Trying to learn my sisters three children how to cast with a flyrod, while my sister was watching, she asked the question; "does the fish really have the time to jump out of the water, to catch the fly in the air". Her children laught,and explained to her, how it is. Of course,that akward way of catching fish during the cast , may have happened
My sister is a lawyer and rather smart, but sometimes not so well educated.

And there is in fact "the blow line technique in Ireland, but this is more a method of making a dryfly sit on the water for a short while,by the help of the wind.

Are there more obviously wrong ideas about flyfishing, and if, how come?

Why is flyfishing often considered such a difficult activity, from uninitiated people?

(There is a conspirasy theory, saying that some want it to look difficult )

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I remember when I was a kid my dad who did just a little dry fly fishing in the calm evening back home told me that the reason why fly fishing is more difficult is because it is a form of art. I agree with him 110%, from the flies we tie to the graceful cast we use. And as fly fishermen we reconize the art that is all around us. Its about more than just catching a fish, its about relizing that the fish is a thing of beauty and understanding its importance.

I agree with mbbishop, I do think that we like to make things very difficult, But I also believe that when you put all these things together it becomes quite intimidating. I am about the only true fly fishermen in the family, I always find a way to cast flies to all different kinds of fish. My dad recently took a look at my gear and flies that I have. He never reliezed that there was so much more to it than just dries. Now the man that tought me how to fly fish with small dries is just alittle intimidated as hes getting back on the water.

-Chad

i agree that people make it more difficult that it has to be. but how much more difficult is it to fly cast than it is to use a baitcasting rod? because you have to keep your thumb on the line so it doesnt backlash and what not. It took me several months to get baitcasting down, bnut with lots of practice i got it down. its just like fly casting with lots of practice it becomes easy like breathing. i think its just our human nature to overthink things and make it more difficult than it really is.

moflyfisher

[quote=magnolia,Apr 7 2005, 07:47 AM]

Why is flyfishing often considered such a difficult activity, from uninitiated people?


what's this uninitiated people bit ?? - you mean it's NOT difficult ???

Most things are easy , once you have learnt to handle it to perfection

Seriously: fly fishing can be very difficult, but it doesn´t have to be difficult all the time.

To be a master, takes a very long time, if ever achieved at all. But becoming an "ordinary" fly fisheman, isn´t that hard. Naturally you can take advantage of
some instruction.

I just want to take some mystery out of e.g. casting with a flyrod;it´s just plain mechanics, as Ed Jaworowski points out in an excellent article named"Diagnosing
Your Cast" , in the May 2005 issue of Fly Fisherman Magazine.

Some ads, with pictures of casters with two-handed rods , making the line run in several circles in the air, makes me think that just this adds to the confusion....
The great majority doesn´t act like this, when fishing.There is no need to . Fishing with a two-handed rod, is rather straight-forward and casting is more often than not repeatious(?).
So , why is there a need to make it more "glamourious".Patience and persistancy
are known to be useful traits when fishing for big Salmon, Steelhead or Seatrout.
Does competition in marketing create a tendency for more and more "hefty" ads?
(This wizard is seen e.g. in the 2005 (Swedish) Loop catalog)


But I don´t want to take all the mystery out of fly fishing, never!

the only one's that make fly fishing harder then it should be is fly fishermen. look when i started fly fishing we only used 3or4 drys flys now i think i use 6 and i've added ants and hoppers, but i go to the fishing shop there are alot more then that and that is only the dries. so for you all that are just starting to fly fish start with a few things and go from there. see ya greg

Greatest misconception about flyfishing?

You just go run in the water anywhere
All your casts will be perfect
And, you will catch a fish with every cast!!!

Most uninformed people I run across understand fly rods to have superior powers over all other forms of fishing... the fish are at your mercy!!



CG

CG ,
Are you possibly a copy-writer? Sounds like an ad to me.

The missconception:-"does the fish really have the time to jump out of the water, to catch the fly in the air ? ? ? " is actually quite common. Don´t know why, but it makes some sence when seeing some experienced angler catch trout after trout with a dry fly.

I remember a few years back when my eldest daughter was 10. She went with me to the Fred Hall Fishing Show in Long Beach, CA. This was an all fish, all, waters, with all types of tackle convention. She wanted to try casting a few different rods. As she was casting a heard some people say as they watched her "If that little girl can cast that well then its not as hard as I thought it was," "Look at that girl cast that rod, if she can do that than I can too,"........and other similar comments. Many people think casting a flyrod is harding than it looks. She still likes to go to flyfishing shows just to cast rods.

Another BIG misconception about flyfishing I'd like to add is "I think I'll start to tie flies because it will save me money!" For me, I think I will start to save money in about 30 more years!

Have to agree with this ne too... but I do love tying flies when i have the time.

Have to agree with this one too... but I do love tying flies when I have the time.

I might add that some folks are of the opinion one isn't fly fishing unless one only uses dry flys...

Drys might take more expertise but theres other types of flys. My own personal opinion is to use what the fish are biting on at the time.

On a fishing note, anyone else believe in omens?
I was out this past weekend on the Gallatin, spotted an osprey with a decent size trout in tow and ended up with probably the best day Ive had up to having a couple jump at the fly as I shadow casted...

D.

In my experience or outlook, the biggest misconception....at least amongst beginners is:

Their thoughts or expectations about the mechanics related to casting a fly line / delivering a fly.

Most beginners I've attempted to instruct, or watched, seem to know that the fly rod needs to be "waived back & forth", but beyond that.... The beginners I've been around, myself included going on 30 years ago, unless they've really been paying attention....seem to forget or not understand that you cannot properly cast to a lie a little further out by simply applying more power or faster power. That little thing about trying to cast a weight at the end of the line, like with a spinning or casting rod, just doesn't seem to work with fly casting.

In a nutshell: the biggest missed conception is that you need to cast & control the line & not the "weight" of what's on the end of the line (the fly). Just MHO.

Tom

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Tom,
my brother is a physics prof and the first time I took him out he decided after about 20 minutes that the better way to cast was to have a greater arc in the casting stroke.. he started casting from ,oh let's say,8 o'clock to 4 o'clock position,of course slapping the water hard ,front and back,scaring the fish for miles . The other guys fishing with us were not impressed with his theories.
Best,
Steve

I see what you're saying, when uses a bit of weight like a split shot with a nymph, how does one control that "PloinK" as the weight enters the water?
Yep its a newbie Q but this ole curmudgeon is learning the "art" of the nymph...

D.

You're right, D. Guess I wasn't thinking about casting split shot or heavily weighted flies, although I do that quite a bit. I feel that a person is still casting & controlling the line moreso than the weight.

What I try to do under those circumstances is slow down a bit, open up the casting loop & make adjustments to the stroke. This usually minimizes the splashdown of the weight to some extent....& I try not to make the "Ploink" right on top of the fish, or where I suspect a fish to be. That's about the best I can do.

Tom

[/quote]

You're right, D. Guess I wasn't thinking about casting split shot or heavily weighted flies, although I do that quite a bit. I feel that a person is still casting & controlling the line moreso than the weight.

What I try to do under those circumstances is slow down a bit, open up the casting loop & make adjustments to the stroke. This usually minimizes the splashdown of the weight to some extent....& I try not to make the "Ploink" right on top of the fish, or where I suspect a fish to be. That's about the best I can do.

Tom

[/quote]

Thanks for the idea about slowing down and opening the loop for nymphing. Its been driving me nuts trying to find a way to keep the "splash down" to a mild roar. Presenting drys isn't a problem particularly (still working on accuracy) but the other has...

D.

That "flyfishing is the only way to catch trout"?