Rate your skill level

[Acristickid]

There was a post a couple of years ago about this same topic that I found interesting. It's fun to learn about other fly guys.

This is in no way meant to make anyone feel intimidated or unworthy. In my mind- JUST IS WHAT IT IS. It's just for fun anyway.


The catergories:

BEGINNER- just starting out, hope to catch a fish.

APPROACHING JOURNEYMAN- can make basic casts,identify fish lies, can catch some fish with nymphs and dries, general improvement in all areas

JOURNEYMAN- can make most casts,tie some flies, identify some bugs, usually catch some fish, probably fishing for different species other than trout, profiecent at several tactics

ADVANCED JOURNEYMAN-can make all casts, tie most flies, readily ID bugs correctly, expects to always catch a fish, fished for most species, becoming a technical angler

EXPERT- can teach casting, tie advanced flies, advanced bug ID

This was harder than I thought- hope I did'nt miss too much.

WHAT ARE YOU? HOW HAVE YOU PROGRESSESD? HOW LONG HAS THIS TAKEN?

REMEMBER- just for for fun anyway.

 

[Acristickid]

Put myself down for journeyman.

I can see how far I have come but by no means not where I want to be.

Could use help with casting and fly tying.

 

[pete41]

I see we [royal we] don't consider streamer fishermen, I.E. and too witless those who consider all bugs pests.hmmph.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Im putting myself down as advanced journeyman. I can teach a lot but theres always more to learn. The one thing im lacking on is my tying abilities, hard to tye with as much as my hands shake sometimes. Im always good at tying one on though ;-)

I can make all the casts, my approach and bug ident is very good, i always catch fish and rarely get skunked, my ability to identify fish lies is very very good, and im very good at presentations.

Some of my abilities didnt fit your criteria but i think this is where im at.

P.S. by the time i get to go fishing again....ill be a novice :lol:

 

[JackM]

I chose journeyman but probably fit in "approaching journeyman" with respect to fly fishing technique mastery and skill, but "advanced journeyman" with respect to bug ID and trout behavior.

 

[Stone_Fly]

Funny that everyone that answered are only in two catagories.

 

[pete41]

Funny that everyone that answered are only in two catagories.quote

modesty becomes us but deep down we all know better-

 

[Acristickid]

The sample size is a little small to come to a conculsion- don't you think?

 

[sundrunk]

IMO, the only way an angler reaches expert level: Last tie, last cast, last trout caught before he dies...I hope I never become an expert...

 

[goodfortune]

I'd say that I am somewhere between the "Beginner" and "Approaching Journeyman" levels.

I now manage to catch a fish or two on most outings. However, among many other things, I'd like to improve my dry-fly presentation skills, as well as strike detection while nymphing. I picked up tying more quickly than I expected, but I would like to get better at tying dry flies.

Overall, much improvement since I started around this time last year, but I still have a long way to go.

 

[MKern]

According to akid's criteria I'm an ad. journeyman.

I could improve on my casting, but can tie some advance flies and have taught some casting; so they cancel each other out.

 

[Squaretail]

Its hard to rate yourself without feeling too humble, or a braggart.
Truth is I catch too many to be a journeynan, and would hate to be an expert.
Somedays I can feel like an expert, and the next day the fish try and tell me I'm a begginer.
I'll choose advanced journeyman. And thats for the rest of my life.

 

[pete41]

why would tying flies have anything to do with fly fishing skills?
or knowing latin names of insects?

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I would say I am a journeyman.

It has taken about 12 years of fly fishing experience and reading of various books to reach this stage.

At this point I have my own style and I know what usually works for me in most conditions. I would say that my casting skills are great and I mostly expect to at least catch 2 or 3 trout. I don't have to ask someone advice and I have confidence in my techniques.

My lack of tying skills and insect identification brings me down. I know general patterns and can tie the moderately easy flies. I am more of a nymph fisherman and I stick with it because it works. I will often throw dries, but only when the conditions are right. Sometimes I think my presentation skills are off, but that's usally when I am standing along the LeTort or Big Spring.

The biggest reason I know that I have progressed is because I can often unsnag my fly and coiled line from a tree and several branches with ease, (Almost magically if seen by a beginner). It has helprd make fly fishing enjoyable, because the trees no longer frustrate me.

 

[tomgamber]

You can be the best outfielder in the world, pete, but if you can; hit the ball you aren't a great baseball player.

Perhaps you can adjust the criteria to say ID most bait fish, craps and shrimp and be able to tie a fly to represent each.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Pete I'm with on the streamers.

I have people look at me funny when I throw them occassionally. In a world where people do what others do I like to see if something is going to work for me before discounting it as a substandard method.

I have had lots of times when the trout were not biting and an olive bugger or large clouser minnow or crayfish produced a good hard strike. Especially in slightly high, fast water.

 

[jaybo41]

I'm going with Advanced Journeyman but I'll say that it's a fairly new classification. This past year, I've gotten better with Insect ID. Casting, Tying, and technical fly fishing are a natural progression from year to year. I expect to be in this classifaction for a quite some time. This fly fishing thing has taken me about 10 years so far. The internet has greatly reduced the learning curve for me on tying and technicalities of the sport.

What may exclude me from Advanced Journeyman is that I have not fished for most species. I mainly stick with Trout/Steelhead and have found a new appreciation for Smallies. Add the occasional days for casting to sunnies too.

 

[Bruno]

Might be interesting to let others that you have fished with rate you. Cause I think some of you guys are sandbagging

 

[jayL]

I have no interest in quantifying my skills. I get to do enough of that crap at work. 🙂

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Might be interesting to let others that you have fished with rate you. Cause I think some of you guys are sandbagging

I like the challenge here. Anyone that has fished with me have any thoughts? Chaz would probably rate me lower with the outing we had, like Dan said, some days are better than others ;-)