Reinventing the Wheel

[Lkyboots]

Many, many years ago someone tied some feathers or fur on a hook. He got a pole and tied on some line and caught a fish. Some time later someone had a idea and added a reel to the pole. Here we are many years later and we're still tying feathers and fur on a hook, using a pole, reel, and line and are still catching fish. Over the years have we really improved the sport of fly fishing or are we trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[afishinado]

This thread, the "Bro" thread as well as so many other threads and articles about fly-fishing I read seem to find fault in some way about how some anglers approach the sport of fly-fishing.

If one likes new things and tech stuff in FFing...great!

If another fly angler finds pleasure in tradition and traditional equipment more power to them!

Enjoy Fly-fishing anyway you want to...

and let everyone enjoy and have fun fly-fishing the way they want to....

No one should should ever lose sight of the fact that the whole idea of it all is to have fun!....doing things the way that give you the most pleasure.

 

[Tigereye]

Read a book once called something like "the illusion of novelty in fly fishing and fly tying"

Basically the books states that we continue to come full circle in both. No new flies just variations of old stand-bys.

Where I think modern fly "fishing" is changing is the emphasis on nymph fishing and its myriad of variations. But it too is going full circle. And I know this is sacrilege, but is an indicator any different than a bobber? Full disclosure, I use them.

In the end it is fishing. please have fun out there.

 

[3oh4]

If you’re not trying to re-invent the wheel I feel sorry for you as a fly tyer. Being able to be creative and having the hope that what you just came up with is going to be your next best fly pattern is an awesome concept.

 

[Lkyboots]

Not trying to ruffle any feathers but having fun is what I'm getting at. In all the advances in fly fishing it's still a pole, reel, line and a fly. You can use all the new techniques or change the length of your leader and use a longer pole but it's still fly fishing.

If you check my fly box most of the flies I use are definitely original because I'm self taught. I wonder how much different they are than those tied a hundred years ago.

Chill out fly fishing brothers this isn't a personal attack.l don't care if you shoot flies out your arse and hold your pole with you foot as long as your having fun.

 

[pete41]

back in my day cat gut leaders,silk fly lines and hickory wood poles were so much more enjoyable to use than the modern junk it would be better if everyone stayed home ...Same goes for canoe'ers,kayakers [sp]--nude nubile nymphette's are always welcome to share the pools with me if they want to bath... progress-bah humbug.
Anyone who remembers that movie where the three jail breakers were down by the river would agree.[tic]

 

[tomgamber]

So Pete what was the limit on coelacanth back then?

 

[redietz]

Lkyboots wrote:
Over the years have we really improved the sport of fly fishing or are we trying to reinvent the wheel.

I've often said that the history of fly fishing is the history of re-inventing the wheel. Invent dry flies, and wet flies became passe, so Skues had to re-package them as "nymphs". When Skues' nymphs became bottom draggers, we had to invent "emergers" and "cripples". I saw an article just this month in a British fly fishing magazine where the author was explaining his "new" technique of fishing a fly above by using a point fly as anchor. (That's how wet flies were fished for thousands of years.) I guess all this gives us something to talk about, but if you're just trying to catch fish, the techniques have been there all along.

 

[jacob]

He got a pole and tied on some line and caught a fish. Some time later someone had a idea and added a reel to the pole. Here we are many years later and we're still tying feathers and fur on a hook, using a pole, reel, and line and are still catching fish. Over the years have we really improved the sport of fly fishing or are we trying to reinvent the wheel.

I myself have never used a fly pole

So Pete what was the limit on coelacanth back then?

^ that was awesome

 

[Gone4Day]

After thorough numerical modeling, rigorous computer simulation and abundant real-world calibration, we’ve determined the wheel works significantly better if you round off the corners.

We recommend continued funding for this promising area of research.