Well said Richard! I've refrained from responding to this thread and I feel your words really summed it up.
Thanks. James ----- Original Message ----- From: "rderedfield" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2001 4:41 PM Subject: The yuppie issue > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > >
