Andrew Barclay
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Quick Question.
Were the films the same that were hosted over on the drake’s site (http://www.drakemag.com/pages/film_2006.shtml)?Zach I think you are correct in pointing out this surveys big failing is its failure to identify the dabblers. They do manage to cover up though, in their meticulous use of the term “fly fishing participants”. These are not necessarily fly fishers; they are those who participated in fly fishing over the past year – which could be one time.
You know, its really pretty interesting to consider exactly what is meant by announcing to someone that you are a fly fisher (and I don’t think there should be any criteria assigned here). Even though I agree that this is not a conversation based upon the concept of us vs. them, I do think that the way we perceive ourselves as fly fishers has some “us and them mentality” to it. Most of the people we are talking about take advantage of this perceived elitism, but the mentality is there even for those who do not. To say that you are anything, is in itself, a pretty big statement. Statements like these take on a life of their own outside the definitions of the words used. Take football for example. To say that you are a football player, means more than just someone who plays football…no matter how many times a year you do it. If anyone over the age of 25 told me they were a football player, I would start wondering what team they played for. Same goes for fly fishing. If you say you are a fly fisher, you are placing yourself in the group of those who fly fish (us) distinguished against those who don’t (them).
Steelhyde- I think I met your central park fisher when I was twelve. It was my first day fly fishing and this guy made fun of me and my dad for using the wrong fly and rod when we asked him what he was using. That guy almost ruined me for life. I remember very clearly that he had orvis waders. I spent the whole day trying to figure out how they kept water out since he was wearing waders and boots, and my boots were a part of my waders.
This whole thing has really got me wondering how many times I fish in a year…but all I can come up for as an answer is not enough.
For written material, I would suggest Ted Leesons and Jim Schollmeyers Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying.
