work nothing beats a light spinning rod and a mepps. I also enjoy watching a river, targeting a small riffle, selecting a fly and placing the cast. It truly is hard to beat a great chrony hatch, but I think trolling a few rods with some wedding bands and worms with my nieces and nephews does. Fighting a 5 pound rainbow on a 4 wt rod is incredible, but so is pulling a 30 pound lake trout of 150'of water. Good luck getting a fly that deep. I fish for the experience, and to catch as many species as possible. Whatever method gets me there is the one I use. All my gear is middle of the road, partly I guess because I do swap so much. That sage fly rod is nice, but my st. Croix does the job and it goes well with my spinning rods.

[139grainsofhell]

I love it when I'm on a lake catching one after another on my 4 weight super expensive fly rod and the hardwear chuckers get upset cause they haven't caught anything dragging Thier ford fenders with a hot spot with a dew worm cruising Mach 1 in Thier 9.9

i dont understand gear fisherman......

[Weatherby Fan]

Catch and release for fish......only if there to small, when I learned to fish with my old Norwegian father we were food fishing no other way to describe it !

I prefer catch and release for Mule Deer.....I'm going to keep measuring those antlers and releasing them until I get a Boone & Crockett typical !!!

[Steelwheels]

Your not a True Avid Fly chucker if your not using a spooled up Hardy attached to a Sage pole.. Filson Vest.. Simms waders... Tilley Hat.. Driving your mint condition 67 Bronco to your favorite Honey Hole!!!

[835]

Your not a True Avid Fly chucker if your not using a spooled up Hardy attached to a Sage pole.. Filson Vest.. Simms waders... Tilley Hat.. Driving your mint condition 67 Bronco to your favorite Honey Hole!!!

Round here its Islander buddy! lol...





This debate is always funny...... I never understand why people pick on "Fly guys" all being snobbish..... what about "F Class" shooters? Bass Pro Tourney guys... Race car drivers.... Do the hit to pass guys call The Sock cars "Upity"?
there was a movie made on flyfishing,,, yep it was a good one, but i guess some Bait chuckers would see it as snoby.... But what about those Ski movies,, boy they hate snowboarders....


My wife wanted to learn to fish, she had never casted a rod of any kind... I saved up, analized her cast Bought her a #6Sage VPS with a Fenwick reel.... She was not a fast caster but to get some distance you need a bit of speed, so a medium rod was perfect.... She worked at a Fishing Resort, book keeper. When we moved, they bought her a Islander 3.4 and had it engraved "From the Weigh West Fishing team"..... She has no idea how to cast a spinning rod, seriously trees all day.
But she can put a perfect mend to land that dry right in the slot.... She now has a couple rods and reels to do big fish and little fish.

As far as guys with gear beating guys with flys ... Who really cares? The idea is not numbers, if you get numbers wicked day! If you dont, Great day!
But i guess that there is why i Fly fish......lol

[Wild one]

Almost all my fishing is done with a fly rod it is not about a challenge as I don't find it any tougher to do just a different style of fishing. I do it because I like catching fish on the flies I tie and it is easy to change your target species just by tying on a different fly or changing the tip. It is nice that everything I need fits in a vest that is light to haul and no messy bait. For the guys who like spinner and spoons yes there are flies that can match that bite as well.

I don't dress up, I don't buy the most expensive gear, I don't own a throat pump as I don't believe in it, and I could careless what others choose to fish with. When it comes to keeping fish I only keep what I want to eat that day or if they are hooked bad. For the most part fish are released.

The truth is fishermen are funny no matter what style they choose. Most think there way is the best way and others are doing it wrong. A good portion are chasing that magic bait, lure, fly, or piece of gear that they think will cause them to catch fish every cast.

A good fishermen does not need the best gear but instead knows what the fish are doing at that time of year. They place there offering in the right location on the body of water. They know how to present it to entice the fish. And know how to adjust to conditions. It has nothing to do with the style he chooses or the price of his gear.

Stop worrying about what the other guy uses and focus on your own gear, how you use it and you will catch more fish

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I modified my sigline from a quote I saw on a David Lambroughton Flyfishing Dreams calendar......

Can't recall the offhand whose quote it was but it's something like this....."The best fisherman in the world is the person who enjoys it the most".

Don't worry about what other people ared doing. Just get out there and enjoy nature:).

SSS

[835]

A good fishermen does not need the best gear but instead knows what the fish are doing at that time of year. They place there offering in the right location on the body of water. They know how to present it to entice the fish. And know how to adjust to conditions. It has nothing to do with the style he chooses or the price of his gear.



A good fisherman does not need the best gear, but in the case of flying,,, better gear makes it easier for a good fisherman to do everything you are talking about.... Put a Fenwick HMX in my hand and i can do half of what i can with my XP.
Conversly,,, A rich dude going in to buy a Winston but has never fly fished will be just a sucessful with an HMX..... But maybe his buddy took him out fishing and the rich dude liked it,,, since he has extra bling he goes in and gears up... Then yee gear guy sees this newb all decked out and calls him a dweeb because he has an Islander and yee gear guy is doing sooo much better because he has a "Fishy mind" And an Ironhead. But the Rich guy really dont care!




PS: i dont pump either,,, i dont need to match it to the point of stealin' food!

[Wild one]

A good fisherman does not need the best gear, but in the case of flying,,, better gear makes it easier for a good fisherman to do everything you are talking about.... Put a Fenwick HMX in my hand and i can do half of what i can with my XP.
Conversly,,, A rich dude going in to buy a Winston but has never fly fished will be just a sucessful with an HMX..... But maybe his buddy took him out fishing and the rich dude liked it,,, since he has extra bling he goes in and gears up... Then yee gear guy sees this newb all decked out and calls him a dweeb because he has an Islander and yee gear guy is doing sooo much better because he has a "Fishy mind" And an Ironhead. But the Rich guy really dont care!




PS: i dont pump either,,, i dont need to match it to the point of stealin' food!


I do agree a quality fly rod helps with casting but you don't need the best of the best. I find I do just as well with a redington as I do with a gloomis but it is more about matching the action, good line and weight of the rod to the style of fly fishing you are doing. The reel is not that important till unless you are targeting large fish

If it is a cheap walmart combo yes it effects casting

[Beachcomber]

One of the attractions of flyfishing for me was always the simplicity. I enjoy float fishing too, especially with a centre pin reel, but at times bridled at the amount of gear involved. Flyfishing was simple and clean - fly, leader, line, rod, reel. Now however it seems that, like almost everything, it has become a huge marketing venture first and foremost. You can't catch steelhead unless you have the latest switch rod with 10 different tips and lines of varying density for every inch a river's height may change or colour may vary. I like looking at bling gear as much as the next guy and have succumbed to buying my share of it but most of this strikes me a more likely to catch consumers than fish. Keep it simple and avoid complexity. The fish haven't changed, only the perception of what is necessary to catch them has.

[huntcoop]

...There's also the whole art of fly fishing too. Anyone can throw gear out there and catch fish. But to me it's more enjoyable and more rewarding to throw a hand tied fly out and catch something...


If you've never caught a decent trout on lightweight fly gear, I can understand your point of view. Or caught a fish on a dry fly for that matter...

Not much more to say that the above quotes don't cover.

[835]

I do agree a quality fly rod helps with casting but you don't need the best of the best. I find I do just as well with a redington as I do with a gloomis but it is more about matching the action, good line and weight of the rod to the style of fly fishing you are doing. The reel is not that important till unless you are targeting large fish

If it is a cheap walmart combo yes it effects casting

yep, #1 factor in catching fish, knowing what to use and how to use it!
Reel is definatly luxury unless you spend time on it ( Click and pawl, only way to fly for trout!)

I totally aggree that it is not nessary to go Sage.. But what i am trying to say is....
if you were to go buy the proper rod for your stroke, gave it a bit of time for YOU to learn it.... You will do better. You will cast easier, more accurate, mend better, fish in confined space better.... A matched quality rod makes a fisher better. My wifes Z-Axis can pick up and redirect to 45Degrees almost 75% of your flyline in one roll to lift it and one fals cast for a proper swing. Now,, you could do that cast with any decent rod, but you will not do it in a few fals casts and as simply!
This is what i mean. Compairing apples to apples. Giv a guy who knows how to fish a better rod he will catch more fish, due to what the rod will let you do.

[steel_ram]

How about the guys that justify there $60,000 truck to pull their $40,000 boat so they can drag heavy lead canon balls and flashers under their sounders to maybe catch a fish. Then complain that a two day possession limit is hurting their budget.

I have yet to try a $800 + fly rod, but can say a $200 lower end Sage, Loomis. Echo etc. is far nicer to cast than a $50 Walmart special. Like most things there is probably a point of diminishing returns. You don't cry so much when you slam it in the tail gate either.

[Spirit's Master]

Slammed my $250 St Croix Avid in the tailgate. Replacement showed up a month later. Warranty is so important when buying a rod.

The only person I have to justify my $60 000 boat to is my wife....Oh wait.... she's the one that made me get a bigger boat. I love my wife.:-D

cwf

[Jagermeister]

I remember a early November day years back when I went to the Chilcotin River above Battle Canyon to fish for steelhead. Wife insisted that I not go alone, so I had one of the boys tag along.
This lad was quite competitive and turned everything into a contest, including fishing. Biggest fish, most fish.........you know the drill.
Anyhow, damm if I didn't hook and land the first fish, not a steelhead but about a 3lb. bull trout.
The boy acknowledged, "You caught the first fish, but I will catch the first steelhead, the biggest fish and the most fish.....blah blah."
I told him then and there, that I came out to relax and enjoy the fishing which included his company, the stream, the sky, the birds aloft, the deer on the bank across the river and the scenery that abounds. I told him that if I wanted to be in a competition, I would have looked for a derby to enter. With that aside, we went back to fishing.
He caught the only steelhead of the day and we went home happy and relaxed.
It was a good day as I remember it as if it happened yesterday.

[TexasWalker]

Some people will never understand the joy of fly fishing and that is fine by me.....less people on the lakes.

I get more satisfaction releasing a large trout than I do catching it,can't remember the last time I killed a trout of any size.

Once the fish enters the net the battle is over and I have won.

Salmon don't get the same treatment I'm afraid,those delicious *******s get a rock shampoo as soon as they hit the beach lol

Tight lines guys!!

[Big Lew]

Some people will never understand the joy of fly fishing and that is fine by me.....less people on the lakes.

I get more satisfaction releasing a large trout than I do catching it,can't remember the last time I killed a trout of any size.

Once the fish enters the net the battle is over and I have won.

Salmon don't get the same treatment I'm afraid,those delicious *******s get a rock shampoo as soon as they hit the beach lol

Tight lines guys!!

Pretty much the same with me, although I usually keep one to eat right away as soon as I get to shore. When using barb-less hooks and very long-nosed fliers, most often the fish is released without having to use a net. The use of barb-less hooks and the fish-friendly nets or cradles has made a tremendous improvement in released fish survival. Although I also troll with 'gang trolls', one of the main reasons for fly fishing when possible is the incidental wounding or killing of fish from gang trolls. It's not uncommon to see wounded or dead fish in areas fisher persons are trolling big gang trolls.

[Sunzuki]

I can take fly fisherpeople. The ones moored up and anchor out.
I hate them frucking fin fruckers who like to paddle towards me
as I'm putt putt putting me Ford Fender and werm.
And then git the stink eye.......
One day I'll be kuss'in bout the chit I need to remove from me prop.
Yah........you know who yu are.

[Foxton Gundogs]

It is what it is, put a fly rod in my hand and I'm more dangerous to myself and anyone in the vicinity than when I pack a rifle, lol I am another one who wants to eat what I catch and don't get the catch release thing its like stalking up to a 7X7 rosie with a draw tag in your pocket and pointing your rifle and saying "Bang you're dead" then walking away but to each their own. As for the gear, I bet the beer in the boat is worth as much as my gear, but if you 'need' to have the best and lots of it, I get that. Its what ever your drug of choice is. For me it's waterfowling, I have thousands of $ invested (That was a type-O dear honest I meant hundreds) in gear and I still "need" more. Like I said it is what it is and if you get enjoyment from it then good for you.

[luckofthedraw]

Finally the ice came off Dragon Lake and I was told to by the local fly shop to buy some chironomid flies and a strike indicator. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, a chironomid is a larvae looking stage to a bug, basically thread wrapped around a hook and the strike indicator is a floatation device (kind of like a mini bobber) so that you know how deep your hook is in the water and allows you to see 'soft takes' on your fly/hook. So fishing this way, I immediately realized an advantage to fly fishing with this method. First the chironomid is the first available food for the trout in the spring after the ice melts off the lake, so that is exactly what the fish are targeting. Secondly, the trout are near shore, but usually within a foot of the bottom, so now you can set the depth of the fly to the prime feeding level in the water column. I never had so much success that early in the fishing season before I used this method so I was "hooked".


Yup. This is exactly it. I have just got into fly fishing and I tried a strike indicator and chronomid combo for the first time a couple days ago. I have never had such action in a short period of time. To be able to find what they are eating and the exact time the bite is on is fantastic. We landed 6 large fish in 30 mins. But then the bite was off. That half hour made the whole day worth it.

[Onesock]

Try hunting with a stickbow!

[Good2bCanadian]

The tug...... Is the drug

Thats what catch and release is to me.

I landed and released 2 wild Coho on the Vedder with my 5wt StCroix fly rod one evening. Now that was intense.
Hearing that line zip thru the water was awesome.

If I kill a trout it gets eaten then and there. No trout get taken home to get thrown in the freezer.

I also fish with spinners (Mepps, Blue fox). I typically motor into the wind, and drift back, casting into the shallows or at features with quick retrieves. Fast, fun action.

For me, it beats watching an indicator above a still cronomid. Maybe I havnt mastered that, and that's why I don't fish like that.

[835]

I dont chironomid either,, i am about 95% Dry,,, for me its the take on the surface. I do fish wets in lakes and early season rivers, but for me nothing beats a 5 lb Brown taking a #14 Elk hair.

Coho on a fly,,, now there is Mayhem,, fly line pointing one way,, fish jumping over there....
lol

[TexasWalker]

I used to kill my limit whenever I could when I was a kid,bring em all home and saran wrap them put them in the freezer.
Then I started finding all these old freezer burned troutsicles in the bottom of the deep freeze so I stopped killing them and it opened me up to a whole different view on fishing.

Properly presented flies will out fish gear/worms 100% of the time,there is nothing natural about hardware so you have to really coerce a trout into striking.

Chironomids at the right depth are what the fish are eating 80-90% of the time so your offering gets inhaled right along with the hundreds of naturals being gorged on right under your boat.
I fished gear and bait for a long time growing up and never had the kind of numbers I do now.

[backcountrybowhunter]

If we have to explain you wouldn't understand. Just like guys like me who take a bow in the woods far more often then a rifle. Am I at a great disadvantage? Maybe in the fact of harvesting a "trophy" buy in my eyes there is far more to to it and any animal is a trophy. I used to only spin cast for bass before I learned how to catch them on the fly. So now if you asked where my spin cast rod is I could t tell you haven't seen it in a few years now.

[Grumpa Joe]

I do all the types of fishing. Ocean trolling, mooching and jigging. Freshwater river drift fishing and bar fishing with wool, roe, blades and and spin-n-glows. Sturgeon fishing (strictly a catch and release endeavor). Pitching spoons with spinning gear. I used to think that fly fishing was elitist as well. Now it is my favorite form of fishing. On a lake you can chironomid fish, cast and strip wet and dry flies and troll depending on what you feel like. I could, and most times do, get my limit even with releasing fish pretty much whenever I go out. It's quiet and relaxing compared to most of the other forms. I've tied literally thousands of flies and it is kind of cathartic rather than being a job to be done and when you catch something on what you created it is extremely satisfying. Kind of like reloading and tuning your gun into something that those that don't reload seldom experience.

The argument boils down to much the same as that between, bow hunting versus muzzle-loader versus rifle hunting; Road hunting versus backpack hunting; Boating using a stink-pot versus being a rag hanger; Riding a motorcycle on the pavement or dirt (dirt is for vegetables, pavement is for racing :-D); Playing the field or getting married. As long as someone's passion is legal and doesn't negatively impact on my ability to enjoy mine then I don't see an issue.

[adriaticum]

Ha,ha what about spey fishermen?
Don't try to understand it, you either like it or you don't.
There are elitist in every style of fishing.
But the guy that spends most time on the river catches most fish most of the time regardless of style.
I like the fly but my go to style is always bait and gear because it's the most versatile.
For fly fishing all ducks have to be in a row.

[835]

Ha,ha what about spey fishermen?
.


2 Handers?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, now there is a pompous bunch right there!!!







lol

[steel_ram]

I find there's pompous in all groups but most folks from gut chucking spin casters to bamboo fans are pretty good. The most aggressive self entitled fishers I've encountered are usually packing high speed level winds. As the equipment suggests, it's all about being as efficient, fast and productive as possible.

[Fred1]

I put those spey guys in the same category as those center pin guys. The pompous elite river wh**res... LMAO I love it! "Pardon me, does anyone have any.... Bud Lite?" :D Hope I get to dust off my spey soon....

[calvin L]

Fly fisher persons are a lot like sheep hunters messed up in the head . Myself included lol

[srupp]

Hmmm been a fly fisher for too many years to recall...keep one or 2 trout a year....but seeing someone..last year it was Phil from Alberta catch a 10 pound rainbow on a fly with 5 weight Sage rod..with 4 pound tippett on a fly I tied...and the 20 minute rodeo ride that developed and the 2x the spool and backing was almost all gone...remembering Phils shit eating grin...priceless..
However the custom made oars that arrived friday with new oar locks still waiting to be installed tomorrow for my first fly fishing outing....the good stuff does indeed cost..however thats what life is about..living....

Cheers
SRUPP

[Fisher-Dude]

I still use the fibreglass Fenwicks I hand-built in the 1970s for flyfishing. I don't own a graphite. Tie my own flies for about 10¢ each. And I bonk the fish and eat 'em.

[Peter Pepper]

Fly fisherman are like bow hunters. They're both just a little different. More about the process than the end result. Both are cool sports

[andrewscag]

I find nicer gear worth it because its just more enjoyable to use. Sure you can catch a fish on any old rod and reel, but if I'm going to be swinging the thing all day, I'd rather have a piece of equipment that's fun to use and works well. 99% of the time its just casting practice anyhow.

[Steelwheels]

2 Handers?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, now there is a pompous bunch right there!!!







lol

We Spey Cast for a particular reason.. It's all about ....Location -Location -Location...

[caddisguy]

For someone who is content and does not care to expand their horizons beyond throwing out a line with a worm at the bottom and relaxing with a cold beer and watching the rod tip--heck I'm an avid fly fisher and even I enjoy success doing that sometimes--flyfishing is probably not relevant.

It's just another method of fishing. With hunting we have bow hunting, rifle hunting, stalking, still hunting, driving, tree stands, road hunting, etc. Each can serve a specific purpose and a good hunter will become proficient at each method relevant to the specific conditions that they plan on hunting in.

With fishing there plenty of different methods involving trolling, casting, jigging, bait fishing, bar fishing, flyfishing, etc. Casting out a weight and a worm and waiting can be very effective for trout in some lakes, but it's not going to allow you to fish a snakey river with think un-bush-whackable terrain and even if you did walk into that freezing river with your shorts/sandles and spin casting rod, you're probably not going to fool a bunch of spooky rainbows plopping that worm in the water. Nope, not even with a magic wedding band or an apex. Jump in the same river with waders and a flyrod, with flies to match what the fish are eating and you'll probably be into a few dozen rainbows over a few kilometers.

Is flyfishing perfect for everything? Nope. Take a big lake like Lac la Hache. Ever try trolling flies around through there? Not too effective is it? Switch to a ford fender, pink apex, maggot and all of a sudden you have a bunch of rainbow and kokanee in the boat. Now drive 15 minutes to Helena lake and try trolling your ford fender there. Nope, not happening. Even in a small lake, if I was shore-bound, I would just throw worm with a weight a couple feet above it, get the line tight and wait for the fish to come to me. If I had a boat in the same lake, I would probably try trolling the fly first.

One method is not better than the other. Different circumtances dictate different approaches for success. Sometimes more than one approach will work. Sure, there's always going to be that clown who saw something flyfishing and being successful, hits the outdoor store and ends up being sold $2000 in gear and then fails miserably to learn where, when and how to be successful at flyfishing, but for one to conclude they "do not understand flyfishing" is a little bit short sighted.

There's not much I like better than getting in the water, roll-casting my way down the river and hitting a big rainbow every couple casts. I have not been able to replicate this level of success with river rainbows using any other method. I think OP should spend the $130 bucks on a 5wt 4piece scientific anglers combo--it even comes with flies!!--$120 for some waders and $50 on the vest. $300 bucks is worth it, unless of course playing 10 rainbows/hour in a beautiful river is too boring, or perhaps too action packed for you ;-P

[Caribou_lou]

Im not going to read all the comments. Just read The OP's first post. I for one don't think stomach pumping should be legal. Thats just cruel and shows no respect to the fish. JMO

[hunter1993ap]

Im not going to read all the comments. Just read The OP's first post. I for one don't think stomach pumping should be legal. Thats just cruel and shows no respect to the fish. JMO

I try not to do it to fish I release but it works great for fish I have kept and bonked. a quick tell of what the fish are eating without having to clean the fish on the spot.

[TexasWalker]

Im not going to read all the comments. Just read The OP's first post. I for one don't think stomach pumping should be legal. Thats just cruel and shows no respect to the fish. JMO

Are you familiar with taking throat samples or just making assumptions about something you've never done?

One doesn't 'pump' a trout's stomach,you draw the sample from the throat to see what the fish are actively eating,the stomach contents don't tell you anything relevant to that day.

If these pupa came from the stomach they would be dead and brown,they are very much alive.

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv67/bigmike_420/016_zps79aa641c.jpg (http://s670.photobucket.com/user/bigmike_420/media/016_zps79aa641c.jpg.html)

[Caribou_lou]

If calling it that makes you feel better than keep doing that... Ive seen it performed on fishing shows. Not what I would call respectful. You can't tell me this benefits the fish health in any way. If anything it stresses a fish more than it already is.

[Caribou_lou]

I try not to do it to fish I release but it works great for fish I have kept and bonked. a quick tell of what the fish are eating without having to clean the fish on the spot.

This I have no problem with. Makes more sense.

[steel_ram]

If calling it that makes you feel better than keep doing that... Ive seen it performed on fishing shows. Not what I would call respectful. You can't tell me this benefits the fish health in any way. If anything it stresses a fish more than it already is.

I've never done it but have seen a fish's throat pumped and it can be done very gently. Your not supposed to cram the tube in there. Often a trout gently backflushed through the water will reveal it's last meal. A fish has a lot more chance of surviving being release after pumping than being given the respect of a bonk to the head, don't ya think?

[Caribou_lou]

Ah yes the catch and release mortality... Oh I meant to say mentality.

The minimal stress on a fish, the better off the fish will be. That's what I know.

[TexasWalker]

Ah yes the catch and release mortality... Oh I meant to say mentality.

The minimal stress on a fish, the better off the fish will be. That's what I know.


Catch and release isn't a mentality it's a reality.
The trout in trophy managed lakes don't get big from getting bonked by some gear troller.

You stated an opinion,here is a fact.

The trout I release have 100% better chance of survival than the trout YOU hang on your stringer.

[browningboy]

Ok I will bite, own a new loaded gmc Deisel , pimped jetboats, Shakespeare reel and rod, drink beer, shoot guns and buy my flies?.. Do I catch fish, sure I do, do I worry about placing values to everything, not at all, do I have fun... Absolutely!
i find it funny how people have to place values to everything... Look at my 1500 dollar rod... Who gives a rats ass! Lol one thing a lot of people forget is having fun in the first place!

[aggiehunter]

My Dad bought me my first flytying kit in a little cardboard box..that's over 40 years ago and I won't even think of touching any other kind of gear...what other people think of my flyfishing addiction is none of my business.

[Steelwheels]

Ha,ha what about spey fishermen?
Don't try to understand it, you either like it or you don't.

http://vimeo.com/filson/fly-fishing-burkheimer#at=1

[Aheny]

I have always maintained, that if you are going to discuss how much you spend on a hobby, its more useful to discuss what percent of your disposable income it is rather than a dollar value. A guy who earns $25/hr and has a single income family of four isnt going to be able to have a useful conversation about how much he chooses to invest in fishing with a double income Dentist who is married to a lawyer, or even an electrician.

[835]

The thing is,, it is the guy who owns the Ugly stick that keeps on worrying about the Guy who owns the 1000$ Rod..... But like everything else ... Trucks, Guns, Boats etc.. there are always a few guys who talk about the "Cool factor" or the if you dont buy the best you wll pay later... look at optics, if you dont buy swaro it will break.. yet you dont see Vortex owners posting about how upity Swaro owners are..
ya i posted how much gear i got but it was to prove a point...

[Steelwheels]

That's why I don't put a $ figure on my things!
It's more a value thing to me..

[blackbart]

Who really gives a chit as long as you have a good fishing hat on. And by good I mean both ugly and comfortable.

[Dannybuoy]

Ah yes the catch and release mortality... Oh I meant to say mentality.

The minimal stress on a fish, the better off the fish will be. That's what I know.

Yeah gotta agree with Lou here .... according to pretty much every study done mortality of catch and release is between 10 and 38% ... which translates into a successful day of fly fishing kills more fish than a guy catching and bonking his limit .
http://www.gofishbc.com/how-to-fish/fishing-articles/catch-and-release.aspx

[Caribou_lou]

Not sure if the link will work. First time trying to post a youtube video. This is a fisherman showing people how to use a stomach pump. On a very small trout.


http://youtu.be/DCp6i3GcuCI

[TexasWalker]

Not sure if the link will work. First time trying to post a youtube video. This is a fisherman showing people how to use a stomach pump. On a very small trout.


http://youtu.be/DCp6i3GcuCI

So because one guy posts a video on youtube of himself pumping a tiddler that means all fly fishermen are guilty?
It is no different than condemning all bow hunters after watching some bubba on youtube make a 50 yard gut shot.

You guys sound like PETA members.

I never pump a fish smaller than a few pounds,nor would I pump smaller wild trout.

The AF3N triploid mutants I like to catch are hearty and I've never had one belly up on me.

[Dannybuoy]

So because one guy posts a video on youtube of himself pumping a tiddler that means all fly fishermen are guilty?
It is no different than condemning all bow hunters after watching some bubba on youtube make a 50 yard gut shot.

You guys sound like PETA members.

I never pump a fish smaller than a few pounds,nor would I pump smaller wild trout.

The AF3N triploid mutants I like to catch are hearty and I've never had one belly up on me.
Do a little research .... most catch and release mortality cases happen days or weeks after release ... I don't know if the stomach pumping is all that damaging , its the handling of the fish that causes death . Personally I don't care how many trout you bonk .... its the " I only catch and release so I don't kill fish" attitude of fly fisherman that makes me raise my eyebrows and say get real !

[hare_assassin]

The only thing I "catch and release" are cougars. :mrgreen:

[goatdancer]

Do a little research .... most catch and release mortality cases happen days or weeks after release ... I don't know if the stomach pumping is all that damaging , its the handling of the fish that causes death . Personally I don't care how many trout you bonk .... its the " I only catch and release so I don't kill fish" attitude of fly fisherman that makes me raise my eyebrows and say get real !

Catch and release using barbless fly hooks and a soft net allows for no handling of the fish and release should not cause harm. Fish do not swallow flies the way they take bait. A simple flick of the barbless hook does not cause serious damage and a roll of the net has the fish free in a flash.

[dakoda62]

at last count I own 4 fly rods, 4 spin rods, 3 trolling rods, a mooching rod and a halibut rod. plus all the fresh and salt water tackle and 5-6 extra reels. and a large assortment of fly tying gear. My hunting pack has close to $3500. in gear inside of it it. However it is a life time collection so it is all relative. Most of my fishing is catch and release. Hunting not so much.

[hunter1993ap]

Catch and release using barbless fly hooks and a soft net allows for no handling of the fish and release should not cause harm. Fish do not swallow flies the way they take bait. A simple flick of the barbless hook does not cause serious damage and a roll of the net has the fish free in a flash.

i have to agree, I bet the mortality rate from fly fishers is way less than the mortality of gear guys letting fish go. when the trout takes the worm the hook is down its throat, with the fly I rarely hook fish past the gums.

[kilometers]

Seeing how you are all into fishing I got a laugh outta some of these.
Terrace local captain Quinn
hopefully link works

shit fisherman say

http://youtu.be/jfGvvz7HbAw

[139grainsofhell]

The lakes that are trophy catch and release made that way to keep trophy fish in that lake for fly fishing only... What does that tell you that catch and release doesn't work???give me a break we have to have these lakes and regulations or the hardwear chuckers would clean them out!

[steel_ram]

I don't think method of catch really makes much difference with the exception of bait. Even then, if the angler acts fast and doesn't let the fish eat the bait there isn't any damage. It's all about how the fish is handled (or not), dragging fish up the bank, letting them flip around in the bottom of the boat or prolonged hero shots aren't going to help. Bonking a fish certainly isn't.

[aggiehunter]

flyfished for over 40 years and never stomach pumped a fish...too much tv...

[Dannybuoy]

Catch and release using barbless fly hooks and a soft net allows for no handling of the fish and release should not cause harm. Fish do not swallow flies the way they take bait. A simple flick of the barbless hook does not cause serious damage and a roll of the net has the fish free in a flash.
I'd agree but most of the damage is from the fish being touched either by the net or human hands .... definitely lessened by the method you described But how many fly fisherman are that gentle ...certainly not the ones holding the fish while pumping the stomach . When they have released fish into catch pools to study the effects of catch and release , the fish developed fungus or open sores in net patterns and where they were touched and eventually died from the wounds . this is above any that were deeply hooked (bleeding) So I am very confident that when I go to a lake and bonk my limit , I have killed far less fish that the guy with a fly rod that is so happy he had a 50 or 60 + fish day . But the way they stock lakes ... theres plenty of fish to go around and the "trophy lakes " keep a lot of people away so the fish grow bigger as well .

[bcbugslingers]

First of all i have read every response to this topic. This is my first post on this forum so I will Try to make it a good one. I have been fly fishing for 4 years now and fishing my whole life since i can remember. I bought my first fly rod (complete setup with flies and all) from Canadian Tire for 50$. The reason i spent so little was not because of budget but more because I knew it was something that really interested me but I wasn't willing to spend a bunch of money on something i had never tried before. I took my new rod out as soon as i returned from the store. I had already watched a bunch of tutorials on how to make a simple cast (10 and 2 then stop and drop) and so i started casting away. It wasn't much longer before I had already broken off at least 2 flies snagged on trees or grass, cursing and swearing at the wind. I didn't catch any fish, but being outside listening to the wind in the trees and the water rushing over the rocks was a sense of peace and tranquility. When I arrived home my partner asked "how does the new rod work hunny?" I said "exactly how it should sweety." Even though I never caught a fish on that rod I still took it to the river mouth at the lake and proceeded to practice practice, mixed with a lot of reading and research, I learned how to do a few casts and mends on the piece of crap I bought from CT.
So now I had really been hooked and was ready to start stalking trout and catching fish. I was also ready to purchase a new rod. The lack of tackle shops near the small town where I grew up forced me to go to Walmart and pick out a 150$ setup with reel line and leader.(4-5weight Superfly combo)I couldn't even wait to get to the water so i set it all up in the parking lot to try a few casts between rows of cars and I was quickly amazed at how much easier and better it made my casting. 150 $ made a major improvement and that boosted my spirits also . I used that rod for a couple years and caught a decent number of big and small trout on it. After A year and a half later I broke up with my female friend at the time and the rod mysteriously disappeared from its spot in the closet so I was forced to go rod shopping again.
This time i opted to pick a Temple fork Outfitters mostly because it was a good price, a great brand and had a lifetime warrenty. I also liked it because it came in 4 pieces and had a hard case that could easily be strapped to a backpack. After testing my new rod I noticed a huge improvement in not only my casting but the way the rod gracefully moved through the air and how the line flowed seamlessly through the guides. I was able to cast farther, cast more accurately and cast heavier flies without much more effort. I still use this rod today and paid $300 for the setup this time. Over the years I have bought all the supplies needed to make my time on the water more comfortable, enjoyable and more time actually productively fishing. The items I consider "Needed" are things like a net, pliers, waders/boots, knot tier/nipper tool, a vest, different size tippets, micro split shot and some fly floating lube. I have also purchased everything needed to tie my own flies because its just one more thing to make me a more productive versatile fly fisherman.
I prefer to catch and release fish and, on that note I would agree that fly fishing is the safest and most effective way to catch and release a fish. We use small barb-less hooks that are taken in the corner of the mouth or cartilage of the lips. The level of respect a fly fisher has for the fish is not matched by any other type of fishing. The release is as delicate and fast as possible, wetting and rinsing your hands before any handling happens. Fly fishing is peace and tranquility.

I rarely bring out the spin-caster rods anymore because there is always a way i can get a fly of some sort out there to catch the same fish. Yes it is a lot more difficult, but it is also more natural, primitive and rewarding at the same time. The point of all this is that money wont get you happiness or success in fishing, but being out there exploring, learning,practicing and seeing that trout rise to your hand tied dry fly will for sure
JR

[markomoose]

I like it all!I have flyfished and enjoy it lots.I throw gear and enjoy it lots.I have done almost every kind of fishing this province offers and to me I get as much enjoyment out of fishing as a guy can.Nothing better than being out on the water.Sure beats the alternative four letter word!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I like it all!I have flyfished and enjoy it lots.I throw gear and enjoy it lots.I have done almost every kind of fishing this province offers and to me I get as much enjoyment out of fishing as a guy can.Nothing better than being out on the water.Sure beats the alternative four letter word!

You've got it figured out markomoose! It's all about getting out and enjoying the sport of fishing.
I actually modified my sig line from a quote I saw on a David Lambroughten calendar that said " The best fisherman in the world is the one who enjoys it the most".

all good!!😎😎

[351BII]

What I don't get is people who catch fish and don't eat them (regardless of how much gear they own). Seems entirely pointless to me.

Different strokes...

I am one of those people. I cant stand red meat fish. Ill eat white meat fish sometimes. But i have a boat with down riggers loaded with salmon gear as well as a couple fly set ups with a float tube. Live on the river during sockeye season and have enough salmon and steelhead pics to wallpaper my house. I may keep the odd one to give to someone if they ask. other than that its the thrill of the hunt and the enjoyment of being out there. once its on the beach or in the net its all over but that adreneline rush never changes. Like said by others its not the money spent or the technique you use. its what you enjoy to do:mrgreen:

[adriaticum]

Pretty much boils down to...you get out of life what you put into it.

SSS

Ha ha you gotta be some kind of salesman.
Probably a good one too.

[sausage lover]

I live a block from the vedder so I fish when im not hunting or welding, I use level winds,centre pin,single hand fly rods and double hand fly rods (spey).They are all tools to me and some tools work better in certain situations, example red springs in a deep pool with swift water my weapon of choice center pin set up and drift juicy roe!Bam spring on! Coho in side channels with slow water single hand fly rod and sink tip flyline deadly combo! Just like hunting use the best gear for the job,practice practice practice cheers!

[elknut]

Quite a few flyfisherman were once trollers of hardware...Then they seen flyfisherman catching lots of fish and decided to try it for themselves..First they trolled a fly then the big day came and they cast a fly and caught a fish..Never would they ever go back to hardware...at least for trout..Most fisherman evolve..You grow up ..improve .and buy the best tackle you can afford...You keep this tackle forever..It's the challenge ...You learn about the fish..their diet and you learn to tye your own flies..The complete package..It's the passion of fooling the trout..at their level..Hunting is the same thing..you evolve...Ask any long time hunter and it's in his blood..You my friend have alot to learn ...You're journey has just begun

[dryflyguy57]

been fishing most of my life, think I got my fist cod when I was 4 or 5. been a lake and river fisher for most of my life though.
Anyway, I see an entirely different culture when it comes to fly fishing.
Im the guy who goes out in a pair of shorts or whatever, ties a worm on a hook, or throws a spoon. I use wool for salmon. don't often use roe.
Fly fisherman, they get dressed up in $800 worth of gear, have a vest full of gear on them, scissors, flies etc.. like a walking tackle box.
But this, above all is what I don't get; a guy catches a fish on a fly, then proceeds to pump the fishes stomach to see what its eating, so they can change up the fly to "match the hatch"
To me, this seems silly. If you just caught a fish, isn't the fish eating what you just had on there? didn't that fly work? aren't you having success? are you looking for the magic fly that will catch a fish on every cast?
Is it at all possible that your fly is in fact the perfect one, but the fish aren't right there when you cast it? is it an impatience thing? or is it an obsession?
I get the obsession sometimes.. "just one more cast.... ok one more.... ahh ok we'll go in 10 mins.. I promise" then that becomes an hour later lol.

But if your fly worked, why change it?
I know with the way I catch trout, they like shiny stuff and a worm, every time.
IM being cheeky for the most part in this post, but I saw in another thread that someone said they spend $300 on flies. I don't think I've spent that much on all my gear combined in the last couple years.. line hooks etc ( rods/ reels not included).
Hoochie , have you ever caught a fish on the fly ? There are so many ways to present the fly poorly that it keeps me working to get it right , that is after the fly hits the water of course . The cast is another story , kind of like a golf swing . Works for me but each to his own . Cranking a fish in on a level wind just doesn't do it for me . You should give it a try if you haven't already . Cheers .

[srupp]

Hmmmm and then the knowledge that you took feathers thread, deer hair and other assorted materials and created a final product that fooled the fish into thinking it was real...
Already sufferring flyfishing withdrawls...oh well I have 300 flies to tie up for me and 6 others..
Have a couple new patterns, some new material maybe this year 20 pound rainbow on fly not just 14 pound .
Cheers
Steven

[FlyingHigh]

People fly fish for the same reason people hike hours or days into the alpine to shoot a deer, then bust their asses trying to drag the damned thing out. Or people who hold out for a big buck. Makes no sense to me. I drive around the range roads listening to tunes, drinking coffee and enjoying my nice warm truck. When I see a deer (buck or doe, don't matter as both are legal) in a field I hop out and shoot it. Then I drive the truck up beside it if I have permission to drive in the field, or drag it maybe 100m and gut it next to the truck. Chuck it in the box, off to the butcher. Done, easy, and I'm often not out more than a couple hours.

Seer where I'm going with this? Some people fish merely for the food. Some us fish for the sport and the enjoyment of fishing.

[Phreddy]

What it really boils down to is that fly fishermen generally have longer rods.

[srupp]

What it really boils down to is that fly fishermen generally have longer rods.

HMMMMM not always..lol

elmer

[Sako 75]

I like tying flies and feather jigs during winter months because I am bored.:mrgreen: I would say that my Sage Spey rod is longer than my Sage Drift rods...

[303savage]

magic fly that will catch a fish on every cast?

YES, that's what we're looking for, after we find the said magic fly, we'll go and tie a bunch up in different sizes and it never works again :-)

[brno375]

what other people think of my flyfishing addiction is none of my business.

This sums it up.

[speycaster]

I have always had discretionary income ( read no kids ) so I have more fly tying stuff , more rods and reels than most small shops (definitely more than the Cabelas store in Post Falls Idaho ) . There are about 8 or so things that float on water, from a jet boat down to a couple of V boats and everything in between that fills the bill on occasion . Who really cares what someone else has or uses. I guess some of the guys that travel through and don't wish to bring a floating device care as I have loaned some of my stuff for them to use . I have friends that spend more on a reel that most of my reels are worth in total. Do they catch more fish than I? Sometimes, but they enjoy the things that they have. I have other friends that fish really inexpensive gear, we all fish what we enjoy and have. I do not give a crap what gear a person uses as long as their ethics are good.