Fly Fishing!

[dcabarle]

Is fly fishing an Art or a Sport? Is there a science involved? Well, let's break it down to such sections starting with the Sport.

Fly Fishing, The Sport

Why is Fly fishing a sport? It's a sport because you are out to achieve a goal. The goal is to trick the other players, the fish, into taking your fly. You're outside performing an activety which requires interaction with other players, once again, the fish.

The sport also requires skill. The skill starts with the player, you, and extends out from a line from a reel to a rod, a tippet, and a fly. You must guide your fly to the correct location to score your goal. Just like Golf, Tennis, or Football, you're out there to win. Winning by outsmarting your opponent.

The Science

Fly fishing is a science for a few reasons. Science is the study of all living and non living things. There is a science to all that is and all that will ever be. In fly fishing, the science extends to quite a few topics.

1. Matching the Hatch.

a. A brief summary of matching the hatch is figuring out what
your goal is eating at the present time. It also includes
trying to figure out what your trout may be eating at a future
time while you plan your trip.
b. Entomology is the study of insects. One can be a better fly
fisherman if he is familiar with what is and what will be
hatching at any given time. This will help the fly fisherman
better determine what is on the fish's dinner plate.
c. Knowing the general times (morning / evening / night) for
a specific hatch is also part of Matching the Hatch.

2. Rod types and sizes. Knowing that you're going to be fishing
a smal stream with wild 10" brookies would constitute
bringing with you nothing more than a lite 4wt rod. If you're
going to be fishing a larger stream which holds larger fish or
even smaller fish which require you to cast 60ft to get to, would
consitute using a larger rod, maybe in the 5-6 wt
range. Some may argue that the rod must be able to
handle larger fly's. You certainly wouldn't use a 2wt rod to
deliver your size 10 Quill Gordon 50 ft away whereas a 5wt rod
would have no problem (from a person who is articulate and
experienced enough to do such a thing).

3. Once you have your Rod right, you will need a fly line.
Different lines harbor different results. Some sink, some float,
some claim to cast further than others. Scientific studies
show that white lines are not that good because trout have
the best chance at seeing them. Not only that, they are
harder to see on the water.

4. Your leaders. I use a braided leader, others use formulas to
create their own leaders. Some roll over smoother than
others, some absorb more water or absorb water quicker
than others. Some are long, some are short. Some present
your fly to your goal more delicately allowing your fly to float
to the water like a leaf falling gracefully out of a tree while
others have a tendency to slap your fly onto the water create-
ing a small splash..

5. Tippets. Depending on the fish you'll be catching and the fly
you'll be using to catch them, they can be from a 1x - 12x. I
personally use between 5x - 9x. This depends on the type
of fish you're after. Maybe they're wild 10" browns or stocked
holdovers in the 14" range. A 7x tippet is sufficient in most
situations. I find that using 5x - 6x in the Spring and fall to
be perfect. For smaller fly's (BWO) a 7x - 9x is good. Summer
fishing on the Beaverkill while the water temps are below 70,
normally require a 7x or smaller tippet.

6. River conditions. Scientifically, trout start dying when the
water temp reaches approximately 72-74 degrees. You
shouldn't fish for trout under these conditions nor should you
fish for trout when the water is 71. 70 is a good cut off point
although even at 70, you should practice bringing the fish in
and releasing it as soon as possible.

7. Reading the river. Knowing how to read a river requires a
a skill. YES, A SKILL. This is part of the Sport. Just like know-
ing the wind direction when playing golf. You'll never get
on the green for the simple fact that you can hit the ball and
choose the right ball and club to do it with. Like golf, you'll
never catch a trout if you don't know where they are. Sure
many anglers get lucky, but that's all it is, luck.

...and those, ladies and gentlemen, are a few of the reason that flyfishing is a scientific sport. I may have left a few out, if you care
to add to this, please be my guest and do so.

Fly Fishing, The Art!

Tying your Flies
What is art. Art is creating a painting, art is creating music... Why can't tying fly's out of natural materials or even non natural materials be an art? Well, it can be. Just like a painter, it requires a skill. Not everyone can tie a fly. Some are big, some are small. Fly tying is just like creating a painting. You're sitting down in your room creating something out of materials. You're in another world. You're concentrating on something that makes you feel good about yourself, about your life, and about your passion. Some fly's are original while others are creations from your deapest thoughts. Like a rock star, What will the fans like, what will He like, He/She put's their emotions into their music? Like a painter, What will he/she like, what makes him/her happy, what makes him/her sad? All of that is painted onto a canvas. Tying flies makes us happy and it makes us think. It makes us wonder. Each fly has our own special signature on it. Ever trash a fly and start over? I do all the time. Don't you think a song writer does this with his lyrics / music? Doesn't an artist do this with a painting that's not satisfying to him/her? Is Fly tying a Craft? Well, Websters definition of "craft" is, "an occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill"... Sure as hell is a craft if you ask me... There's nothing wrong with that. "REQUIRING MANUAL DEXTERITY OR ARTISTIC SKILL".

Whipping that fly line around
You're out on a large river; just you, the mountains, the trees, the water, the fish, your fly, the hatch. How relaxing. More relaxing to me that chucking bait with a bobber and waiting for a bite while sitting on a bank with a beer. But if that's how you enjoy yourself, and if that's what fishing is to you, than so be it. Flyfishing is something different for me and the 6 million other fly fishermen in the USA (That's right, we're 6 million strong). While on the river, you're not whipping that line around, you're casting a line in what ever way you think will present your fly to a fish on a silver platter. That's the only way he'll rise to it or even look at it. Reach Cast, Puddle cast, whatever cast you choose, there's an art to it. Some may be able to learn it easy, some may never be able to learn it. This is afterall, and art. When it comes to flyfishing, it looks great when a painter paints the scene about it, it looks good when someone writes a movie with a soundtrack to it, and it feels even better to be the one doing it! It's even great when reading about someone elses flyfishing experiences.

Is Flyfishing an art to everyone? Apparently not. If not, then why bother? What are you flyfishing for? It doesn't make you feel good, it doesn't make you happy, it doesn't paint something in your memory, then why bother? Are you fishing because you're good at it for some unknown reason and you're trying to impress someone with your style? If this is why you flyfish, than that's ok... The people watching you think you're very artistic. Sorry! Who knows, but it is an Art no matter how you look at it.