> Mike, I generally am in your camp with most of your postings, but will
have
> to disagree with you big time on this one.
>
> I'm not sure of how 'paying your dues' and flyfishing 'tradition'
> interrelate. Tremendous strides have been made in the technological
> advancement of our sport, whether it be hooks, tippet, rods, lines,
hackle,
> or what have you. Most of these 'advancements' come with a price. I
> suspect you use a float tube, a graphite rod, a PVC fly line, genetic
> rooster hackle, etc. That's not 'tradition' if you are looking for fly
> fishing tradition. Dig out a book from the turn of the century and check
> out what the English folks were wearing, smoking, and using for gear; I
> suspect many who are decrying the loss of 'tradition' in fly fishing don't
> adorn themselves similarly. Heck, it wasn't unusual for a fly fisherman
to
> be packing along a bait box. And, bonking fish was 'traditional', as
well.
> Things change.
>
> I don't find there's anything wrong with someone who has the financial
> capacity to buy the 'best' gear possible and purchase fishing lessons and
> time with guides. I think you'll find this has always been the case,
> whether it is in 2001 or 1900, that those who have the financial capacity
> to, do, and those that can't, don't (unless you have credit cards - grin).
> I believe those ghillies that rowed folks around in England or Finland
> weren't rowing around or guiding someone who couldn't afford to pay them.
I
> actually view taking lessons as positive; I see too many people on the
water
> that misplay their fish (take too long), release them incorrectly, etc. A
> few days with a guide, and most people should more up that fly fishing
> etiquette and education graph pretty quickly; not everyone has a father,
> friend, or relative who will teach them the nuances, skills, and
courtesies
> of our sport.
>
> I'll bet in 20 years people of a certain age will be saying "I remember
when
> . . . ", and the new fly fishers will wonder what in the heck all the fuss
> is about with this paying your dues and tradition stuff.
>
> For some reason many of the postings regarding this issue seemed to relate
> lack of ethics and courtesy with financial capacity; if I understand it,
the
> more financial successful one is, the more likely they are to disrespect
> you, the law, and the sport? I believe a jerk is a jerk, irrespective of
> financial capacity. I have had way more conversations with folks, on the
> water, who APPEARED to be of less-than-normal financial capacity (if one
can
> make that evaluation by appearance and equipment), about their illegal
> fishing activities. What does that indicate to me? Nothing. It just
meant
> to me that person a) wasn't aware of the rules, b) couldn't read and/or
> didn't have the regs, or c) flat just didn't care. (It usually seems to
be
> the latter). These items are person-specific, and have nothing to do with
> what APPEARS to be their financial station in life.
>
> Drawing general characterizations about and profiling others based on how
> they look, their age, what they drive, where they live, what equipment
they
> use, where they do or don't get to go fishing, if they use guides or not,
> their color, their sex, their age, etc., is just big-time wrong.
>
> I hope this thread ends. <grin>
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2001 9:27 AM
> Subject: The yuppie issue
>
>
> > I hate to even post to this topic since it seems I have really stepped
in
> it
> > already this week but my Dad always said I had more guts then brains so
> here
> > we go. LOL!
> >
> > The sport of fly fishing has changed dramatically in the last 40 years
and
> > for those who have been involved with it most of that time, the current
> easy
> > access to the sport is a radical departure from tradition. Let me
> explain:
> >
> > From the time my father and his friends returned from WWII through the
> late
> > 70's, fly fishing was a sport based on camaraderie, love of the outdoors
> and
> > content over image. In those days, you couldn't just walk into a fly
shop
>
> > and get geared up, sign up for a casting class and be on the water in a
> few
> > weeks. You had to seek out the people with the knowledge, equipment and
> > willingness to teach. On your end, you had to be a decent enough fellow
> that
> > these people wanted to befriend you. Personal reputation, honor and
> > integrity played a big role in the development of the sport. You still
> see
> > bits of this tradition in a lot of fly clubs during the pledge process.
A
> > current member often has to bring you before the group and explain your
> > contributions to the sport in order to gain membership.
> >
> > Fast forward to today. If I didn't know a thing about the sport, I
could
> > drive to a fly shop, buy whatever gear I could afford, sign up for
classes
> on
> > fly tying, casting, rod building etc. and then head off to the river and
> hire
> > a guide. This method has given many people a lot more access to the
sport
> > which is a good thing in my opinion. However it has depersonalized the
> sport
> > a lot and so the traditions and ethics have been lost on many.
> >
> > A person can lack total ethics and respect for the sport but because
they
> > have access to the equipment and have the money to get into the sport
they
> > appear on the stream and wreak havoc. You all have witnessed this. The
> guy
> > that cuts in below you on your favorite steelhead run, the guy that
parks
> his
> > butt in the hole for 3 hours without moving, the people who cast across
> your
> > lines to make you leave, the person bonking wild steelhead on the head
and
> > taking them home. These are the people that Roger was describing. The
> Orvis
> > hatch, the yuppie, the sport or whatever term you want to use. They
have
> > more money then ethics and it drives us all up the wall. Not all of
them
> > look like they fell out of a catalog or drive Lexus SUV's to the fishing
> hole
> > but enough of them do that the stereo type has stuck (again for better
or
> > worse).
> >
> > So in closing, I don't think Roger's use of the term Yuppie was aimed at
> > anybody that lives in a metropolitan area or drives a fancy vehicle.
Hell
> if
> > I could afford a nice SUV I would probably buy one. Instead I think he
is
> > describing the new era of fly fisherman who have fallen through the
cracks
> > and view the outdoors as their playground and to hell with everyone
else.
> It
> > is all our responsibility to try and educate these people and explain
that
> > there is a lot more to it then just having the gear and the basic know
> how.
> >
> > I hope that made sense without coming across as an elitist snob. That
> wasn't
> > my intention.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
>
