Really

[The_Sasquatch]

Serious question, although it may sound unintentionally snarky. At what point aren't you fishing anymore? I know we've talked about what qualifies and what doesn't qualify (euro-nymphing....JOKING!) as fly fishing, but what about this is fishing? I know, I know, "they call it fishin', not catchin'!"

But is this really fishing? I mean, what's the difference between this and kids throwing bread at goldfish, or my daughter feeding her aquarium, other than the fact that in those scenarios, we aren't psyching the fish out with fake food?

 

[pete41]

it proves that we can outwit some thing that has a brain far larger than we do,relatively speaking,no matter what our wives and kids think.

 

[McSneek]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Serious question, although it may sound unintentionally snarky. At what point aren't you fishing anymore?

At the point when you no longer have the ability to capture the fish as is the case with this whole concept of hook less flies.

 

[troutbert]

The_Sasquatch wrote:

But is this really fishing? I mean, what's the difference between this and kids throwing bread at goldfish, or my daughter feeding her aquarium, other than the fact that in those scenarios, we aren't psyching the fish out with fake food?

"We?"

"We" implies that we are actually fishing this way.

But no one on here has said that they do. I never have. And I've never met a flyfisher who said they fish that way.

I don't doubt that someone, somewhere does this. But probably extremely few people.

And, who is harmed by it? Not me. Nor anyone else that I can see.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/07/sports/outdoors-hookless-fly-fishing-is-a-humane-advance.html

I remembered that I'd seen an article on this "fad" back ,as they said in the 80"s. Take and tug fishing? not for me. I need a drag screaming ,head shaking, multi leaping Gemmie for my adrenaline rush. GG

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I didn't use "we" until I spoke of feeding goldfish bread or my daughter feeding her fish in her aquarium, and then I said "we aren't psyching fish out..."

But, that didn't answer the question. Does it count as fishing? I didn't ask about who its harming. The article directly calls this "fly fishing". My question is, is it fishing in ANY form at all?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

McSneek wrote:

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Serious question, although it may sound unintentionally snarky. At what point aren't you fishing anymore?

At the point when you no longer have the ability to capture the fish as is the case with this whole concept of hook less flies.

I tend to agree. Part of the challenge of fishing is not just getting the fish to take the fly/bait/lure. It's one thing to do that, it's another to land them!

 

[pcray1231]

Gg, if gemmies are making your drag scream, you need either thicker tipper or to tighten up your drag.

 

[FarmerDave]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Serious question, although it may sound unintentionally snarky. At what point aren't you fishing anymore? I know we've talked about what qualifies and what doesn't qualify (euro-nymphing....JOKING!) as fly fishing, but what about this is fishing? I know, I know, "they call it fishin', not catchin'!"

But is this really fishing? I mean, what's the difference between this and kids throwing bread at goldfish, or my daughter feeding her aquarium, other than the fact that in those scenarios, we aren't psyching the fish out with fake food?

Andy, it's way more effective if you post a snarky question and make it sound serious.;-)

My snarky response to your serious qhestion would be "who cares and why?" My serious sounding answer would be, it's up to the individual.

When I hit the central PA streams, it is common to see people just sitting around waiting to fish. Is that still fishing?

Growing up around much less fertile waters, I still have a hard time sitting around and waiting to fish. If you aint fishing, you aint catching. Then when I actually fish during these times, I get the looks. Sometimes it is a dirty look because I am jumping the gun, followed by people getting off their asses and wading, but still not fishing. Don't want to lose their spot I guess. Other times it is the more arrogant look, like I don't know what I am doing. But I don't care about any of that, either.

IN many years, I spend more time scouting, or just walking along streams than I do actually fishing. On Brook trout streams, I sometimes toss tiny pieces of wood in the water as a way of prospecting. What can I say, brook trout are stupid and will hit just about anything in less fertile streams as long as you don't spook them first. I suppose I could do the same thing with a hook-less fly, but it doesn't seem right. Maybe using a hookless fly on a crappie pole would be good fro prospecting. ;-)

Nope. If I don't intend to actually fish, I don't see a point in carrying any rod. But I'm old.

Hook-less flies are probably great for practicing in your front yard, but I don't do that, either. I "practice" on the water. The water is in my back yard.;-)

 

[pcray1231]

The sitting around waiting thing is a crowd issue.

Yeah, there are evening hatches/spinner falls and yeah drowning lead on a stretch of water prior to things getting going may lower your total catch there. That said, if crowds are reasonable, you nymph a stretch and then slide to a different stretch when things start up. It's only when it's packed that you have to make a decision. Cause by evening, you'll basically be stuck where you are.

Yes, it happens in less fertile waters too, spin or fly. First morning, guys are bank sitting by daylight, earlier if the water is popular. Yet can't wet a line till 8. They are holding what they hope to be a good spot. No difference. A central pa major hatch on a weekend and one of the major streams is the fly fishing equivalent of opening day, and the starting gun doesn't sound till the bugs do.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

On my 2wt Pcray. If I ever find one to do that. GG

 

[pete41]

so if everyone is fishing up stream to match the hatch its okay to wade downstream with your hookless fly as you aren't really fishing,just practicing casting while protecting the resources ? As long as you make that clear should be no problem..

 

[ryansheehan]

It would be very interesting(not that I'm for it) to see the results a no hook stream section would yield on wild trout. I don't feel like they would be much different from ffo section but who knows.

 

[pcray1231]

Every stream is different.

But in general I don't think the effect on the wild trout would be much different than ffo, alo, or all tackle c&r. Heck, for that matter, throw in Trophy Trout.

 

[FarmerDave]

I'm thinking if I was using hookless flies, nearly every trout that hit the fly will be wild. Prove me wrong.

 

[Vaughn]

With no evidence to dispute that claim, I'll have to agree

 

[PennypackFlyer]

I drive a car, I walk across Roosevelt Blvd every day, I have a wife. And here some are concerned with the stress on a fish from a little pointed thing that probably feels like a bee sting! Hell, give me the bee sting any day!

What I don't like to see is fish with a length of line sticking out of their mouths because someone deep hooked them and did'nt think it's important to cut the line close to the fishes mouth before releasing them.

 

[MD_Gene]

I agree with Davidfin. We are a bumbling species. I have to add though, we do contribute to the betterment of the fish if we practice conservation. I have been a member of TU and other fishing organizations and we do positive things to improve the habitat for the fish. Hopefully Trout in the Classroom will have a positive affect on the importance of clean water in future generations.

 

[DriftingDunn]

PennypackFlyer wrote:
What I don't like to see is fish with a length of line sticking out of their mouths because someone deep hooked them and didn't think it's important to cut the line close to the fishes mouth before releasing them.

I trimmed about six inches of tippet that was sticking out of a deep-hooked fly-caught a few days ago.