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[blaydRnr]

You kind of contradict yourself. You don't flyfish but yet you have a belief of when it is in its true form. Can you elaborate? Until you actually flyfish how can you have an opinion such as this?

 

i said i don't flyfish, i didn't say i never have.

i was introduced to flyfishing long before i ever picked up a drift rod and as a boy i use to tag along with older buddies and their dads when ever they hit fresh water.  i believe because of my age (8-12 yrs old.....off and on throught out the years) and the lack of dexterity, i found it difficult to master. i also disliked fishing lakes and streams(..but i kept going because i loved to fish especially when my dad worked), so i opted to fish the chuck where i felt there were more selection of species to choose from. besides, my father preferred to fish deep sea.

as far as my belief, i've seen more fly flossers on the flow than legitimate flyers. doesn't take a genius to know the difference. whether its a fly/spey, cp, level wind....the technique is all the same.

by the way, do you disagree that flyfishing is an art form? knowing how to identify the hatch or produce productive flys? mastering different techniques of casting and retrieving?
other than what i already listed do you feel there are other legitimate ways to fly fish.  ie... quick sinking leaders being swept across a flow?

it seems you don't value my opinion, so why don't you enlighten me with your own along with your expertise.

[frenchy]

Please stay calm, I like the answers so far and I do not want this topic to turn in a little war 

I really respect flyfishermen and agree that it requires a lot of skills to consistently catch fish on the fly. I am a bad flyfisherman and I do not take enough time to become good. Perhaps, one day, I will tutn into a fly only guy, but so far I am more an opportunistic fisher (I will try what I think will allow me to have the more bites).
With this fall salmon fishery, I am facing a paradox completely new for me and really disturbing: It seems that it requires more skills not to catch fish than to catch fish (I am saying catching not obtaining bites). Whatever is the technique you use, you just have to choose a spot where fish are holding, to cast something that sinks and you will catch (floss) fish. If you have a fly rod, you do not need to be a good caster to read the water or anything. If you manage to put you line in the water you will floss fish. Last week, I saw a guide with two customers. The guide just made the customers flossing the fish. The customers probably never touched a fly rod before and were very happy to catch big fish with the fly rod. Good for them, but If you turn a river into flyfishing only for conservation reasons, this can still happen and I am convinced that flossing may have a really negative impact on the fish. You may catch spawning fish, fish that are very tired, fish that are acclimating to a new environment... All kind of fish that would not bite.

I could continue on the subject for hours.

Just a couple more points:

- I do not often fish the Vedder and flossing/snagging also occur in other rivers
- I like the no engine and fly only lake idea (in lake you cannot cheat with a fly rod)
- I know that Brad Pitt did not cast in the movie, it is just the picture people have about flyfishing (and it may be interesting to see the impact of this movie for flyfishing) (I think I started flyfishing the year before the movie)
- Rod, why did you move this topic? I do not think it is exclusively fly fishing related, IMO it is more a general discussion topic 

 

[blaydRnr]

sorry frenchy. i'm not trying to sabotage your thread nor am i angry. i just don't like it when someone assumes that i make useless comments without basis or some formal background. i'm partially to blame for not clarifying my experiences.

[marmot]

Different strokes for different folks!

I do it all ( almost ) ..and enjoy every minute of it.  Flyfishing for me is a much more solitary pursuit, I enjoy it when im alone.  Chucking gear or bait is fun when im with friends, trolling in the chuck or jigging with my dad is another entirely different and fulfilling experience.  As for effectiveness...its the same thing.  It all depends where Im fishing and what the target is.  Its all exciting stuff and I love it all for different reasons.

[bbronswyk2000]

You certainly got all sensitive BlaydRnr. I made sure I worded my post that it didn't offend you but I see it did anyways. I just asked a question. By the way you worded your response it sounded like you had never flyfished before. That's why I asked you to elaborate so I could understand what you fully meant.

I do truly feel its an art form. I also believe if you use short leaders when fishing the flow you avoid flossing the fish. When fishing flows I use no more than a 3 foot leader. Don't need anymore than that IMO.

[Sandhead]

Spey fishing also requires less actual effort than a single hand fly rod.

[BwiBwi]

I enjoy fishing. Let it be gear, drift, fly.  To fully master a single technique and able to use it to fish all locations and all conditions is just not possible.  Every technique has it's advantage and dissadvantage.  So to my opinion.  All fishing method is an art form as long as they are used appropriately to suit each condition.

[marmot]

I enjoy fishing. Let it be gear, drift, fly.  To fully master a single technique and able to use it to fish all locations and all conditions is just not possible.  Every technique has it's advantage and dissadvantage.  So to my opinion.  All fishing method is an art form as long as they are used appropriately to suit each condition.
[/quote

Quite right IMO...no really good way to flyfish for halibut 

[Xgolfman]

Well said Xgolfman. Thats exactly the way I feel. I have been flyfishing for about 7 years now. Never have I ever taken a lesson on my casting. Its not the best but I do get by. I have finally decided though to take a lesson in the winter to be ready for next year. I will be flyfishing about 75% of the time next year instead of the 50% I did this year. I too am going to be purchasing a spey setup as I have enough single handers already.

My buddy and I were on a system this past weekend. We were targetting coho. We were only there for a couple hours and saw fish rolling. Well the only fish that was caught was a 12'' cutthroat by yours truly. Even though it was not a coho it still got me excited. Sure if it was on my 3wt it would have been more fun but to get the unexpected sure was a nice suprise.

I took a lesson from Kathy Ruddick this year...man is she a blast to listen too and learn from...she had me double hauling in under a half an hour...I didn't think I'd ever pick that up...and she makes you laugh the whole time she's doing it...well worth it...If I'd have caught that cuttie it would have made me happier then a ho... ...they are such little freaks..love um..

[Xgolfman]

Jeff, you gotta get that spey and come out..we can form an anti spey spey club...Im getting one..i've watched them too long and like you taught me...keeping your line in the water longer is how you catch more fish...damn things are cool too...

[blaydRnr]

You certainly got all sensitive BlaydRnr. I made sure I worded my post that it didn't offend you but I see it did anyways. I just asked a question. By the way you worded your response it sounded like you had never flyfished before. That's why I asked you to elaborate so I could understand what you fully meant.

I do truly feel its an art form. I also believe if you use short leaders when fishing the flow you avoid flossing the fish. When fishing flows I use no more than a 3 foot leader. Don't need anymore than that IMO.

you're right, i over reacted....my bad.

[bigguy]

Isn't fly fishing in the Vedder, targetting salmon the same as long lining!  Do they rise to the fly? Do they actually bite it? Seems like just another way of flossing.   Correct me please, I only fly fish in smaller creeks and lakes!

[Sterling C]

Isn't fly fishing in the Vedder, targetting salmon the same as long lining!  Do they rise to the fly? Do they actually bite it? Seems like just another way of flossing.   Correct me please, I only fly fish in smaller creeks and lakes!

Fly fishing is by far the most effective way to "ethicly" target coho on the Vedder. Most of the fishing is done in settling ponds, large back eddies and frog water. These fish are definitly biters.

[bbronswyk2000]

I agree with Biffchan. I catch more coho on the fly than I do with gear.

[blaydRnr]

Fly fishing is by far the most effective way to "ethicly" target coho on the Vedder. Most of the fishing is done in settling ponds, large back eddies and frog water. These fish are definitly biters.

enough already...ethics lie on intent, not the gear you use. check out the barrel, tamahi rapids, and under the highway bridge. so called flyers sweeping the flow not even bothering to strip there presention nor target holding water, just allowing their line to start up river down the seams of the channels in repetative motion.  believe it or not flyfishing is NOT necessarily the most ethical way to fish for coho, but CAN BE the most effective way to conceal flossing.

on the positive side, i did come across a flyer fishing a backside of an unpopular run. how and when got there was a mystery because i started up well before first light and it took me over half an hour of bushwacking to get there. anyway this guy was a 'maestro'. watching him roll his casts to target underlying pools and avoiding heavy folage was amazing. he deserved alot of respect so i waved good morning  and steered clear to give him his much needed space...but the reality is, he was 1 of half a dozen flyers i saw, fishing legitimately...sorry