# A Kind of Fly Fisher's Survey



## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

I used to frequent this site regularly under a different name. It's been a while and with all the craziness in the world, I lost contact with this site, the computer that I used, the email that I used, and log in info. I hope it's alright to be back under a new name and new email.

I'm looking for a bunch of fly fishers to answer a question for me. You can answer in this post thread or PM if you'd like. I do a little writing for publication and will use the responses anonymously for an article.

I often here fly fishers say: "Fly fishing is not just a hobby, it is a way of life." 
If you have or do not have this sentiment, please explain as concisely as you can your feelings and ideas about this. 

I appreciate your responses!


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

There was my old pal nativecutt back on the old UTOF days. When I saw the username I was wondering if you were the ninja. What was your old username here on the site? 

As for “way of life,” for me...no. I love it. It makes me happy. I do feel like it is a part of my life and a part of who I am. That said, for something to be “a way of life” it has to be something that is a part of my every day life. No matter how much I love to fly fish, it will never be something that is part of my life 365 days a year. Those are the things that are a “way of life,” in my opinion.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I've been fly fishing for about five years now, so I'm still a newb. However, it'll never be a way of life. Sure, I love hitting the river as much as possible, but there are plenty of other pursuits in life I enjoy way too much to give up for fly fishing.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

"Way of life"...what does that even mean? No, really, I am serious, what does that mean? Give us a little example of a "way of life"


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

Vanilla said:


> There was my old pal nativecutt back on the old UTOF days. When I saw the username I was wondering if you were the ninja. What was your old username here on the site?
> 
> As for "way of life," for me...no. I love it. It makes me happy. I do feel like it is a part of my life and a part of who I am. That said, for something to be "a way of life" it has to be something that is a part of my every day life. No matter how much I love to fly fish, it will never be something that is part of my life 365 days a year. Those are the things that are a "way of life," in my opinion.


 I think it's me. I was HighNDry on this site but I lost employment with Covid. Most of my log in and email stuff was under a work computer. I wasn't sure how to reset all of it so I just created the new me.

I'm hoping more fly fishers will not be afraid to chime in and give their opinion. I have heard a lot of fly fishers claim that fly fishing is their way of life. I'm not sure I know what that means, thus, the question.

I would also accept any thoughts or ideas of what makes fly fishing a "passion" for you. Meaning what is so intriguing about it? Is it the method? What makes it so fun? What is it that drives you to the river or lake?

Feel free to chime in everybody. Like I mentioned thoughts, ideas, comments will remain anonymous.
Thanks!


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

BPturkeys said:


> "Way of life"...what does that even mean? No, really, I am serious, what does that mean? Give us a little example of a "way of life"


 Thanks for responding. I'm not really sure what it means. I've heard several fly fishers say it.
I could see a guide saying it is a way of life because it is "his" way of making a living (life). But to the guy just wanting to get on the water and recreate, what drives the desire?

Maybe I can ask the questions I posed to Vanilla: What does fly fishing have that makes you passionate about it. Is it the method? What is so intriguing about it?


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

The complex simplicity. Except for leaky waders and snags, there is no down side. it's fishin', and as they say ...time spent fishing isn't deducted from your life.


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## TOgden (Sep 10, 2007)

In my case it was kind of a slow progression toward fly fishing. I started out with my older brother teaching me how to stream fish with a split shot and a worm on a spinning rod. To this day when I fish a nymph on a stream I fish it the same as I did with the worm. I fished lakes with a fly and bubble and also using lures, spinners, and flatfish. My brother-in-law is an avid fisherman, both for trout and warm water species and he got my son fly fishing so my wife bought me an all inclusive fly fishing kit for fathers day one year (she still says that was the biggest mistake she's ever made):-?. It was a Diawa 9' 6 weight with a floating line. It was a real gem, about every fourth or fifth cast I'd have to check the top section of the rod to make sure it didn't fly off. I had to strip it back in quite a few times.

Once I got so I could catch some fish and kind of knew what I was doing then I figured I'd better learn how to tie my own flies or I was going to go broke. Believe me it is much cheaper to just buy the flies but when you make your own you can customize them for the water you fish. I've always said if you can show a fish something they haven't seen before they might just be curious enough to give it a try.
Now that I have gotten older I've moved on to float tubing lakes and reservoirs. The big challenge with still water fishing is you are not sure where to find the fish. In a stream it is pretty simple to know where to place your fly. I have been fly fishing for over thirty years now and have been keeping a detailed Xcel spreadsheet of my adventures since 1992. At my age I need some documentation to fall back on to know what to use on waters I haven't been to in a while.

I Fly fish because it is clean (no worm guts or bait canteen), you don't just reel them in and it is challenging.

I just wish that I had started sooner in life.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Welcome back HighNdry. 

I struggle to answer this question as some other have. Part of it could be definitions but not all. A few points.

1. I too have heard the "way of life" statement a few times. For some, the person(s) saying it were folks that fly fished several times a week, took multiple trips to famous glamour spots or for stuff like steelhead runs, had "gig" employment guiding but no long term career, and often didn't have families or had "domestic challenges". Others making the statement were professional folks that enjoy a day on the water 2-3 times a month, and will spend for good equipment and improve their skills, but not at the expense of family and career. Others are enthusiastic newcomers who will see their zeal fade as flyfishing doesn't become a new thing anymore. There are probably other categories too. Many folks probably have some resemblance to multiple categories. 

2. How would someone like me fit in the question as I like to fish with multiple methods such as Ice fishing, warmwater finesse bassin with gear, barbaric methods such as "fly and bubble" and kick trolling buggers with spinning gear and using those abominable "Pistol Petes"? Does that disqualify me to answer even though I enjoy and regularly fish with classical fly gear? 

3. As far as enhancing the resource with good conservation programs, and defending the pursuit in the legislative arena (stream access), I think it is a "way of life" to try and leave the resource in better shape for our descendants than we had it, if possible. 

Hope this helps and makes some semblance of sense.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

In my younger years, (20+ years ago) I loved fly-fishing. My dad taught me fly tying and I had a kit at the age of 10, off to the races I went. 


A "way of life"?..... You mentioned a guide. True they make money guiding and it can become a livelihood. Only if you own the company and hire the guides that make the customer happy. I was one of those "hired hands" and I enjoyed it for a short time. It became to me, babysitting adults that were rich and didn't care if they were casting, drifting, whatever correctly. Some it didn't matter if they caught a fish or not. Others, well, they were paying for a trip so they better hook a fish. 


After a year of that, I gave up the part time guiding act. I returned to the river after some time from the trade and just couldn't get the passion back for fly-fishing. I walked out of the water, packed up my gear and have never returned to the river after that day. So when you say, "a way of life", I think I would interpret that as, "a passion for the game". 


So much is involved with fly-fishing. Your actually hunting one fish in a group and casting to that fish by sight and knowing when to cast by seeing the action of that fish and understanding what it is doing, or better yet, knowing what it's about to do.


So for myself....Guiding took me to the dark side and stripped me of the passion I had. I'd go fishing to become one with nature, relax, and reboot my internal system. Whatever happened to me is very minute I'm sure, and isn't what others have experienced placed in the same situation.


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## TOgden (Sep 10, 2007)

I have some more thoughts about fly fishing that I have noticed over the years. Almost everyone you talk to about fly fishing think it is only for stream fishing and only for trout. The truth is you can catch almost any fish on a fly and yes you can fly fish on flat water too. If you go to a fly shop in the west and ask for fishing information, most shops only have information for streams and most likely that information will be for dry fly fishing.

Okay I guess I'll quit rambling on.;-)


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I first learned fly fishing in an aluminum boat casting to blue gills with poppers. 

I can't say fly fishing is a way of life for me. I love it and often crave the solitude I only seem to find while casting flies on a small stream but it's never embued my life in a "way of life" fashion. Maybe it's because I largely view fishing as a hobby I love but one that is sustenance oriented? 

I don't get on streams as often anymore but it will hopefully always be a part of my life. I do look forward to taking my daughter on fishing trips in the future but I don't care if that's tossing worms, trolling or fly fishing. I just look forward to sharing the tradition.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

TOgden said:


> I have some more thoughts about fly fishing that I have noticed over the years. Almost everyone you talk to about fly fishing think it is only for stream fishing and only for trout. The truth is you can catch almost any fish on a fly and yes you can fly fish on flat water too. If you go to a fly shop in the west and ask for fishing information, most shops only have information for streams and most likely that information will be for dry fly fishing.
> 
> Okay I guess I'll quit rambling on.;-)


Every year I tell myself I need to try to catch smallmouth bass on the fly. One of these years I will do it.


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

Boy! This didn't pan out at all. I guess those who say fly fishing is a way of life don't respond, it's too hard to explain what they mean or the statement has a negative connotation to it with others so they won't explain. I've decided to take the article in a different direction, but thanks for those who chimed in.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Maybe the crowd that the statement most applies to are on the river and not available to pontificate on the interweb? -Ov-


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

You made more of a statement than a posing a question. 

I learned how to fly fish on the Provo River and reservoirs like Strawberry. Back in the 60's and 70's we would go up there after school or work rent a row boat for a few bucks and fish until we had our limits. 

Some of the best fishing that I have done has been with a fly when you can't even see your hand in front of your face in the pitch black up on Electric Reservoir.


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

Thanks for the responses.


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

Again, thanks for the responses. Here is a link to the article on KSL. If it's not appropriate to post the link let me know and I'll delete it.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50089865/casting-passion-what-is-fly-fishings-allure


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Nice work! 

Thanks for sharing.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I saw the article yesterday. It was a fun piece to read. Nicely done.


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## TOgden (Sep 10, 2007)

Thanks for posting the link.

Very well done.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Fantastic read - thank for posting the link!


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

For me, fly-fishing isn't a way of life, but fishing definitely is. No, I don't fish 365 days a year, and no my perfect schedule doesn't include fishing every day. But, a single day doesn't go by without my mind specifically wandering to the next fishing trip and needed fishing gear and past trips. My wife would tell you that my family (my brothers and father specifically) only talk about fishing. And, my career plans were shaped by fishing and fish as have been my places of employment.

So, yes...for me, fishing is a way of life.

Fly-fishermen are often caught up in the aesthetics of fishing...not me. A fly rod and fly are tools to catch fish...I use a fly rod more often because it is more fun to me. But, I just like to catch fish.


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## NativeCutt (Dec 31, 2020)

wyoming2utah said:


> For me, fly-fishing isn't a way of life, but fishing definitely is. No, I don't fish 365 days a year, and no my perfect schedule doesn't include fishing every day. But, a single day doesn't go by without my mind specifically wandering to the next fishing trip and needed fishing gear and past trips. My wife would tell you that my family (my brothers and father specifically) only talk about fishing. And, my career plans were shaped by fishing and fish as have been my places of employment.
> 
> So, yes...for me, fishing is a way of life.
> 
> Fly-fishermen are often caught up in the aesthetics of fishing...not me. A fly rod and fly are tools to catch fish...I use a fly rod more often because it is more fun to me. But, I just like to catch fish.


Now you show up. So if I'm reading you right---fishing is a way of life for you because you think about it all the time and it affects all parts of your life. I know your dad and brother are fisheries biologists and so fish and fishing are their livelihood. Webster's dictionary defines a way of life: 
*Definition of way of life*

1 *: *the habits, customs, and beliefs of a particular person or group of people Unhampered development is threatening these farmers' _way of life_.

2 *: *an important activity, job, etc., that affects all parts of someone's life For me, tennis is not just a sport, it's a _way of life_.

Good answer. Thanks for chiming in.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

That textbook definition of “a way of life” is exactly why I couldn’t call fly fishing a way of life for me. 

I love it. I have a passion for it. I want to do it more. But it doesn’t impact all parts of my life. I guess it’s just a hobby, and I’m okay with that. I don’t need to be declared hard core by anyone. I’m perfectly good being considered just a hobbyist.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm sitting at the school right now getting ready to supervise several girls' basketball games...games that really will probably be blowouts and not very entertaining. As I look outside, what I see is blue skies, no wind, and no snow on the ground. I'm irritated that I am not out fishing right now...

...I stopped coaching myself so that I could enjoy these types of days. I never realized that I would still have them just in a different capacity. So, all I can do is look at pics of the 29-incher PBH caught yesterday on his fly rod and wonder what if...


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

wyoming2utah said:


> So, all I can do is look at pics of the 29-incher PBH caught yesterday on his fly rod and wonder what if...


Wait, what??? Do we get to see the pic?

I'm slogging through a long workday too right now and some fish porn would be kinda nice to see.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I would post one, but I better wait for him to do it. I don't want to steal too much of his thunder. It weighed around 10 pounds.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Just another fish story without the pics. Come on PBH!


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

pics or it didn't happen!!

:noidea:


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

29", 10lb carp is what I'm envisioning. WY2- looks like PBH passed on posting so now you can throw the photo on here. Or is he trying to get on the cover of a magazine like FishinFool or CarpyCrazy or Westman's? 
..


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

give me a chance....


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Packout said:


> 29", 10lb carp is what I'm envisioning. WY2- looks like PBH passed on posting so now you can throw the photo on here. Or is he trying to get on the cover of a magazine like FishinFool or CarpyCrazy or Westman's?
> ..


CarpyCrazy....ha! Packout wins the internet today.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

Hey Nativecutt. I remember having lots of conversations with you back in the day as HighNDry. Good to hear from you again. Hope you are doing well.

Here is my take on your question...

I started out fly-fishing 35 years ago as a youngster growing up in the river bottoms of Provo. My family lived on 3700 North about halfway between the river and University Pkwy. Back then that area was paradise for a young kid who loved to hunt and fish and explore the woods and fields that used to exist but are now, sadly, gone forever. My grandpa, who was a fighter pilot in WW2 and my personal hero, taught me how to fish and gave me an old Fenwick fly rod that he no longer used. I taught myself to cast and started tying my own flies using fur and feathers from the critters I killed with my wrist rocket. None of the flies I tied would be taken seriously by any fly-fisherman nowadays but they worked and I caught lots of fish including several hefty browns. Those were some of the best and freest years of my life. Since then life has changed and I have too many pressures and responsibilities now but fly-fishing is my way of relieving stress and recapturing, for just a few hours every other week if I am lucky, the freedom and the joy that I experienced as a carefree kid growing up in a natural landscape that is gone forever. My grandpa is also gone having passed away years ago. Every time I go fly-fishing I think of him and feel connected to him because he was the person who started me on this hobby all those years ago.


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