What turns my crank....

[nvr2L8]

After a couple of years of fly fishing now, I have come to one conclusion as to why I fly fish and this conclusion came from discovering what is not my motivation in the sport.

I have read a number of books on fly fishing. I have read several John Girach books that convey his unending joy for fly fishing, the humor, the excitement, the enjoyment of good friends who share his passion. And then there have been a couple of books that kind of made my head hurt. They go in depth into the technical aspects of fly fishing and it's like the difference between reading a good novel and studying a math book.

What I have learned is that the question of "Why I fly fish" is strictly for the pure and joyful recreation of it. I started way too late in life to try to get too technical with it. I'm catching fish and for me, that's enough. Someone else may catch 25 trout in a stream where I catch 5 but that's OK by me. I don't want to over analyze, I don't want to calculate, I don't want to take a perfectly good leader, cut off the last 18 inches and replace it with something else. I learn something almost everytime I go and it's more by trial and error than by process decomposition.

Give me a beautiful stream on any day and a couple of willing fish and that's enough for me. I'll never write a book, I'll never be a guide, I'll never be the guru of Smoky Mountain fly fishing; but, by golly, nobody will have more fun. And that's why I fly fish.

[caught 108]

Nicely said nvr2L8 thats one of my reasons also.{Because its fun}

[Treecatcher2]

"too late to get too technical" and only interested in having what I consider "simple fun". I know others get their fun being technical or looking the part or catching the most but I enjoy being out fishing. The casts aren't perfect and most of the time they are being made on streams that have been stocked (the horror!) and big trips are not made to Chile but to the Smokies.

The fun of this activity (others may take the serious approach necessary to call it a sport but I don't fall into that group) is the fact that it can be so many things to so many people with a range of demands from their pursuit.

Hope to run into you NVR2L8 out there some time because I agree "Give me a beautiful stream on any day and a couple of willing fish and that's enough for me".

[BlueRaiderFan]

I read a lot on the technical aspects and try and apply it, but I don't get hung up on the fact that PlateuaAngler and others outfish me every week...Dang it.... I learned a long time ago that there are plenty of people in each activity that I participate in that are better than me. I don't think I've ever been more that average at anything in my life, except maybe drinking beer and I even quit that.

[ALflygirl]

Well said Charlie!

[Hal M]

Right on Charlie B!! Throw in a cold Pepsi and a chicken biscuit while sitting on a rock and taking in all nature has to offer. It just dosen't get any better.

Hal M