Fly Fishing

Oregon_OwlII said:
My brother uses a fly rod and traditionally casts to get his hook out 50 or so feet. On that hook is a small mealy worm grub as he goes after trout stocked in a small lake. Is he fly-fishing? I think he is.
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If you describe it as "bait fishing with a fly rod," people will understand what he's doing.

If you say that he's "fly fishing," people will misunderstand what he's doing.
 
wildtrout2 said:
In my opinion, to be fly fishing you have to be using a fly rod/reel/line AND a fly. Seems pretty simple to me.
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Yeah but........

We all agree that a fly reel just holds the line and is not really that integral to cast or retrieve.

Long leaders are used especially in monorig setups. Fly line never really leaves the real. Indy rigs even use floats and usually a small sinker or two. Airlock and thingamabobbers are glorified bobbers.

Which leaves us with the rod. With all the various configurations, what defines a fly rod vs spin cast?

And lastly what's the difference between a squirmy wormy and say a rubber worm or Mr. Twister.

I really think the whole concept is nebulous. Fish within the rules and your fine and have fun. I really don't judge or care how or what you use. My fishing partner of 35 years fishes minnows with a minnow rig. ( single hook in head, treble in flank and treble in tail). That by all accounts is purely bait fishing.

Do not consider this post a hard line on either method. I'm trying to come up with a clear definition myself on what constitutes FF. Hell, when salmon fishing I admit I am unapologetically flossing, which technically isn't even fishing.
 
Tigereye said:
I'm trying to come up with a clear definition myself on what constitutes FF.
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And, that's what I did in my post. It defines what "I believe" to be fly fishing. Everyone views things in a different manner. So, fish the way you please, as long as it's within the bounds of the law, I'm okay with it.
 
I feel like the law that defines how you are allowed to fish in a FLYFISHING ONLY section would be enough.

For me: If there is bait on the end you are bait fishing. If there is a fly on the end you are fly fishing. If there is a weighted treble on the end you are snagging. If there is a spear on the end yiu are spear fishing. The only one that I can think of that doesn't follow is Bow fishing where you connect with the fish with an arrow and not the bow.
 
Tigereye said:
I like your answer and agree. But being devils advocate here, what would fishing with a fly be? That is a wet fly on a spinning rod with a bobber.

Is there a difference between fly fishing and fishing with a fly? It seems that the former (equipment based) is the most widely held concept. The latter is contingent on what is used as a "lure".

Alot of nuance here.
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Again, depends on the definition. I have fished with a fly on the business end of spinning equipment. I never thought I was fly-fishing, but I did think that using flies was an effective methodology.
 
When I posted this, I new there would be many answers. I read the post fly rod, fly reel, line ,and fly. Is fly fishing. If you brake it down it's still foggy. Define a fly rod: is a spin rod with a fly reel and fly line a fly rod? Is a sinking line or a euro line a fly line? Or does a line have to float to be a fly line ? The hardest is what is a fly ? Is a Joe Fly a fly , a squirmy wormy , glow bug, how about mop fly , or just thread on a hook ? You see no matter how you fish it's all FISHING and the only thing that matters is you enjoying it.
 
stashe said:
When I posted this, I new there would be many answers. I read the post fly rod, fly reel, line ,and fly. Is fly fishing. If you brake it down it's still foggy. Define a fly rod: is a spin rod with a fly reel and fly line a fly rod? Is a sinking line or a euro line a fly line? Or does a line have to float to be a fly line ? The hardest is what is a fly ? Is a Joe Fly a fly , a squirmy wormy , glow bug, how about mop fly , or just thread on a hook ? You see no matter how you fish it's all FISHING and the only thing that matters is you enjoying it.
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It is all fishing. And the line between categories can sometimes be blurred at the edges.

But people will still continue to use terms such as fly fishing, spin fishing, bait fishing. And people will continue to have fly fishing shows, fly fishing classes, publish books and magazines on fly fishing. and have fly fishing websites. That's not going away.
 
I think this Is real fly fishing.


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troutbert said:
It is all fishing. And the line between categories can sometimes be blurred at the edges.

But people will still continue to use terms such as fly fishing, spin fishing, bait fishing. And people will continue to have fly fishing shows, fly fishing classes, publish books and magazines on fly fishing. and have fly fishing websites. That's not going away.
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Correct, it is all fishing. However, what defines fly fishing is very simple and only becomes blurred by those seeking to blur. there is no need to get into what is a fly rod or fly reel or what leader material is. Does the line carry the fly or does the fly carry the line. One simple question is all that is needed for a crystal clear understanding of the question.
 
POOPDECK SAYS......."Does the line carry the fly or does the fly carry the line. One simple question is all that is needed for a crystal clear understanding of the question"


Post of the year. BINGO
 
tomgamber said:
you could but you'd be incorrect. Once you remove fly and add bait, you are not flyfishing. that's the point.
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But what about when I put a small float on for casting weight and fish a fly on a spinning rod? I've done this every year for kids because I don't want to bother with bait and whatnot. Is that fly fishing since I'm using a fly?

According to #112, that is not flyfishing and I'd have to agree.

What is flyfishing again?
 
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