The Fashionable Frequent Flyers

I have always been a firm believer that you cannot judge anything unless you’ve had a chance to experience it for yourself. All the time, I hear people say that a particular thing is “too hard” or “boring” or “takes too long” etc. etc., all the while they’ve never given the thing they are judging a chance. Half of the people that learn I’m an avid golfer always have that perplexed look on their face–like “isn’t that boring for a fast-paced guy like you?” I always assure them, it’s not — golf is about skill, patience, concentration, resilience, and is actually a pretty decent workout. I, of course, reassure them that I play ball too (lol), but I love all sorts of different sports and activities. It is this open-mindedness that led me to try flyfishing — and I’m here to tell all of y’all, I am completely enamored with it.

What is flyfishing and what makes it different from regular fishing? Rather helpfully, flyfishing is exactly what it sounds like — fishing using artificial flies that are cast with a flyrod. Flyfishing takes place in shallow rivers and primary targets predatory fish like trout or salmon. The main difference between fly fishing and spin or bait fishing is that in fly fishing the weight of the line carries the hook through the air, whereas in spin and bait fishing the weight of the lure or sinker at the end of the monofilament or braided line gives casting distance. So, here’s how it typically works — you get yourself geared up, which means: boots, waders, flyrod, your array of flies, and your wit. Before you step foot into the water, you have to learn how to cast!! Casting is basically just tossing the line on your flyrod into the water. There’s a certain technique involved–a certain “flick of the wrist” if you will and once you have mastered that, you’re ready to kick it in the river.

For the most part, fly fishers tend to roll out solo and enjoy the solitude of the river. Flyfishing is also catch and release, which means that once you’ve captured your trout or salmon, you get to take a picture with it and then toss that baby back into the river. The point is NOT for sustenance or to obtain trophies, therefore damaging the fragile ecosystem in which these species live. It’s actually just a sport — fly fishers do it for fun of it, the thrill of reeling one of those bad boys in, and then letting the fish go and live its life. I’m still a newbie and have only been on two outings; however, I have caught two brook trout, so I can safely say I am learning. My interest grew so large that I visited the Fly Fishing Museum in Manchester, Vermont, where I got to learn about the history of the sport as well as a ton about flies. If you don’t know, on your flyfising outing, you basically go out with an assortment of various flies when you go fishing — each with its own unique features and each with their own ability to attract the predatory fish in the river. It really is quite fascinating (at least to me)!

Finally, flyfishing isn’t just a male-dominated sport. There are several prominent female fly fishers, including Joan Wulff, who became a spokeswoman for the sport in the 1950s in the United States. Fly fishing is also a global sport–its not just limited to the United States or Europe. In fact, (and perhaps this may be less surprising), I have flyfished in two different locations across the globe — one time in the Catskills in NY and the other in Lindis Pass, New Zealand. I can’t wait to keep exploring and flyfishing in other parts of the country and world. I’m excited to get out in the Midwest and in certain parts of Europe. That’s all I got for y’all! Thank you for reading — let me know in the comments whether you’d try flyfishing.

Check out other posts in Justin’s adventure corner.