What is it that you get out of fly fishing?

[Lkyboots]

I've been fly fishing so long I can't remember why. I can say that being a sportsman I evolved to FF with mostly using bamboo rods because it's not the numbers anymore it's the quality. It's the same with me hunting, I love hunting with homemade self bows and handmade cedar arrows. I squirrel hunt with a self bow, cedar arrows and stone points. I've killed a couple and that's enough.

I don't catch a lot of fish but the ones I catch are on my hand tied flies and my 30 plus year old Orvis boo Rod. Throw in a nice Rocky Patel cigar and I'm good.lol

 

[Bruno]

It is one of the few things in my life that makes me believe in a Higher power.

Being on the stream watching the birds, bugs and fish all participating in nature's dance. Ain't no brick an mortar church can compare IMO.

 

[Acristickid]

A great deal.

Fly fishing taught me patience.

Fly fishing has taken me to the most beautiful places.

Fly fishing makes me focus on the moment and forget about all my cares. (this is almost priceless)

Fly fishing has provided me many friends.

Fly fishing makes me care about the environment more.

Fly fishing made me volunteer.

Fly fishing makes me daydream and provides so many opportunities to look forward to the future.

Fly fishing is totally awesome in so many ways.

Oh, and the fishing is pretty cool too.

 

[Talio]

I've got one of those brains that just never stops. Million miles an hour all day, 4 or 5 different lines of thought going in my head at any one time. I'm fairly crazy for a person who maintains a serious career. Being in nature helps this for some reason. I feel better out there than in town. Fly fishing gives me a reason to get out there. I can only take in scenery for so long. I need to be doing something. Fly fishing is such an immersive, technical experience that it just shuts everything down in my head and I focus entirely on this thing. It's like it's taking me on adventures rather than the other way around.

 

[Bruno]

I also like watching my friends fall in it makes me smile.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

big brown trout

 

[Swattie87]

Small, but tasty Brook Trout.

 

[JackM]

NewSal wrote:
Being able to participate in the same forum as JackM is the only reason I fly fish

Great answer! All the answers were good and I agree. It was touched upon a little, but just like knitting, for instance, it is a mindless repetitive task to cast a fly rod. It puts the mind in a certain dream-like state. All the other aspects, such as great visuals, knowledge of the interaction of forces of nature, puzzling out how to succeed, relatively, the sound of running and tumbling water, the smell of the great outdoors, birds chirping, screeching, feeding, etc., just facilitates the quiet meditative rhythm of the fly cast. This is why I can enjoy all those other facilitators, but feel incomplete with a spinning rod.

 

[mcwillja]

chicks dig the long cast

 

[Swattie87]

mcwillja wrote:
chicks dig the long cast

And the Euro nymph guys with the long rods and leaders.

 

[bikerfish]

flyfishing is one of the few things that can make me forget EVERYTHING else going on in my life at that moment. Only the mountains, streams, and fish exist, everything else vanishes.

Skiing does the same.

 

[phiendWMD]

Mostly it's about not hearing cars, lawnmowers, phones ringing, or the TV. And just being able to focus on something that distracts me from everything I have to deal with otherwise.

I enjoy being alone in the forest far enough away that there is no human noise or contact. Catching fish is great. If I don't catch fish that is ok too. I'm just as happy to sit on a rock in the water or do what I call hiking with a fly rod. Which means I get geared up and go to the water but spend more time walking than I do fishing.

 

[pete41]

phiendWMD wrote:
Mostly it's about not hearing cars, lawnmowers, phones ringing, or the TV. And just being able to focus on something that distracts me from everything I have to deal with otherwise.

I enjoy being alone in the forest far enough away that there is no human noise or contact. Catching fish is great. If I don't catch fish that is ok too. I'm just as happy to sit on a rock in the water or do what I call hiking with a fly rod. Which means I get geared up and go to the water but spend more time walking than I do fishing.

wow,just found my long lost twin----