Fly Fishing: A Popular Blog Topic

During the recent past, I visited a bunch of fishing blogs, as it's important to occasionally assess yourself amongst similar others, regardless of your craft. It was an interesting exercise, mainly because much of the intrigue of fishing is how open it is to interpretation. Along the way, this post about fly fishing caught me eye. It's from a really nice blog called AnglerWise, which is worth visiting for anyone interested in light-tackle fishing. 

The post, cleverly titled The Lure of Fly Fishing, provides a clear and simple, yet concise identification of fly fishing as a particular style of angling. Although some moderately technical terms are used, the post paints a picture anyone can understand. AnglerWise accurately explains how “Simply being in nature; waiting, listening, thinking, hoping are all parts of the magic of fishing.” Fly fishing is always a deserving topic of discussion and is well described within the post It's truly a poignant example of a culture within a culture. I've always appreciated the diversity in means and methods to catch fish, particularly between fly fishing and "conventional" angling. There is an artistic uniqueness to fly fishing, and an interesting history behind it.

According to AnglerWise, “there is one style which is the finest example of fishing: Fly fishing. Though complicated, it is an art that when learned, opens the door to the truest of fishing thrills.” I totally agree. Many times, I’ve seen how effective fly fishing can be in certain conditions and/or environments. Usually, when I'm stream-side with my 5’ ultralight rod and Penn Spinfisher SSG reel, throwing black rooster tails tied to four pound test, any fly fishermen nearby tend to draw more attention from the fish. Also, there's this old timer that frequents the beach near my dad's house, who trudges out to the sandbar in his chest waders during the outgoing tide, finesses his fly tackle—and ROUTINELY lands more stripers than any of his bait-casting neighbors on boats or adjacent piers.

You see, I AM a fisherman, and over the years—a handful of women have said I'm "fly", but I'm definitely not a fly fisherman. Still, I've learned much about its practice from older relatives, and am fortunate to have seen it in action. Although there are MANY approaches to angling, fly fishing is truly in a league of its own. It’s an entirely different approach than conventional fishing, and is rich in its own culture. As Anglerwise put it, "Watching a fly fisherman in a stream working the fly line back in forth over his target is like looking at a painting in a museum."

In life, a good way to appreciate something is to have respect for it. For me, fly fishing is a prime example. I don't practice it often, but it's always held my curiosity, and the post on AnglerWise rejuvenated my interest in it. Actually, while writing this post, I gradually began to realize that part of my retirement plan may indeed be unfolding before me.