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Just curious, how many of you strictly fish with a fly rod and nothing else? I do not, but it is my favorite way to fish, but I don't limit myself. If I lived somewhere full of wild trout, I probably would. I fish with my fly rod on streams and farm ponds with the occasional boat for bluegill.
I also fish for anything that swims and am not ashamed to use live bait or anything else short of dynamite.
I'm definitely not a purist. In fact, i resisted starting fly fishing for some time because of MY perception of fly fishing being elitist and a less productive method of fishing. I got one last year as a way of extending my nearly obsessive love of fishing to another form, which might let me try stream fishing, if I'm ever near any. It still bothered me that I was electively choosing a fishing method that was less likely to catch fish anywhere other than a crystal-clear trout stream. Still, I got my fly rod.
The first time I tried out my fly rod, it was on a muddy pond, not a clear trout stream. While teaching myself to throw a fly, I caught over 30 nice bluegills and one small bass. I realized that a fly rod is NOT a less productive way to fish. It's just a different way to fish. And nothing makes catching bluegills more fun that the topwater bite.
I still use live bait and LOVE using shaky head finesse plastics. The only fish I've mounted was a 1.5lb 12-inch bluegill, and it doesn't diminish the catch one bit that I caught it on a cricket. As far as the elitist attitude, it seems to have been more of a misconception that I had, which A River Runs Through It contributed to, than reality. In Kentucky, I can't imagine fishing without ever feeling the bottom, like you can with a casting or spinning rod, but fighting fish is more fun pulling the line in by hand! Plus, now I can tie flies when it's flooding outside or at night before bed. How great is that? I'm thrilled that I got the fly rod but I'm not getting rid of my other rods.
I will fish with anything after long withdrawals from Fly fishing. But I definitely prefer to use a FR ! And if I could Fly fish all the time , I probably would not even own a SR ! I have told others that 1 fish on the FR is equal to 10 fish on a SR ! At least that is my perception of the excitement / Fun level between the two different types of fishing ! Especially when they are caught on a fly that I tied ! [B][U]THE TUG IS THE DRUG !!![/U][/B]
I haven't picked up my spinning gear in almost two years now, mainly because I'm addicted not because I am against it. It still rides in my trunk, under my FFin' gear. Got my old tiny stream buddy (5' medium action, stiff butt) out to look at it the other day and the line on it is almost useless. Between lengths taken for emergency leaders and the dry rotting it is useless. Live bait will always rule for catfish, but I do enjoy strappin' onto a nice channel cat on the fly rod. Last summers project was smallies, this past winter was trout, this summer I want to land a big carp. We will see. The tug is indeed the drug. Solitude is also cool for me, especially when I am trying something new. Anyone else find themselves wading farther away from their plug chuckin' pals?
Having grown up in a fly fishing purist environment, I surprisingly learned to take fish with any given method. I've come from a long line of fly fishing purists....starting with my great-grandfather who originated in Montana. I never really understood why a person would not adapt in order to catch the most fish? :confused: I love fly fishing, and would prefer to use 100%, if it produced 100% of the time....however, I have to be honest, fly fishing isn't always the best method for any given species. With trout, you better believe that I am fly fishing. As for other species, really depends. Hard to catch hybrids 30+ft down with a fly rod. ;) But I have caughten trout on the FR deeper than that. All depends.
Simply put.....I like to catch fish......various species of fish....and if it requires a different method than the FR, so be it...I'll be there with my flipping stick, or umbrella rigs, or whatever it takes to get fish in the boat. I JUST LOVE CATCHING FISH!!! :D
-Rich