Rate your skill level

Do it Jay! At least here it's not tied to your salary... :lol:

I'm definitely in the "Approaching Journeyman" category. Can handle a lot of the basics, but still get skunked far too often, haven't started tying flies, but can ID some insects. Have a rough idea of where the fish hide, but ironically they're not there when I fish for them.

Oh well, got a lifetime to move through the "proficiency levels" or at least make an attempt!
 
I'd say advanced journeyman. been at it 25 years. can tie any flies but hate doing it, much rather build rods. can ID bugs but don't really care about them anymore, what's important are what the fish are eating and if you have anything at all that matches it, the fish doesn't care if you know the latin name! backyard casting exercises keeps me sharp in the off season. 2-3 days on the water every week doesn't hurt either. also important to not get bummed out when skunked, part of the sport. will fish for anything with a flyrod.
 
My ability or lack thereof is very scattered accross the different skill sets so it's tough to pick one rating. Don't want to dodge, so how about this:

Strongest--choosing the optimal stream/species at the optimal time. I have to do this to compensate for:

Weakest--presentation. Show me a stream that requires pinpoint finesse casts to tough fish and I will show you a stream I avoid.
 
I voted, but i won't say what. All i know is i have a heck of a lot to learn...
 
I guess it would depend on what I'm fishing for and where.
On my home water I'm a Hero :-D [size=xx-small](not really)[/size]
On unfamiliar waters, I could just as likely be on the bank curled up in the fetal position mumbling to myself.

But that's what it's all about, the day you catch every fish and know everything is not a day to look foward to.
 
Im going to class myself as a advanced journeyman. After 35 or more years, thats is high as it gets for me, I don't have any idea what it would take to be an expert at this, you learn something new damn near everytime you go out.

PaulG
 
good naturedly insinuating that minnies fishermen who can tie flies don't impress the "shoulders' crowd as much as they might imagine.
 
i went Journeyman, mostly based on my casting, it needs improvement. I can tie in the Advanced Journeyman class, and depending on the water i am fishing i expect to catch fish. I cant always identify the bug, but i can match it to something in my box.

The areas needing the most improvement are casting and presentation. once those are improved i would call myself and advanced journeyman
 
jayL wrote:
I have no interest in quantifying my skills. I get to do enough of that crap at work. 🙂
Click to expand...

LOL! I just went through the annual Performance Appraisal too.

Question about the poll.

Does one need to know the Latin names of bugs at any point in that survey, or just be able to catch fish?
 
pete41 wrote:
good naturedly insinuating that minnies fishermen who can tie flies don't impress the "shoulders' crowd as much as they might imagine.
Click to expand...



Wasn't trying to impress. If you fly fish in salt, surely you tie clousers or deceivers or crazy charly's or any number of flies for salt water game fish. Unless you just come here to expel the occasional burp and don;t really fish at all let alone fly fish....
 
I had to say journeyman, because if Paul is only an Advanced Journeyman, I'm at least a notch below that, maybe two.
 
Alright, whos the wiseassed expert. Is that you tom? ;-)
 
not me...I thought about advanced journeyman then realized as little as I've been out this year I've probably forgotten more than I remember. Went with journeyman. My Latin is not good at all but I think I present well and tie a fly close enough to what its supposed to look like to catch fish. What I find myself being is less motivated lately. Haven't tied in months. Of course I guess if you don't get out much you aren't losing many flies, huh?
 
I chose expert but I don't think the things that were listed make some one a expert. I think I am where I am today because I started out tying flies before fly fishing. I even tied them in my hands with out a vise and when i found out what a vise was I had fireworks going off in my head. I can name every single bug though but 2 out of 3 things ... Idk..
 
I don't fit any of the levels, so I created one of my own to describe me:

I am a heretical heron.

I enjoy violating FF convention and make up for my shortcomings as a tier and (distance anyway...) caster (and both are substantial despite 45 years of FF) by fishing with the focus and tenacity of a heron.

I catch pretty fair numbers of fish, but I'm all but certain I don't do it "right".

Nor do I really want to..🙂
 
Nice Rleep.

That probably describes me best actually. 🙂 As long as it works for you, who cares how you do it ;-)
 
Fnd the answers interesting.

Looks like a few more experts chimed in. Why is suprising someone would answer that? Must not be modest enough for some. Not that I aspire to be an expert.

Not sure yet if I feel latin names are that important if you know what pattern the fly is and how to tie it- but maybe there are reasons I am missing on that one.

Feel as though I am a tweener really between advanced and journeyman. Under normal conditions I do expect to catch fish on every outing. But realize skunkings come with the territroy. Can't double haul and still dont tie lots of flies or I would have said advanced.

What are things I missed for expert?

I realize not everyone is going to always fit in a category. One thing that has helped me is that I fish lots of different water with lots of different techniques as to aviod being a one trick pony.

I vote Jayl is a tweener between journeyman and advanced.

Did purposely limit votes to one category.

How would you change the poll?

No beginners yet- I find that hard to beleive but maybe it is just the ones that have been bitten that surf FF sites during work. hahaha
 
I think a requirement for the higher levels should involve building your own cane rods. Plastic doesn't count.
 
everything but having confidence in catching fish?
 
There are a few people on here who I would consider expert. Paul G is certainly one of them based on stories. Chaz comes to mind.

Joe E is another. I've cast one of his cane rods. He does really nice work, and and one would have to be an expert to use that buggy whip. I had time to put in a fresh chew while waiting for that rod to load on the back cast. 😛

I did catch a Steelhead on it though.
 
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