What's the natural progression?

[mgh-pa]

In flyfishing that is? You start with buying the basics, fish a little, either decide it's for you or not. If it's the former, you begin research gear a little more. Invest in some more equipment, learn more techniques, possibly start to learn specific hatches (not necessarily full blown entomology, but still). Then tying? Rod-building?

It seems there's a LOT you can get involved with in this sport aside from the actual act of fishing.

How many here find just as much enjoyment in the activities leading up to the fishing (research, gear buying, fly tying, etc)?

I'm also curious, are there any guys here who don't tie their own flies?

 

[jayL]

I think the natural progression is to fish a lot, and then start to think about it a bit more each year.

Eventually, you become convinced that there is some kind of natural progression.

That's my understanding of it. :-D

Everyone's got a different story. I know some that could tie beautiful flies before they could cast them.

 

[tomgamber]

Or you can keep it simple. I kept it pretty simple for the first year or three...then I moved to Idaho and it was kind of an explosion. My gear started to breed when I wasn't looking and apparently began to feed on my check book.

I am not sure where Cogan Station is but I would recommend hooking up with someone from the site before doing a ton of research and spending a ton more money.

Even the first two years in Idaho I caught a ton of fish but couldn't name too many bugs. I just tied in general colors patterns and sizes. If an olive mayfly in a size 12 was hatching, that's what I fished and it worked very well. The only nymph I tied was a hare's ear but in various colors and sizes. Buggers in various sizes and colors for everything else. It works until you start to fish with others who really know their stuff. Then you kind of have to learn more or get lost in what they are trying to tell you.

There are lots of guys who do not tie and there are a few threads on the site naming good places to buy flies cheap.

 

[Cochy-Bondu]

How many here find just as much enjoyment in the activities leading up to the fishing (research, gear buying, fly tying, etc)?

I've reached the final progression of getting as much fun out of setting on the bank and watching and helping others as I do the actual act itself. In other words, I've reached the old goat stage.

 

[JackM]

I don't believe in the natural progression or evolution theories as I think everyone is different. I like a variety of experiences from the banner day, to the monster hatch and all refusals, to the furious fumbling for the right fly as the sun is dipping, to catching just enough, little brookies, big steelhead. Fortunately, there is great variety. I started tying almost right away and I dread it. As I can afford it, I will buy more as time goes on I think. I also built a rod or three right away. It's easy and cheap. If I need a new one, I always weigh costs in building or buying. Sometimes you can find a good deal that makes building a rod a waste of your time.

 

[bikerfish]

it's all in what you like, some like to tie flies, some hate it(me), some like to build rods(me), some don't. some guys are gadget and techno freaks that have to have the latest, fastest, flashiest gizmo fishing thingy that's on the market, some guys are just as happy fishing a 50 year old fiberglass rod with an automatic reel and a half dozen flies in his hat.
that's what's great about this sport, you can do it however you want to and get as much satisfaction as the next guy.

 

[gemiller]

Natural progression I would imagine depends on your environment, its going to be real different for someone that is self teaching than someone who has fly fishing buddies to show them the ropes/share gear.

But its kinda just like any other hobby, once you know it's for you the upgrading never stops!

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, different for everyone.

For me it was: Baitfishing occasionally with family turns into bait fishing a lot, often on my own, but still sticking to the April-May timeframe, and mostly mornings. The April-early May timeframe starts expanding, and I start fishing some afternoons, because dang it, I'm having fun and I want to do this more. What's this, a hatch, fish eating bugs? Eh, its just a fluke. Live minnies beat anything, and these guys just use this outdated method for sentimental value.

Stints in Idaho and Coudersport --> I'm pretty good with live minnies, but these guys with these fly rods are outfishing me at times, never thought a lesser method would work like that. Fine, I'll buy a fly rod to fit in with coworkers, and let them show me around since I don't know the water. Suddenly I'm fishing flies 75% of the time and still calling myself primarily a baitfisherman. Hey, this catching fish on top thing is actually kinda fun! It's effective too, but not as much as minnies.

Move to State College --> live minnies work great on Spring Creek, 50+ fish days in December. But come May I can't catch a dang thing, why not? The fish are there, they're wild and I can see them! But these fly guys are still getting a few, and I did buy that fly rod, even learned how to use it a little....

A decade later and here I am. Found out that flies can imitate anything and thus are more versatile. There are times when I still consider bait the most effective way to catch fish, but I found out that I enjoy fly fishing more (and hey, isn't that the point?), and in more situations than not, they are the more effective method.

 

[troutslammer]

not sure if there is a progression or not , but i feel there is alot of games within the sport that we each like to play , for example , some like the 30 degree weather and big crowds in erie for big sight fishing , other like nobody arround on a stream 3' wide catching trout 4" long , others will only fish to fish that are rising , some bounce 5" long streamers off the banks hoping for the big roll , some want to sit down and tie and get a real reward out of catching fish on something they tied , others would rather go to the bar or whatever in evening after fishing and buy their flies , so there is no real progression just a series of games we all like to play but the bottom line is they all revolve arround FISH ON !!!!

 

[albatross]

I buy all my flies. Don't have the time or inclination to learn to tie.

I don't think there is any one path of progression for this sport, but there are some stages that are pretty common. Take the "catch any fish", "catch a lot of fish", "catch big fish" progression for example...

 

[Chaz]

I spend the winter researching streams to fish in the warm whether.

 

[greenghost]

What Jack said...


btw Jack is your avatar peanut butter on apples? Or caramel?

 

[mgh-pa]

I'm surprised how many don't tie. I suppose I need to stop making blanket assumptions. For me, it's weird. When I enter a hobby (or consider entering it like I am with flyfishing), I almost feel a NEED to learn almost every aspect of it. I'm that way with archery. It started out as a way to extend my hunting season, then I got into target archery, then doing my own work on my equipment, then trail cameras, then food plots, and the list goes on and on.

I'm lucky in that I'm married with no children at this point in my life so I have the time to be "obsessive" like that. However, I know it always won't be that way. I need to learn to just do what I REALLY enjoy, and stop worrying about this drive to feel like I know how to do everything.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I myself do believe in a progression of an angler.
But there is a catch......

It takes many phases and many forms throughout ones life. It starts the second one hold their first rod and continues until they pick up a rod for the very last time.

I wont go into details about how it happens or what the progression is, as it is different for everyone. However, not all anglers go through it. Only anglers that are enlightened to something greater in the love and passion of the sport. Its a feeling you get, its the thoughts you have while at the stream or a way you notice something.

Has anyone ever had time slow to a crawl while at the stream? Have you ever noticed the sound of the riffles slowing to a point of fading completely? Ever seen a caddis fly in slow motion? Sounds like your on drugs.....or maybe just in complete bliss. Have you ever been taken back by a sunset over the water and thought the only thing more beautiful is life itself?

Anglers will implement these experiences and relate them to natural everyday life and the progression continues.......

I want to note: Notice i didnt not say FLYFISHERMAN are the only anglers that go through the progression. Spin fisherman, Salt fisherman, centerpinners and even guys on the commercial boats will do this. I dont know if its natural but it sure comes easily if you let it. However, the pure passion that MOST fly fisherman have for the sport often makes it shine through easier than most angling methods. Maybe only seconded by those guys on the boats that go far out to sea and miss their wives everyday.

 

[sundrunk]

I say think Big..You'll know if fly-fishing is for you the first time you see a spring creek, or a trout rise, you'll know..Once you've established the passion the rest will follow in time..And the last thing you should do is rush any of it..I red several books before ever casting a fly..Fishing was always in my blood, but once I witnessed little stoneflies hatching on a mountain brook, and trout rising on them, I was sold..I knew at the moment I'd be fishing the fly for the rest of my days...

May your first trout be a brookie..

 

[jayL]

sundrunk,

I'd modify your post to say "fly fishing for trout is for you". You're neglecting an awful lot of seriously dedicated anglers, otherwise.

 

[tomgamber]

I think if you spend too much time researching a "fun" activity, you cheat yourself out of that amount of time to enjoy it, the benefit of discovering what you really need to learn and the fun of experiencing what it is you are reading about. But that is just me.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

A linky

At some point even further down the road, after netting many large, beautiful trout, there is a revelation. It's not about quantity, quality or even catching a fish. It is about the periphery experiences in fly fishing that keep us coming back for more. Travelling to new places, seeing old friends, being on the water in pristine environments, and forgetting about everything else but the moment. This has been the progression for me.

While this statement is directed towards fly fisherman i find it holds true to an extent. At least for me

I think if you spend too much time researching a "fun" activity, you cheat yourself out of that amount of time to enjoy it, the benefit of discovering what you really need to learn and the fun of experiencing what it is you are reading about. But that is just me.

Well said tom

 

[sundrunk]

Research" more the kind of person I am than any thing else, I enjoy that process as much as any thing else..Having said that, If memory serves I got the Bug over Winter, had to wait until Spring before I could put my knowledge to the test..By June of my first year I caught my first Letort brown, first time I ever fished the letort, #18 cin ant..Some of us are just touched I guess

 

[RLeep2]

One portion of the "natural progression" that seems to be not uncommon (although certainly not universal) is the perception of fly fishing as a higher level of angling function that gives some an excuse to tend to look down their noses (although not necessarily in a haughty way, some times it's just a sort of indulgent sense that we were once there too and by the grace of God, we grew) at spin and bait anglers.

Over time, this tends to fade and we once again see fly fishing as just another way to fish and we don't mind it being known that we went out, did the forked stick and worm thing and filled the bucket with bullheads the other night.

But there is often an intermediate stage where regular guys like us spend a number of years thinking we are Arnold Gingrich, before we snap out of it...