Fly Fishing Elitism?

Just an opinion, but fly fishing is quite elitist by definition.

One of the parts of fly fishing is entomology; one doesn't have to be an entomologist, but one certainly needs to know the various life stages, if not the very species. This may be even more true regarding fly tying. One doesn't need to know the taxonomy of PowerBait.

Another part of fly fishing is ecology. To reach a consistent level of success, one needs to know where, why, and how, certain species both live and feed. While it's true in a smaller way of say, bait trolling, it isn't the same.

Fly fishing, more often than not, is a branch of a sustenance "sport" taken to its logical extreme. It doesn't have to be, but generally...

Fly fishing can, and often does, become the crossroads of art, science, and nature. I don't find anything wrong with needing to put more effort into something, in fact, I think it is often both worthwhile and beneficial. I don't need to be favored by special regulations, per se, but I understand the reasons.
 
my 'fave' elites are the fly fisherman on the water who guard their catching flies like nuclear launch codes.
A float tuber at one of the local lakes is well known for rebuffing any questions on his flies, as well as clogging up the launch ramp while he takes his time setting up in the middle of instead of side of launch ramp.
So last summer couldn't help myself when he was playing a nice one as I cruised by in the channel.
"Nice fish, what did the trick?"
"A midge"
"what, you tied a midget to your line?"
 
The big D in Oregon doesn’t allow fishing from a boat, not to bar people from fishing but to allow a certain portion of the fish to be untouchable by way of making them hard to access. It is much easier to dredge the bottom with spinning gear than fly gear, so from that perspective it seems not so elitist, but rather a logical way of protecting a portion of the population from the harassment of anglers, for whatever reason.
Flyfishing is a little more difficult to learn, although it’s pretty easy if you have a little help. Maybe we should reach out to these folks and offer a little guidance.
 
When i'm ON THE WATER (as well as when I GO ON THE INTERNET), everything i say is correct in full!!! I UNDERSTAND the nuances of what the Deal is!!! I step in to explain. I consider myself to BE the best. In full!!!
 
My favorite elitists are the steelhead fly fishers who clog up runs and don't move your feet. It didn't eat it on the first or the twentieth shitty cast to that exact spot, and it's not gonna eat it on the fiftieth cast either. Move your feet and let somebody else follow you through you dipshits!!
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Oh, and yeah I think a subpopulation of fly fishers is definitely elitist. . .but some are cool and reasonable too, just like pluggers, bait-soakers, spin-fishers, metalheads, plunkers, worm-danglers, etc. But not side-drifters or bobber-doggers. . .they can truly suckit,
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this topic comes up in PA often tho I’ve never seen a lawsuit about it. I hope it fails. I’ve always thought it doesn’t limit any person from an area, just a technique.

I also thought some of the intent of these regulations are to have an albeit small sample, rather than an extrapolated opinion, on a specific regulations impact.

I used to believe that FF had a significant elitist perspective but think that has really died out in the modern/internet realm. Many fly fisherman out there are fishing glorified spinning rigs aka mono rigs (myself included).
 
cascadian said:
Just an opinion, but fly fishing is quite elitist by definition.

One of the parts of fly fishing is entomology; one doesn't have to be an entomologist, but one certainly needs to know the various life stages, if not the very species. This may be even more true regarding fly tying. One doesn't need to know the taxonomy of PowerBait.

Another part of fly fishing is ecology. To reach a consistent level of success, one needs to know where, why, and how, certain species both live and feed. While it's true in a smaller way of say, bait trolling, it isn't the same.

Fly fishing, more often than not, is a branch of a sustenance "sport" taken to its logical extreme. It doesn't have to be, but generally...

Fly fishing can, and often does, become the crossroads of art, science, and nature. I don't find anything wrong with needing to put more effort into something, in fact, I think it is often both worthwhile and beneficial. I don't need to be favored by special regulations, per se, but I understand the reasons.
Click to expand...
An early, extensive list of “angling virtues” is provided by Gervase Markham:


. . . a skilful angler ought to be a general scoller, and seen in all the Liberal Sciences, as a Grammarian to know how either to write or discourse of his art in true and fitting terms, either without affectation or rudeness. He should have sweetness of speech, to perswade and entice others to delight in an exercise so much laudable. He should have strength of arguments to defend and maintain his profession, against envy or slander.

He should have knowledge in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, that by their aspects he may guess the seasonableness or unseasonableness of the weather, the breeding of storms, and from what coast the winds are delivered. He should be a good knower of countries, and well used to High-wayes, that by taking the readiest paths to every Lake, Brook and River, his Journies may be more certain and less wearisome. He should have knowledge in proportions of all sorts, whether Circular, Square, or Diametrical, that when he shall be questioned of his diurnal progresses, he may give a Geographical description of the angles and channels of Rivers, how they fall from their heads, and what compasses they fetch in their several windings. He must also have the perfect art of numbering. . . .​



Gervase Markham, Country Contentments (1615), reprinted in The Open Road: A Little Book for Wayfarers (Lucas, ed., 1909) at 142-43 (idiosyncratic spelling in original).
 
Elitism as defined by a bait fisherman :

Your parents weren't related, other than by marriage.

:)
 
People act like being elite is bad. I'm my opinion there are too many common folks. Time to thin the herd. I personally don't like to share the same air as many of the anglers I'm forced to be around. It would be great if they were just preoccupied with NASCAR and not bother coming out.
 
cascadian said:
Just an opinion, but fly fishing is quite elitist by definition.

One of the parts of fly fishing is entomology; one doesn't have to be an entomologist, but one certainly needs to know the various life stages, if not the very species. This may be even more true regarding fly tying. One doesn't need to know the taxonomy of PowerBait.

Another part of fly fishing is ecology. To reach a consistent level of success, one needs to know where, why, and how, certain species both live and feed. While it's true in a smaller way of say, bait trolling, it isn't the same.

Fly fishing, more often than not, is a branch of a sustenance "sport" taken to its logical extreme. It doesn't have to be, but generally...

Fly fishing can, and often does, become the crossroads of art, science, and nature. I don't find anything wrong with needing to put more effort into something, in fact, I think it is often both worthwhile and beneficial. I don't need to be favored by special regulations, per se, but I understand the reasons.
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Excuse me, perhaps you could describe the entire life history and reproductive cycle, (please cite references) of the Green Butt Skunk.
 
If you want to fish Pass Lake it cost money. The guy set up to fish powerbait at the other lakes will have to open his wallet. Float tube, air pump, fins and waders. Rod, reel, line, leaders, flies and net. This all adds up. IMHO the initial outlay to effectively fish Pass Lake is somewhere around $1,000. I suppose that does keep many fisherman away. It kept me away, years ago when I came up here for a short work trip. But now, as a local, I cherish this lake. I've often wondered what it would be like to fish Pass with spinning gear. A Rapala would be deadly, a live minnow under a bobber would be nonstop action. Flylining a nightcrawler or a crawdad at night would be productive. BBQing up five brown trout for dinner would be tasty. But I prefer the way Pass Lake is managed now.
 
cascadian said:
Just an opinion, but fly fishing is quite elitist by definition.

One of the parts of fly fishing is entomology; one doesn't have to be an entomologist, but one certainly needs to know the various life stages, if not the very species. This may be even more true regarding fly tying. One doesn't need to know the taxonomy of PowerBait.

Another part of fly fishing is ecology. To reach a consistent level of success, one needs to know where, why, and how, certain species both live and feed. While it's true in a smaller way of say, bait trolling, it isn't the same.

Fly fishing, more often than not, is a branch of a sustenance "sport" taken to its logical extreme. It doesn't have to be, but generally...

Fly fishing can, and often does, become the crossroads of art, science, and nature. I don't find anything wrong with needing to put more effort into something, in fact, I think it is often both worthwhile and beneficial. I don't need to be favored by special regulations, per se, but I understand the reasons.
Click to expand...

Not sure how being knowledgable across disciplines is elitist, but if it is, then it is something I aspire to.

Cheers
 
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