Are all fly fishing folks so friendly?

[a23fish]

In the half dozen or so times I've had my first fly rod out, I've encountered a few other folks fly fishing. No surprise there, but what has surprised me is the friendly willingness to answer questions and offer helpful tips. What especially surprised me is that four of them have given me one or two flies to try, including one gentlemen who was fishing next to me while we were both spin fishing. Turns out he has been fly fishing for 50 years and just happened to have a fly box in his tackle bag, so he gifted me two flies. Amazing.

While in my 50 years of spin fishing, I've also encountered friendly fellow anglers, not all of them mind you, but I don't recall very many simply giving me a lure gratis. Most of them will answer questions about what has been working for them on that day, and most of those were probably telling the truth, but in my short experience fly fishing, it seems that the fly fishing folks are much more generous in providing information, showing you exactly what they're using, explaining how they're fishing it, and why they're fishing it that way. And donating flies to a newbie.

I'm pleasantly surprised since I never expected that.

 

[hunter1]

I have been fly fishing since the early 80's. 99 % of the fly fishers I meet are friendly. Yes there is the % of azz holes that do stupid things , like jumping in your spot, crowding you to move on. But I find them a rarity. Take this forum, I have never seen or talked to a member that wasn't nice, also very helpful. I think the members here are pretty much the type of people you will meet FF. I had help when I started, I still get help on here, and I always try to help another fly fisher.

 

[Baron]

I was shocked at the friendly reception I received two years ago. It saved me from giving up. I made me some friends. It encouraged me to learn more about fish and how they fit into the big picture. Thanks all!

 

[dryflyguy]

Fly fishers do seem to be a bit more cordial these days, than when I started in 1980.
I recall being out around some other FF's then that couldn't be bothered helping out a newbie.
Guys whispering to their friends what the fish were rising to. Trying to to keep it a secret from the greenhorn.

I just took it all in stride.
And it drove me to learn and get better at it

 

[Bamboozle]

I believe you reap what you sow...

Discounting bad behavior that begets bad attitudes, ALL anglers I encounter are friendly as long as one or the other doesn't cop an elitist attitude in words or actions.

I remember one time encountering a couple of spin fishermen on the Delayed Harvest section of Mud Run when I was fly-fishing. I stopped to say hi and compare notes and a nice conversation ensued. As I still spin fish on occasion, we talked lures, techniques and fly-fishing, only when it came up. It was a great conversation!!

Their parting comment to me was, “How come you aren’t an a$$hole like all the other fly-fishermen we meet?”

 

[Baron]

A guy moved in on me last year on Martin's Creek. Turned out he was a 70 yr old retired professor of something, aren't we all. Once he was entrenched I began my chat: "So you can see that this is a small hole and you moved in on me anyway and now you'll pay by answering my endless questions." He apologized and asked what was on my mind. "First question is was it polite to move in on someone when fly fishing". He kind of shrugged his shoulders and kept fishing. "So I guess it is alright". He caught several fish in the span of a half hour and I pummeled him with every question I could think of, I was relentless, from casting to mending to droppers and more. He politely answered all my questions and then moved on. I learned allot. He said he had taught fly tying at some point but I'll never know. Since then I joined this forum and now I've moved in on you!
:-D

 

[Bamboozle]

You are WAY nicer than me...

About 10 or so years back I was fishing Saucon Creek and one of those a$$holes the Mud Run spin-fishermen were alluding to jumped in my pool and started casting right where I was fishing.

As it was Father's Day, I figured he may have been in a bad mood because he was forgotten by his spawn..

...so I got out the creek, went up on the bridge and started pummeling the water where HE was fishing with rocks while calling him every name in the book and wishing him a Happy Father's Day!!

I am the most courteous angler around, but ruin it for me...

...and I'll ruin it for you!!

(Jeez, I wonder of it was someone on PAFF...

 

[Baron]

Haha I can see you doing that....

Moral of the story: Be polite but keep your head on a swivel.

 

[coyoterahn]

Bamboozle wrote:
You are WAY nicer than me...

About 10 or so years back I was fishing Saucon Creek and one of those a$$holes the Mud Run spin-fishermen were alluding to jumped in my pool and started casting right where I was fishing.

As it was Father's Day, I figured he may have been in a bad mood because he was forgotten by his spawn..

...so I got out the creek, went up on the bridge and started pummeling the water where HE was fishing with rocks while calling him every name in the book and wishing him a Happy Father's Day!!

I am the most courteous angler around, but ruin it for me...

...and I'll ruin it for you!!

(Jeez, I wonder of it was someone on PAFF...

I laughed at that one Bam! I would have loved to been there to see that. Every now and then ya just gotta dish a bit out to feel warm and fuzzy inside!