Any Europeans here?
- This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Mar 22, 2007 at 9:19 pm by
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That’s interesting question: skills vs equipment.
About the skills:
I think the European fishermen developed local skills that are pretty effective. I think this is mainly because most european waters were isolated in terms of exchange of techniques etc. I mean all European countries have their trout filled waters, they just improved their technique for their own waters. Only the Dutch people had to go abroad since we don’t have mountains here. The isolated fishermen developed techniques that work with their specific conditions. There are basically several types of fisheries. I’d say British vs Scandinavian vs Baltic (incl. Poland) vs ‘mainland’.
Let me think & read about this and I might come back later with more.About the equipment:
You are right. The American fly fishing industry is miles ahead of the European. Maybe it’s because there are more fly fishermen in the US (= more business to be made). When I started fly fishing (mid 80’s) there were only two major brands I remember: Hardy and Orvis. Hardy somehow managed to stop their development. Maybe because of the economic low times during the late 80’s and up to mid 90’s. By then the US industry were miles ahead with technology. Mainly spin offs from the space industry?Also the English (other European countries were almost non-existent on fly fishing industry) aren’t known for their search for new idea’s & technologies. Look at the typical English car brands. They are all gone due to not evolving & improving their cars: Rover, MG, Rolls Royce, TVR, etc. They thought their old technology is still good enough. Well they are well proven, but the public wants better & more advanced cars! So all British cars are bankrupt or sold to foreign companies.
Jay
Started FF,ing at 8- thats 41 years ago(just became an old fart)- not because it was cool- but because that’s how fishing was done in my area. Wild Browns in small rivers. Upstream Clyde style patterns on long rods- cast of three flies, poking and proding in/under and around every rock/undercut and current seam.
Worked in one of Glasgow,s top fishing/hunting shops(Arthur Allan,s- gorgeous side by sides btw:)) as a kid, and had the pleasure of meeting and learning from some of the top blue collar FF,ers/Tyers in the area:).The diffs between NA and Euro are a few and have a number of sources. Here is a sampling, by no means all encompasing.
1- Many Euro FF,ers concentrate on specific fisheries. Ie -have home waters they know intimatley.
vs NA where many FF,ers explore moreNice view here Will.
I agree that most rods made for European fishing (like long lake rods or two handed rods) doesn’t appeal to or are usable for American & way of fishing in the US.
However most European use US made rods, much more than European ‘made’ rods because the US rods are much more advanced (latest technology) and plain sexy.
What I find surprising is how many fly fisherman in the US are mediocre in casting as well as fishing technique. The guiding business must be one of the reasons? Here we just figure it out ourself, no guide taking us to fish the streams.
Jay
Here we just figure it out ourself, no guide taking us to fish the streams.
Jay
Here in norway we have only ONE single troutstream who offers guided fishing, and the only reason i can come up with is because we are so few anglers here, and still so many great rivers, the guiding buisiness would be rather slow !
It’s the same thing in sweden and finland !
The most famous atlantic salmon rivers, like Alta & Namsen, of course offers guides though . . . !
And Zach, i totally agree with you about the european rods & reel stuff, that is, most of it is manufactered in asia ! The only exception is the Danielsson (former Loop) reels, who is still made in sweden, and now to a much better price than with the Loop logo !
These are fantastic reels, at least for those of us who prefer true LAYes, although I became a U.S. citizen in 2003. Came to Tennessee in 1994 and spent three seasons in the hills in order to catch a few. Can’t wait for my first fishing trip to Finland this summer.
Hi cowboys 😉
I am french, and live in Boston, MA since 2004.
I have been reading this board and dreaming with Zach pictures for months now (great job zach)
But this particular topic got me to register 🙂 . I have found this website because I love Scott rods… And Mac addicted…In France, we all dream about US made tackle, all the big names rods. I have to admit that for the reels loop/danielsson are a big favorite next to the italian Vivarelli semi-automatic that would look like coming from outerspace in the US.
I have to admit that I have been a gear freak since I arrived in Boston… (I keep telling my wife it is a lifetime investement….)About the technics, I agree with previous european posters comments, it’s all about fishing a lot just 1 or 2 streams all year long, then you end up with highly skilled fishermen but although highly specialized.
I have learned a lot since I am in the US, not specialy about small streams wild trout fishing, but much more about saltwater flyfishing (stripers…) and stillwaters (trout and black bass).
For me one of the biggest difference between usa and france trout flyfishing is the nymph fishing.
In France one single indicator on your line and you won’t see a fish an entire day. And something like “czech” nymphing is common and not really a new thing for us. This is one of the reason why the XP 10′ #4 has been a best seller over there.One funny thing I have noticed is that a lot of french fishermen dream about the beauty of american fisheries but usually forget that the unstocked waters that still hold fare amount of native wild fish are pretty rare compare to the size of the country.
Anyway it feels good to be part of the flyfishing world wide community 😎
Back again.
Competitive fly fishing in the EU brought to gether many fly fishers from different countries with in some cases levels of fly fishing skill that the others did not have.
For example, so far as fishing still waters and natural lakes the guys who came over from countries out side of the UK and Ireland were hammered in competition.
On the other hand when it came to fishing the Czech and Polish styles the guys from the UK were hammered, until they also began to learn the techniques.
I might add here that competitive fly fishing in the UK has a history going back more than 100 years to Loch Leven in Scotland, a lake l have fished very many times for pleasure and in international competition.It is now on a world wide level so far as competing countries are concerned.
OK, move on here.
For certain the use of fly fishing guides here is way more used than in the EU, with the exceptions of the Gillies that work the natural lakes of Ireland, the Atlantic Salmon rivers of the EU and a few more places.Many of the rivers here do not provide for easy walk in wade access to start with, and access may also be restricted further due to trespass laws. In some cases you have no choice to float a river if you wish to fish it.
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