Fly fishing, elitist sport?

[kdthomps]

I've met a lot of fly fishermen that consider themselves a member of an elite sport, a sport that other fishermen are not welcome to.

These guys won't share fishing hot spots, water conditions, their daily catch (except to boost about how many MORE they caught), or on-river observations with anyone else unless they have a fly rode in hand. I've literally watched them shrug off questions from the guys with spinning rods, then come and talk to me and spill their guts.

Why is this? We're fishing the same waters, with the same objectives. Sure, fly fishing takes a little more work initially, but a few years of fly fishing will yield the same overall knowledge as a few years of fishing with a spinning rod.

I've never really met any other fly fishing Hoosiers, so this rant obviously isn't about any of you. This really bugs me though, and I don't think there is anything I can do about it. Has anyone else experienced this attitude?

[krebsie]

KD
I think everyone of us has experienced some kind of, attitude, from other fisherman at one point or another. People are people, and all are different. I've personally experienced this, buzz off, attitude in everything that I've ever tried to accomplish. From track in high school, to the carpentry business, to fly tying, to fishing. This kind of rejection from people can do two things, it can put you down and make you want to quit, or it can motivate you to be and do your best. Your choice! Sense you can't change the other guys attitude, I guess that I've always used that to be a motivator to make me better than that guy. Here's a little quote that my dad printed in his News Paper some years ago. "Nobody is ever completely worthless, they can always be used as a bad example." ;D
One thing that I know for absolutely sure, I have never even gotten a hint of that kind of attitude from any of the members of Tippecanoe Fly Fishers! Quite the opposite, these people are some of the most helpful and gracious people that I've ever been associated with. It's a real pleasure to hang out, fish, and just chat with the members of TFF.
Krebsie

[radioflyer]

KD,

Like Krebsie, I've found snobbery in almost every career/hobby/sport I've every done...even in church. In our sport alone I've run across people so think I'm not flyfishing if I dont' fish exclusively dries...or I target largemouth instead of trout or because they use bamboo exclusively. I've got a family member who buys cheap flyfighing gear at garage sales and chides me for buying more expensive gear. "you spend all that money on equipment", he says, "...I just go fish". It really sticks in his craw that I fish Sages or St. Croixs...only because he wife won't let him buy better. People have to boost themselves by tearing others down. It's the way of the world. Read other flyfishing bulletin boards and you'll find this same observation everywhere.

I could care less how you fish or what you fish with. Just come fishing with me!

I can honestly say I don't think I've every had a bait fisherman watch me flyfish and not come tell me he 'wished he could try that someday!'

rf

[flyfishingpastor]

The only thing I would add is to ask you if you've ever lost a great place to fish because a landowner got tired of cleaning up beer cans and empty food wrappers and bait containers? I have, even though I always carry a bag with me to carry out the trash I come across. It is pretty frustrating. Now, I'm not piling on here, I don't see the METHOD of fishing as being bad - I'm against slobs who see nothing wrong with finishing a sandwich/candy bar/beer/bait container and then just throwing the trash on someone else's property!

Unfortunately, everyone who fishes gets painted with the same brush as the slobs and jerks who refuse to take care of their own mess. Even though I have certainly seen some snobbery on the streams (both ways frankly); the bad habits of a few turn the opinion against the many responsible fishers - of all different styles.

Pat

[rstaight]

I haven't seen the "snob" issue in this area. I have had several spinning and casting fishermen come up to me and start asking about flyfishing and say they have always wanted to try it. I then tell them about the website and invite them to a meeting.

Pat, all I can say about your reply regarding the trash left behind is "DITTO".

[kdthomps]

I've seen liter pile up at a a private ponds (which I asked for permission to fish at). Eventually the land owner got tired of having to pick up the trash of the fishermen he was nice enough to allow to fish there, and stopped allowing anyone to fish there at all.

This pretty much sucked, but I didn't give up just yet! I talked to the land owner, and offered to clean up trash as I was in route to the location. He happily agreed and BAM!....A great farm pond all to myself!

A little effort on your part can yield great results when dealing with land owners. Both parties gain! I've done similar things with hunting property too!

[barryl]

Welcome kdthomps friend and member. If it was a wasp nest you were looking to poke with a stick I think you have found one. I have found the ladies and gentlemen of this club to be a great resource to the sport of fly fishing. As well as great proponents of clean up and conservation efforts. They don't lecture at you about it, they offer guidance as well as accept it when offered. The attitude here is come fishing for a while we will enjoy the out of doors, spin a tale or two,and leave with a shared knowledge of the days activities and fun. Good people yes, snobs no.
A person with a closed mind ceases to learn and ceases to share and ceases to be of much use to the rest of use.
" I don't think there for I,m not"

[barryl]

A quick PS to my reply: I share ownership to a pond where I live I enjoy watching people and families use the pond responsibly. All I ask is clean up after yourself and please leave the large breeding stock for the future. I still at times have to ask people to leave for failure to comply. ( I have even had to employ the local law enforcement a couple of times) I try to tell these people that I do not have sole influence over the use of the pond and many of the other land owners don't share my views and would rather just say no to any activities. So yes even when someone is on your side a few can ruin for all the good people in this world. Keep doing what you are doing maybe just maybe it will be viral.

[Tippecanoe Fly Fishers Admin]

I have found that many people have a big misconception of what fly fishing actually is. Most people that I have chattd with about it seem to think that The River Runs Through It everything in fly fishing. Or that it cost a bunch of money to do it.

I then have to explain what fly fishing is to me. Sure you can wrap a ton of cash into, but you can do that with spinning rigs just as easily and you aren't always making big huge looping cast.

I feel that that the majority of the members go out of there way to help people learn about fly fishing and fishing in general, which is what should be happeing.

[phishphinder]

Yes it is getting harder for James to drive me to the local ponds to fish. The rif-raf seem to be coming out in droves. The little pests. Leaving their hostess cup cake wrappers and those blasted very inexpensive beer cans for me to have to walk around is getting annoying. I might have to have someone go before me and pick up this wastefulness. Oh dread. Does anyone ever bring any Grey Poupon to the outings? We need to start a wine list also to take to the fly swaps. Gast. I must be on my way for my beauty sleep. TA TA

[Tippecanoe Fly Fishers Admin]

May 20, 2009 21:33:26 GMT -5 phishphinder said:

those blasted very inexpensive beer cans

Beer in a can?!? Oh my! Any self respecting fishing person should at least drink beer out of a bottle.

[rstaight]

I brew my own. That way I have to carry the bottle out to reuse.