Fly Fishing Elitists - Enough Already by Troutbitten

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Troutbitten recently offered an honest take on an old issue: fly fishing has suffered under the weight of its own elitism for far too long. That baggage touches nearly every corner of how people approach the water—from tackle choices down to internal debates over flies and tactics.

As Domenick put it:
"How is fly fishing any better than fishing with gear? It's just not... So fish what you like, and if you don't like how somebody else does, I'd say keep it to yourself."

He also pointed out how arbitrary the boundaries become once anglers start picking sides:
"That elitism—that 'I'm better than you because I have a fly rod in my hand' crap—has sadly carried over and infested every microcosm of the sport... It's ridiculous, because we're all just anglers."

I’d take that a step further: species carries the exact same baggage. You see the same tribal camps, some way too passionate for me, that form around warmwater bass and panfish, stocked rainbows, wild browns, or wild brook trout—often with some groups even claiming their pursuit is somehow purer, tougher, or more legitimate than the next. At the end of the day, it's just fishing. Go have fun.

𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘
1500+ articles about fly fishing for wild trout in wild places.
https://troutbitten.com/

𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧
https://podcast.troutbitten.com

 

Fish however you want... just be good to the fish you catch and the resources where they live.

 

That depends.....I see a G Loomis rod and a Simms hat, but who makes the sunglasses will seal the deal on how I feel about it 🤣

I believe they are costa's

 

This topic is so overblown. I personally feel flyfishing for trout is the best and closest way the people that pioneered the sport wanted it done. I feel it is the most enjoyable and best way to catch trout. If that makes me an elitist so be it. I don't look down on anyone who fishes any other way. I have family and friends that spin fish and it's fine with me. I just feel casting a tight loop on a foggy river over a big wild trout and connecting is something a little more special and i bet most feel the same way and just don't admit it for fear of being an elitist. When people ask me what i like about flyfishing i often can't describe it because it's a feeling you must experience on your own. That in itself makes it the special hobby that it is. I feel the same way about traditional archery.