In defense of the fly fishing club

[Shawn Seeger]

My wife and conscience days i may have been to grumpy on my reply, sorry.

Another thing that I have learned and witnessed, the older you are the more important it is to have the "social" factor in your life, it actually adds to longevity. A reason, a purpose, a place to go and be seen.

That is why "active" senior living communities have so many "old" people.

 

[Evan B]

My wife and conscience days i may have been to grumpy on my reply, sorry.

Another thing that I have learned and witnessed, the older you the more important it is to have the "social" factor in your life, it actually adds to longevity. A reason, a purpose, a place to go and be seen.

That is why "active" senior living communities have so many "old" people.

I touched on that in the fly club thread this morning. Our mental well-being basically requires some kind of social outlet. A "third place" outside of work and home to be our social outlet.

 

[SurfnFish]

ms, etc etc.
both at my gym (which is an extremely social one, not just a gym you show up to and do your own thing. It's all organized classes), or run clubs, etc.... If not for the added social element, I'm not sure I would've stuck with it like I have.

our homeowners rec center here in Sunriver is much like that...pools, rooms for weight and cardio, yoga, aerobics, etc, has a large living room with fireplace, coffee always on tap, folks catch up with each other after their workout. Wife and I are there pretty much daily when winter weather sets in.

 

[krusty]

As for contributing to the continued 'survivability' of flyfishing I've three adult flyfishing grandchildren who I continue to mentor and support, and (prior to retirement at 70), was professionally engaged for 45 years exclusively focused on water quality science and regulation.

 

[Zak]

I touched on that in the fly club thread this morning. Our mental well-being basically requires some kind of social outlet. A "third place" outside of work and home to be our social outlet.

This is definitely my third place. It used to be the bar, but I don't go out to bars much at all any more. My pool skills are atrophying.

 

[Evan B]

This is definitely my third place. It used to be the bar, but I don't go out to bars much at all any more. My pool skills are atrophying.

We definitely fill that need for a lot of people here. I think forums like PNWFF are a better "third place" substitute than Facebook. By quite a large margin, too.

I do think it's tough to replace the in-person aspect, though. That can really be tougher for a lot of folks as finding a club, gym, or other such place that works for them as a good social outlet can often times be easier said than done. Depending on your interests or where you live, the available options just plain may not be great for you.

 

[offensivename]

I'd also agree that this forum acts as a 3rd space, along with some of my other online forums/chats. I'd love for more in person interaction but I find, for myself, that its too easy for things to become 'chores' and then I don't want to do them anymore (this is the problem with anything that has a monthly meeting for example) When i lived in the city I could just walk down the street to the bar and hang out but not really something I can do where I am now.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Guess i am out of touch.

Last video game I played was Pong.

Never had a Facebook account, nor IG, nor X, nor TikTok. I am not missing anything because I never had it.

Given that countries are banning use of social media for teens, some common sense is finally being used.

I luv talking face to face. Being immersed in conversation, seeing facial and hand/body gestures, hearing tonal changes makes it a lot more fun and increases understanding there are real people, life has value, and are worth the effort.

I can remember when telephones were the primary method of communication at work. When email came into being, my number of calls dropped in half. When IMs came into being, my phone almost stopped ringing. Building relationships almost came to stop.

Not sure what AI is going to do but I am concerned.

Mankind is a social being. It is good for physical and mental health. We need to get back to that.

End of rant....

I totally agree with you Chris. Talking face to face is becoming a lost art. I don’t and still never will own a cell phone. I have a land line that gets enough crap calls. If it’s important, they can leave a message. Communication is such a huge factor for humans…..when I retired I missed talking with coworkers……then after Kerri left me the conversations stopped. I have some good friends, some family but still looking/needing more. Not even thinking about rejoining a fly club……

 

[Evan B]

I know I've brought up my coaching/gymming stuff a lot recently, but just to give an example of how things you wouldn't expect working extremely well as a social outlet.

I work out every morning at the 5:30am class, then coach afternoon/evening classes. After class in the morning, at least once a week, a few of us go to the coffee shop a block away and hang out for an hour and just talk.

This past weekend, I was at a holiday party Saturday night for our official gym party. Roughly 100 or so people all hanging out, having dinner, being social. Then Sunday, the very next day, another holiday party at a good friend's house with about 40 of those same people complete with white elephant gift exchange and cookie competition.

Just a few such examples. Just not the first thing you think of when someone says they go to the gym. The right ones can really provide a much needed way to make friends and people to interact with outside of work.

 

[Salmo_g]

I have been a member of three different fly fishing clubs. Each club seems to have its own personality, so finding a "good fit" determines whether it is the right thing for a person. I've been a member of the South Sound Fly Fishers for a long time, but I am not active. Haven't been to a meeting since before Covid. It's a good group, but for whatever reason I never "clicked" there, but have met a few fishing friends there - all retired guys.

I'm a founding member of the Washington Steelhead Flyfishers, which has always been an oddball group. I helped form it in 1973 and was the youngest member. Now I think I'm the oldest active member - there are another couple older than me who no longer participate. This group has always been a good fit, probably because I helped create the club personality. It's difficult to recruit young members because younger people seem to organize around electronic social media where they can share likes and views instead of in person socializing. Then again, steelheaders are a different breed of angler, social, but within a limited circle of like-minded reprobates as Alec Jackson sometimes jokingly referred to us.

I think Evan hit on the concept of having a "third" thing after family and work that makes any of us more complete as a person. Things related to fishing haven certainly been that for me, even though I have and have had other interests like bicycling, hiking/backpacking, and wood working.

 

[offensivename]

I work out every morning at the 5:30am class,

You lost me at 5:30am.

It's difficult to recruit young members because younger people seem to organize around electronic social media where they can share likes and views instead of in person socializing.

I'm not as 'young' anymore at 44 (had to do the math there) but this is also just not true. Young people spend a ton of time going out and socializing in the real world (IRL as is the fashion) just like they've always done, also just like always I guess we all love to hate on the newest generation and how they're doing things not the same way (Gen X is lazy, millenials are somehow always killing some tradition, hippies and their long hair etc. etc.) Do they value the exact same method of in person interaction that the boomers are used to and value? Probably not. I once again will argue that if a club can't attract younger members its not the younger people who don't want to join the club (or don't even know it exists, I've never heard of the Washington Steelhead Flyfishers), but its the club thats not doing things that attract younger members. I wouldn't start a fly fishing club that met exclusively online in a chat space with zoom and expect a huge cohort of 70 year olds to join.

 

[krusty]

I know I've brought up my coaching/gymming stuff a lot recently, but just to give an example of how things you wouldn't expect working extremely well as a social outlet.

I work out every morning at the 5:30am class, then coach afternoon/evening classes. After class in the morning, at least once a week, a few of us go to the coffee shop a block away and hang out for an hour and just talk.

This past weekend, I was at a holiday party Saturday night for our official gym party. Roughly 100 or so people all hanging out, having dinner, being social. Then Sunday, the very next day, another holiday party at a good friend's house with about 40 of those same people complete with white elephant gift exchange and cookie competition.

Just a few such examples. Just not the first thing you think of when someone says they go to the gym. The right ones can really provide a much needed way to make friends and people to interact with outside of work.

To each their own but that much 'fellowship' sounds absolutely exhausting.

 

[Evan B]

To each their own but that much 'fellowship' sounds absolutely exhausting.

This weekend was absolutely exhausting. Glad the holidays are only once a year

 

[wanderingrichard]

Do we actually still "need" clubs? Yeah I think we do, but we have to overcome the stereotypes many of us have encountered.

I looked into a couple of them over the years while I was a working stiff. Never joined a single one. When the 1st thing out of a senior. members mouth is "Who the F are you?" it kind of kills the wish to join. (This was a "club" in texas). Overall I found too many of them clannish and exclusionary.

Like DimeBrite, I'd rather be part of a dynamic, engaged group than one full of boozers and cigar chompers. Sure, have your drink, have your smoke. When's the last time you went out and fished the local instead of hiding here?

Who else here started with a hand me down rod and reel or a department store kit from Shakespeare, Fenwick or Scientific Anglers? I still use some of mine. I agree the cost in gear alone sets some back from joining. In this regard, you gotta laud Redington and Echo for their great entry level stuff.

What I've always said when asked about the cost is to go to their local mart mart like Academy, Big5 Sporting Goods, etc. and buy the best budget stuff they can afford. Start with a general purpose 5 or 6 weight. Those will cover most fresh water species the average person chases. Spend a year or two using that gear and learn how to maximize it. I also remind them that some things they already have, such as nets, old backpacks, water bottles from sports, waders or storage might cross over. Sometimes that works sometimes not.

Too, let's face it. We actually have to work for the fish we catch. I think that the lack of instant personal validation in some ways also deters a much younger group from joining not just clubs, but the sport in general.

Many of us got into this type of fishing to get away, relax, unwind, touch grass, whatever. But we also know that sharing that experience can net even better results. I think the "Take me fishing" organization /movement /whatever has that part down pat.

 

[Evan B]

To each their own but that much 'fellowship' sounds absolutely exhausting.

Thought about this a bit more.

Really, almost everything I do I consider something that brings me happiness is exhausting. I think the energy we expend to do these things leaves us needing a refill, but very fulfilled at the same time.

Family, exercise, fishing, getting my boats out, other outdoor activities, socializing (even for an introvert like me) , work, making a special meal for family or friends, running a fishing forum..

Everything on that list is something that brings me fulfillment and happiness. They all leave me exhausted too.

 

[Bakerite]

When I moved back to Edmonds I joined a club at age 65 after never being in one. It has been a great experience. Met some good guys to fish with and we have meetings with typically over 50 members present. A small group of us are getting together to tie bugs every week, with lots of sharing of patterns and materials. The outing have been fun and it's well run and growing

 

[mcswny]

I was part of a local fly club for a few years. The average age of was well over 20 years older than me. To be honest, that was fine for a once a month meeting and fish along. I usually learned something and fished a spot I don't normally. The unfortunate thing that drove me away was that politics always infiltrated the meetings--and especially the campfires at fish a longs. As far as I could tell, 90% went one way and I went the other and once I got sober, it got a lot more difficult for me to ignore it .

 

[Evan B]

I was part of a local fly club for a few years. The average age of was well over 20 years older than me. To be honest, that was fine for a once a month meeting and fish along. I usually learned something and fished a spot I don't normally. The unfortunate thing that drove me away was that politics always infiltrated the meetings--and especially the campfires at fish a longs. As far as I could tell, 90% went one way and I went the other and once I got sober, it got a lot more difficult for me to ignore it .

Highlighting why we run things the way we do here.

 

[mcswny]

Highlighting why we run things the way we do here.

I can ignore and let it go online--less so in person. Especially sober.