Fly fishing or not???

[brandon4455]

ive seen this debate go around a lot lately and it got me thinking,where does everyone on the forum stand on this topic.

So, what meets the definition of fly fishing for you??? and what is the line you draw where it becomes using a fly rod instead of fly fishing?

lets hope everyone can keep their cool on this one make it a good informational thread with a nice clean debate(virtually impossible but we can try!) . ready............................................................... K GO!!!!!!!!



ill keep my answer short: fly rod,reel,line and arrtifical fly with or without a strike indicator =fly fishing


Fishing a bead,pencil lead or jig = fishing with a fly rod (witch i have no problem with,except when someone says they caught a steelhead on a fly using a jig or bead witch is clearly not a fly at all)

 

[cowboysfan]

when you hear fly fishing the thought that comes to mind is one of a fly rod and artificial fly, most people would not imagine anything but that,therefor my opinion is just that a fly rod,fly reel, and any artificial fly that is attached to the end of fly line. That being said i have used a spinning rod with a bubble bobber and a fly at the end of the leader and I have trolled flies also, and never thought of those times as fly fishing!

Answer is-
Fly rod,Fly reel, Fly line, and Fly

 

[steelhead_slayer]

as long asa you have a fly rod, reel, and line with a fly on the end you are fly fishing imo

 

[wozniasm]

Fly rod,reel,line, artifical fly and casting, 100%.
Fishing from my toon casting and stripping, 100%.
Trolling a fly from my toon, 50/50%.
Using a fly and bubble on a spinning reel, 0%

 

[Van]

fly rod,reel, line and artificial fly with or without a strike indicator =fly fishing

This is my definition.

 

[capblack]

i dont understand why there needs to be a definition, its all fishing and thats all that matters to me!!

 

[OnTheFly]

Halibuthitman once said that, to him, fly fishing was like a marriage. He described it as not something than just slinging line and hand tied flies out to fish, but more like a deep love and devotion for the sport. An inner feeling about the entire act of it. I added that fly fishing was like a religion. A belief that this was the true way of fishing, an enlightenment, and the desire to spread the Word to other fishermen.

My father took me to a local trout farm when I was barely four years old. The house rods were lengths of tapered bamboo with about 6ft. of mono tied to the end. A single hook supported a small piece of diced cheese and with that I hooked my very first trout. Noticing I had interest in it, my dad bought me my first glass rod and reel. It wasn't until my age was a double digit number when I began using a spinning reel and lures. After being away on an assignment in New Zealand, my dad returned with a cain fly rod he bought under the direction of his good friend Mick who was an avid New Zealand fly fisherman. I was fascinated.

In conclusion, to me, fly fishing is the quintessential way to catch the elusive trout. There is not a more fulfilling way a fishermen can a catch a fish than to delicately land a hand tied fly not more than a foot away from a natural then, the trout takes his fly.

I hope this was in line for the question.

 

[wozniasm]

its all fishing and thats all that matters to me!!

Very true but in my opinion, fly fishing is more of an 'art' since you're trying to imitate a natural bait to the fish.
Nothing wrong with any other style; I do bait and spinning rods as well but fly fishing, and it's hard to explain, is a more sensual experience and "one with nature" to me.

 

[wozniasm]

Halibuthitman once said that, to him, fly fishing was like a marriage. He described it as not something than just slinging line and hand tied flies out to fish, but more like a deep love and devotion for the sport. An inner feeling about about the entire act of it. I added that fly fishing was like a religion. A belief that this was the true way of fishing, an enlightenment, and the desire to spread the Word to other fishermen.

My father took me to a local trout farm when I was barely four years old. The house rods were lengths of tapered bamboo with about 6ft. of mono tied to the end. A single hook supported a small piece of diced cheese and with that I hooked my very first trout. Noticing I had interest in it, my dad bought me my first glass rod and reel. It wasn't until my age was a double digit number when I began using a spinning reel and lures. After being away on an assignment in New Zealand, my dad returned with a cain fly rod he bought under the direction of his good friend Mick who was an avid New Zealand fly fisherman. I was fascinated.

In conclusion, to me, fly fishing is the quintessential way to catch the elusive trout. There is not a more fulfilling way a fishermen can a catch a fish than to delicately land a hand tied fly not more than a foot away from a natural then, the trout takes his fly.

I hope this was in line for the question.

Jim said it better!

 

[john montana]

It is all fair game in my opinion, right up until you add scent or bait. Granted, a jig on a fly rid seems silly to me because there are easier ways to cast jigs.

I for one, am ok with beads. But I do think they should be attached to the hook.

 

[Sinkline]

.

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

When my kids were young I sat them on the back seat of our little 12' boat and let them pull my flies using their tiny spin rods. I called that fly fishing. They were fishing with a fly.


Randy

Right on! I'm not young but I do enjoy fishing that way in my pontoon. I have a good time trolling in my pontoon boat with flies, anticipating the take down on my little Ultra Lite rod.

 

[mezzfin]

Essential elements of fly fishing (imo):

Fly line - when the mass of the line is what you are primarily casting...
Fly reel - requiring specific & often unique actions to present the fly...
A fly - a fancy hook without mechanical parts (no spinners) that imitates a food source (no bait, since it bait IS food & not an imitation).

I'm not too hung up on the rod, since the reel and line pretty much dictate that (but now that I mention it, I may have to rig up my Ugly Stick with a fly reel/line to see what happens :lol. I'm also OK with beads and jigs (both seem like nymphing), since they imitate a food source without moving parts. And as mentioned earlier, why you'd use a fly line & reel with a jig is beyond me, but you certainly could - and I'll bet many OFFers here could tie something that looks & behaves mighty jig-like.

And if you leave a pile of beer cans on the shore even tho you hit the water at 4:30am, you most certainly weren't fly fishing. :naughty:

 

[jamisonace]

I agree.


UOTE=Sinkline;249453]When my kids were young I sat them on the back seat of our little 12' boat and let them pull my flies using their tiny spin rods. I called that fly fishing. They were fishing with a fly.


Randy[/QUOTE]

 

[troutdude]

That being said i have used a spinning rod with a bubble bobber and a fly at the end of the leader and I have trolled flies also, and never thought of those times as fly fishing!

I have done this countless times from my tube (with a torpedo bobber); and with GREAT success!

However, I always viewed such a technique as spin fishing, with a fly.

 

[GungasUncle]

To define fly fishing - first you need to have a firm definition of a fly. And by that - I mean you need to define the type of hook, the type of acceptable materials a "fly" can use, if it is allowed to be weighted or not, etc.

I tie up flies on everything from your official "fly" hooks to jig hooks, to octopus hooks meant for the egg-slinging crowd. If I wrap half a rabbit skin (a natural material) around the shank of a jig hook (along with a nice trailing tail), then wrap some ice dubbing (artificial plastic material), then wind around a chicken feather (natural material), around the dubbing, then tie in dumbell eyes at the bend of the hook for weight, then wrap more dubbing, hackle feathers, or maybe some marabou in at the head and whip finish the whole mess - have I just created a bass/carp/pike fly - or did I just tie up a jig? If I cast that lure on my spinning rod - I'd call it a jig. If I cast it with my 8 weight fly rod, I'd call it a fly.

In fly fishing - the line weight is what sends the lure outbound to the fish, instead of the lure pulling the line outward. So for me - I would say that if you're fly fishing - you should be using a fly rod, with a fly line, a fly reel, and a fly lure and when you cast, you should at least be *able* to properly cast your lure or lures with a fly rod. The weight of the line should be what casts the lure setup.

If I put an indicator (bobber) on my line, with 5 split shot 12 inches above a nymph - I'm bobber fishing. I can bobber fish with a spin rod - but I can also bobber fish with a fly rod. I can cast that rig with my 4 weight properly, so I'd say it's still fly fishing. I'm using a fly rod, a fly reel, a fly line, fly leader, and an artificial fly. When I cast, my line is doing the work of carrying the lure. It's fly fishing. If I put that same rigging on my ultra light - I can cast it in the traditional manner, and I'm spin fishing at that point. Same tactics - one's fly fishing, one's not.

Or how about using a fly rod, reel, line, leader, and a light wire hook threaded through a nymph, grass hopper, or other natural insect or a worm. You're using 80% of the elements of fly fishing - and you're even using *real* flies for your flies - so is THAT fly fishing? I'd say it's bait fishing with a fly rod - which is very effective.

Casting a small tube jig with fly gear is not fly fishing, but if you incorporate the tube body into a fly using other materials - I'd say it's fly fishing again at that point...

Ultimately - who cares if you're having fun and not breaking any laws or regulations?

 

[eggs]

Fly fishing and fly roding are 2 different types of fishing.

 

[brandon4455]

i hope nobody took this post as a "i dont like it when people use flies with spinning rods" thats not what it was about... i have absolutely no problem with that at all.



thank you all for contributing





Brandon

 

[GDBrown]

For me fly fishing is when I have to concentrate so hard on what I'm doing with my rod and line that I can't think about anything else! It's the only way I can clear my mind of everything that I'm trouble with...... So, rod, fly line and artificial fly on the end. The reel may or may not be needed. Lately as most of you know I can't hold the rod as long as I use to so it is more stillwater fishing than rivers and streams but the idea is still the same. When you are doing it, you know what it is.

GD

P. S. Today I fished with a fly rod and streamer and caught a perch! Then I got the spinning rod and worm out and caught a bass. Both were enjoyable since the tug is the drug....

 

[troutdude]

i hope nobody took this post as a "i dont like it when people use flies with spinning rods" thats not what it was about... i have absolutely no problem with that at all.

thank you all for contributing

Brandon

No sweat Brandon...but, its good of you to mention that.