Changing my fly fishing attitude
 

So where did the whole fly fishing elitist attitude come from. I have always been fly fishing and spin fishing. Mostly fly though and without even realizing I’ve gotten caught up in the whole thing. Where I’m embarrassed to carry a spin rod when I walk past a fly fisherman. Also the whole a fish doesn’t count unless it was caught with a fly rod. Anyways I have spend this year spin fishing and only had the fly rod out a couple times. I have realized how much I have to learn with spin fishing and catching fish takes skill no matter the type of fishing you do. Also bait fishing. I have always looked at it as the least skilful way but have also learnt that there is so much more that goes into it than I thought. Basically all types of fishing can develop a heap of knowledge and skill or as little as one wants to learn. So this year I’ve been learning a lot and also changing my mindset towards all types of fishing. Also the more I learn from each style the more they help out with understanding fish and all of my methods of fishing getting better. Wanted to post on here just cuz there is a very strong elitist culture among fly fishers that I would like to see stop. If you keep your fishing style in a box you will only progress so far as an angler I think.

sometimes the water conditions tell you how you have to fish . I usually get to fly fish for goldeye in the Pembina now , but its chocolate brown and crazy high. So it's bait fish, go to a lake , or sit on the couch.

If we all agree that fishing is a great outdoors pursuit , then it doesn't matter which way you challenge yourself to catch a fish as long as it's legal to do ! Get out and enjoy !!

Sounds like someone has listen to the Meateater podcast with hank Paterson. Lol

I am in the mindset of what ever floats your boat and you enjoy. I personally don’t want to spin fish a river, would rather fly fish. On the other hand I would rather spin fish a lake then fly fish it.

Believe me, nobody really cares how a person legally fishes.

Most fly fishermen practice C and R and thus do the least harm to the fish. Gear fishing (especially bait fishing) usually means a dead fish.

Another plus for fly fishing is that I can't see myself ever putting a worm on a hook, casting it out, sticking the rod into the bank, sitting down and grunting once in awhile.

That grunting takes skill and many years to perfect. :)

Like you I have no objection against bait, worms, etc. as long as it's legal and people adhere to limit rules. I have suspicions about a certain group of bait fishers at a lake I frequent (too much) but don't know how to proceed with a snoop. Maybe anchor just beyond their casting reach and watch them with binoculars, and then get back to my truck and find the tires slashed. :mad0100:

Wow....

Yep. For years all I did was fly fish but last year and this I’ve been going for pike and walleye a lot more with the open cast. Forgot how great it was. Also, lake fishing is a lot more kid friendly

Its asinine to assume because someone uses a spinning rod that he bait fishes.

I cant flyfish anymore due to medical reasons so have to satisfy myself with a spinning rod. I personally dont bait fish. I change all my lures to single hooks only.

I could stand beside any flyfisher and take fish off my hook with no mortality, fish for fish as much as any fly guy. And many spin fishers i know do the same. Most of the time i dont even touch the fish, releasing right in the water just like some note, i said some flyguys.

Heck ill even fish with a flyguy sometimes.:)

I didn’t realize this was a first world issue. Personally I fish with both spincast and my fly rod. That being said the past two open water fishing seasons I’ve concentrated more with the fly rod. I made the choice to leave the spincast at home to force me to get better with my fly fishing tactics.

BW

Sorry, but that's where I draw the line.:scared0018:

lol!

Fly fishing is just another tool to help me enjoy what I love..... FISHING.:)

Really love all facets of fishing including spinning, casting, trolling, even a little bait fishing from time to time.;)

Intolerance within the fishing community will eventually help create the downfall of all sport fishing.




Dont really care much for the holier than thou's.:(

Personally I don't see what the big deal is. I take both when I'm trout fishing. Some days the fish want the flies, other days I can only get bites on spoons. Although nothing makes me happier than seeing the " holier than thou" fly fisherman get skunked and I take home my limit on the "inferior" spinning rod. Personally I am not a fan of bait fishing since they take the hooks so deep and I would like the option to release the fish. Ice fishing is a different story though.

Every time that I go fly fishing I show tolerance to the "others".

Even to other fly fishers...seen it with my own eyes :)

Seriously, have you run across a fly fisherman who portrays the holier than thou attitude and thinks you are inferior for using spinning gear? I happened upon a fellow who was fishing bait in a lake who was fishing cut bait and worms. He was a very friendly gent who was more than willing to help me understand the nuances of this lake even though I told him I was a fly fisherman. He encouraged me to try some streamers and join him. I did as we talked about bears, scenery, etc. Another bait fishermen stopped by and joined our banter and began to fish with us.

This scenario is not uncommon for me were I live as well. We, (gear, bait, fly, fishermen) work side by side to conserve our waters. I truly feel slighted that you might think of me as holier than thou and I might have some sort of bias against you spin fishing philosophy.

The notion of an 'elitist' is generally not propagated from the top-down, but rather from the bottom-up. Something is generally perceived as elitist if it takes more money, more knowledge/intelligence, and/or more privilege in general.

Fly fishing is more expensive than conventional gear. I know conventional gear can get pricey, but a fly angler walking down to the river in a cheap pair of waders, an entry fly combo, and vest is still sporting $500 worth of gear.

Fly fishing tends to require more knowledge. It tends to require more knots. And to be good at fly fishing, it is also important to understand basic entomology. It takes a great deal of grit to learn to even cast the rod on your own. This can be circumvented by spending some money on a class/guide/teacher, but this puts us back up to the first point of 'more money'.

Fly fishing tends to happen in beautiful places that take the privilege to get to. Also, most fly fishing is catch-n-release and conservation is a embedded aspect into much of fly fishing. Let's face it, fly fishing does not always catch more fish, but people will choose to do it because they enjoy it. I fully admit that I will always choose to fly fish over fishing bait, even if it means catching far fewer fish.

So, it is totally understandable that some people without the money and resources could see fly fishing as 'elitist'. And in many ways, they are not wrong in their perception. To change the perception, just be a decent human being and do not puke dogma.

:):)

Good advice for any activity, indoors or outside.

What he said...

Yup. Don’t have to go far either. Lots of them right on this very forum, a few even in this thread...

Yup..... you said it davey.... glad someone did.

I’ve met guys on the river that snort n hrumph about how ugly my flies are.
I’ve had guys tell me I should get casting lessons before I actually catch a fish?

I’ve been mocked because I didn’t know the scientific name of a green drake.

Guides on try to squeeze me out of holes cause I wet wade in shorts n sneakers thus I’m not a ‘serious fly fisherman.’

I fish with a TFO 6 and guys have accused me of using the wrong tool for the stream....yada yada yada...

Multiple incidents. Multiple times. Multi year snobbery.

I like to think I’m a fairly friendly dude.... but nowadays, I approach with caution or just skip a 1/2 km ahead or just pack up n hit another river/stream.

..... but that’s just me ‘grunting’.

Why would you care, what people you have no reason to respect, think or say about you ?

I don’t really care.
Just relaying encounters that were relative to the thread that’s all.

Just saying it like it is...

I don't know why but if i see someone at a lake or river smoking a pipe i automatically assume they are an elitist . I usually keep my distance from them for fear they will see the maggots on my fly .

There are days when I just want to stick a lure on a line and do something different than flyfish, days when I want to fling it out there as far as I can and not worry a particular casting style or mending a line or having room to back cast. I like using a thumb operated spincast reel or a spinning reel or a baitcaster once in a while, and a Mepps or a Dick Nite or a Rapala or a bottom bouncer and a leech for a change. Used Griffiths gnats on a spinning rod while sight fishing. Caught little perch on my fly rod and kept them on there as bait occasionally, soaked the flies in the herring box to stink 'em up, tied them on with a 4 or 8oz weight on a mooching rod and gone down 400 ft with them. I've texas rigged Berkley worms on a flyrod in super weedy areas as well.
I just like having fun at it, and am not afraid to change things up and try something different once in a while.

Yeah, that attitude has been increasing. Our society promotes attitudes of entitlement starting in grade 1. It just continues from there. Everybody wants to think, and truly believe, they are more ethical, moral and just than others . Just ask a liberal lol


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Flyfishing--spin fishing
 

There is no such silly distinction on rivers in BC --Three days ago I counted 27 anglers on one pool--about equal number of fly and spin,nobody cared it was about catching salmon.One couple from Paris released over 20 pink and chum and 5 coho,in one day, on fly rods,the spin fishers also did well----And then the heart break,the natives put out a net across the river and caught over 200 coho,That was just one net,the river cant take this.To add insult to injury they came door to door selling the salmon for $10.00 ea.There great grand children will most likely only know coho by there pictures.

Back In wales their fishing season is from March to end of September, you are only allowed to spin cast with lures during September, as such I learned to fly fish at an early age, back there the powers that be see lures as too easy, too successful, whatever, not judging or expressing an opinion, but be interesting to see what opinions abound in Alberta