Billy Belsom
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I would also look at Ian Rutter’s more recent book, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Angler’s Companion:
I was “lucky” enough to have broken the tip section of my Sage Xi2 in December. Apparently not too many rods being sent back that time of year. So, Sage was able to repair mine pretty quickly, around 2 weeks or so. Dunno if this is typical, but the time of year may influence the turnaround.
General information with some good links:
Eric,
Bingo. “The Evil Empire” as some would say. I have enjoyed fishing their lighter weight small stream rods, and was surprised that the Zero-Gs are some sweet-to-cast saltwater rods. So if their rods suit you don’t pay attention to the bias.
bb
😕 Busted! Yes, Zach, I am a recovering lawyer. As of Dec. 31st (3 weeks ago) I “retired” from 12 years of practice as a commercial litigator here in Baton Rouge. I am taking some time to travel, hone my spanish, fish, learn some computer skills, and tinker with a small business until I figure out what to do when I grow up!
For a long time I enjoyed the work and the camaraderie of the law, and I sincerely hope you do the same.
Â
~BillyZach,
I think you are setting up a straw man and knocking him down here. The survey clearly states that it is gauging “Participants in Fly Fishing”. The survey does not state a definition of “participation”, but from the results it seems clear that someone who only made one fly-fishing trip a year did “participate” in the sport. The respondents did not necessarily identify themselves as fly fishermen. Â They probably (although it is not entirely clear) just stated the number of times they went fly fishing in 2005.
So, to question whether those people are justified in calling themselves “fly fishermen” is like setting up the straw man in order ot knock him down. The conclusion I draw from the survey is that there are more people merely dabbling in the sport. Â I don’t mean to be so argumentative. Ultimately you hit the nail on the head when you state in your second post “In that sense I guess they are people who ‘go fly fishing’ but they are not people who ‘are fly fishers.'” The survey never purports to count fly fishers, only those who participated in the sport. I am not sure that any survey can give us the information to identify true fly fishers; it can only identify participants. Â And, for marketing purposes, that may have to be enough.
Now, if you are looking for our definition of fly fishers, I suspect that the exercise of identifying who “qualifies” as a fly fishermen is a moot exercise, subject to our arbitrary feelings about who is a fly fisherman. Does it measure Casting skill? Fly-tying expertise? Actual fishing experience? Enthusiasm? Opportunity? Conservation-mindedness? Mental illness? 😀 Â
All of these things may contribute to one’s definition of a fly fisherman, but are they each necessary? Is any one attribute sufficient?  My answer is no to both.  They might describe what kind of fly-fisherman he is – your cocktail guest is an infrequent fly fisherman, GBurgFisher’s Orvis-clad jerk was an obnoxious fly fisherman, and Carter is a profligate fly fisherman  ;). Â
Zach, or anyone else on the board, have you cast the shorter version of the G2, the 7’7″”? Looking for a shorter rod to fish the Smokies on backpacking trips. I borrowed a 7’6″ last time and really liked the shorter rod for the tight casting.
Hmm . . . sounds like phase one of OSFFD (Off-Season Fly Fishing Disorder):
Just kidding guys.
I also use the mountainsmith tour and am very pleased with it. Holds everything I need for fishing, and the straps are the perfect size to hold my rolled-up rainjacket under the pack.
For outdoor use, the cat’s meow IMHO is the Garmin Rhino 530 – in addition to the mapping software, it has a two way radio, and if you fishing partner has one, it will display not only your location but your partner’s location as well. Very nice for spreading out on smaller fishing waters. Plus altimeter, barometer, etc. Not sure but I bet there is some sort of holder to fix the thing on your dashboard. Good price on Amazon, but still high. The 520 is similar with a b & w display.
In this order:
L.L. Bean’s Guide to Flyfishing by Dave Whitlock
Curtis Creek Manifesto by Sheridan Anderson
Trout Bum by John Gierach
Dave Whitlock’s Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods by (you guessed it) Dave Whitlock
Seasons of a Fisherman by Roderick Haig-BrownLots of great information presented in different styles in these books. You should probably pick up a book aimed at whatever region/species you plan on fishing most, so you can pick up some practical advice on techniques and fly selection. I guess that would make six – oh well.
And don’t forget to put down the books and fish!
BB
EDIT: Looks like we cross-posted, Wes. Used booksellers through Amazon.com are generally reliable in my limited experience.
My family did me right as well:
Patagonia Great Divider bag
C&F Fly Box
Orvis Stripping Basket
Gift certificate to my local shop, using it for a Lamson Litespeed 3.0 reel for light saltwaterWe are all lucky to have such generous friends and family . . .
I am sure he means “go-to” rods?
Salt Marsh: Sage Xi2 9′ 8-wt.
Rivers: Sage XP 9′ 5-wt.
Streams: Orvis Silver Label 7.5′ 4-wt.
