Being relatively new to fly fishing (about a year now), my conventional tackle fishing partners are all wondering why! Why am I going thru the difficulties? Why am I having to deal with all the things that fly fishing encompasses, that conventional tackle doesn’t. A very good friend of mine that Ive known for over 20 years and have fished millions of times together all over Florida, asked me why I put myself thru it?
I bought a flyrod on a whim....wanting to fish the Swanee river for redbellies. I used to use Rebel crickhoppers with my dad years ago, and it was as close to fly fishing as you could get throwing a small topwater lure like that and I thought the hopper flies looked awesome...so I bought a cheap bass pro special 6wt. Before going to the Swanee (driving that far) I stayed close to home and tried slinging a fly (after watching numerous YouTube videos of the techniques) in a small river near the house. That first cast ruined me! I landed a hopper fly close to bank and had a monster red belly crush it. Needless to say....the hook was set! I then got more and more into it, bought a ton of hopper flies and fished several places around the local area. I got better and better at casting. I then decided to step it up a notch and try saltwater. I quickly learned it was hard! The wind, the current, the tides....made it extremely more difficult than the calm protected freshwater river I had been fishing. Frustration didn’t diminish the enthusiasm though. As I learned more I found out I probably needed better tackle and some things to help organize the line and keep thing from hanging up. I really took the plunge...went to a real fly shop. Spoke with some people and did some research on the various manufactures and decided to buy a real flyrod. I bought a Scott Meridian 8wt. The wife was a little surprised when that visa bill came in. Whew....honey dew list grew exponentially!!
Well, several fishing trips later and catching a few reds on the new rod cemented the addiction. Now, my old fishing partners are wondering “what the heck, why are you going thru all that? I can cast 150 yards with my 10pd braid and a mirror-lure, why do you limit yourself? Why are you casting 4 times to my one, just to put a fly in the right spot?” A bunch of those type questions. We have fished together forever, caught monster trout (32 inch fatties), huge reds (45 inches), ancient Black drum (55 pds)...and a host of others. Done all the numbers thing. Caught the massive amounts....done all that. I tried to explain to him that it is all about recreation now. Enjoyment...having fun, not counting the carcasses at the cleaning station. He replied with, “so, you like trying to cast 60 ft into a 15 knot headwind, with a fly that weighs nothing, and having a red’s tail wagging at you 65 ft away?” I replied with, “man....you just don’t understand, that frustration, is literally some of the fun.” Its hard....its frustrating....it makes you think different. It makes you a hunter and a fisherman at the same time, and it’s completely addictive. Has anyone else experienced the same thing with their conventional tackle fishing partners??
I bought a flyrod on a whim....wanting to fish the Swanee river for redbellies. I used to use Rebel crickhoppers with my dad years ago, and it was as close to fly fishing as you could get throwing a small topwater lure like that and I thought the hopper flies looked awesome...so I bought a cheap bass pro special 6wt. Before going to the Swanee (driving that far) I stayed close to home and tried slinging a fly (after watching numerous YouTube videos of the techniques) in a small river near the house. That first cast ruined me! I landed a hopper fly close to bank and had a monster red belly crush it. Needless to say....the hook was set! I then got more and more into it, bought a ton of hopper flies and fished several places around the local area. I got better and better at casting. I then decided to step it up a notch and try saltwater. I quickly learned it was hard! The wind, the current, the tides....made it extremely more difficult than the calm protected freshwater river I had been fishing. Frustration didn’t diminish the enthusiasm though. As I learned more I found out I probably needed better tackle and some things to help organize the line and keep thing from hanging up. I really took the plunge...went to a real fly shop. Spoke with some people and did some research on the various manufactures and decided to buy a real flyrod. I bought a Scott Meridian 8wt. The wife was a little surprised when that visa bill came in. Whew....honey dew list grew exponentially!!
Well, several fishing trips later and catching a few reds on the new rod cemented the addiction. Now, my old fishing partners are wondering “what the heck, why are you going thru all that? I can cast 150 yards with my 10pd braid and a mirror-lure, why do you limit yourself? Why are you casting 4 times to my one, just to put a fly in the right spot?” A bunch of those type questions. We have fished together forever, caught monster trout (32 inch fatties), huge reds (45 inches), ancient Black drum (55 pds)...and a host of others. Done all the numbers thing. Caught the massive amounts....done all that. I tried to explain to him that it is all about recreation now. Enjoyment...having fun, not counting the carcasses at the cleaning station. He replied with, “so, you like trying to cast 60 ft into a 15 knot headwind, with a fly that weighs nothing, and having a red’s tail wagging at you 65 ft away?” I replied with, “man....you just don’t understand, that frustration, is literally some of the fun.” Its hard....its frustrating....it makes you think different. It makes you a hunter and a fisherman at the same time, and it’s completely addictive. Has anyone else experienced the same thing with their conventional tackle fishing partners??