I'm not going to argue the hockey player angle with you because on balance, you're right. But it is interesting to note that the best, bar none, fly angler from another professional sport (as well as one of the best ever, full stop) is Teddy Ballgame.

This post is un-American and will no doubt land Deeter on an FBI watch list. Hockey better than baseball?... You've fallen and hit your head.

Baseball players make better 2 sport athletes due to the passive nature of the game. Unless you are a pitcher or a catcher, you are not tired after a game or practice which allows you to pursue other things.

Dangle, You would have been proud of me this weekend. Had the bass boat out in the heavy winds and high waves casting a 10 ft 7wt to bass. Extreme fishing at it's best. I might be old but I still do dumb things.

A couple years ago the Ted Williams family auctioned off some of his personal items including his personal fly fishing gear. I had my eye on his fly tying desk. The desk was all beat up and warn from years of abuse but I missed the auction and it went for a paltry $2500. Still kicking myself.

Tree, Age certainly adds obstacles to the fly fisherman's day. I should write a book of suggestions for the aged fly fisher. Tips on how to get your waders down before peeing your pants or how to tie a knot by feel alone.

Don't agree with your assessment of basketball players as potential fly fishermen. While throwing up some jumpers in the driveway yesterday it occurred to me that Steve Nash, Stephen and Dell Curry, Ray Allen, and other great shooters would easily pick up fly fishing. Great hand-eye coordination and thousands of hours developing the perfect rhythm and release.

I am a Salmon Fly Fishing guide up in Canada. I will agree Hockey players have great hand eye.... But there is a one Legend up here on the Beautiful Miramachi River everyone knows of. He isnt a hockey Player, he isnt even Canadian. All my life Ive heard stories of a man who could throw a fly clear across the large river. Left fielder Ted Williams, apparently he was a avid Flyfisher who returned year after year to fish the Salmon.
https://vimeo.com/6694640#

Us northern boys love hockey and idolize Gordie Howe

Dangle, The Rocket was Maurice Richard, not Andre. Actually, I shouldn't say "was" since he might still be alive; I think I saw him the last time Hockey Night in Canada had one of their old-timer tributes before a game.

Yeah, on both counts Buck. I think Ted's surviving daughter finally decided to empty out a storage space with all kinds of stuff. I missed it too.

And regarding not wearing glasses, typos are a bummer but not nearly the bummer of thinking you are cinching a knot only to watch your fly, hardware, hook, rig etc fall to the ground (or into the water).

I'd rather idolize those Canucks with the KOOOOL names like Andre' (the rocket) Richard. Sounds a whole lot better than Gordie Howe. Gordie sounds like a kid that sat in the front row of his class with his hand up all the time.

Most all athletes, especially the ones that have played multiple sports could easily be good fly anglers. They've got the entire package, and especially the mental approach to staying focus on the task at hand.

I would have guessed the "Spendid Splinter" since I knew he fished the Miramachi River. But it doesn't take a Ted Williams to be an excellent caster/fly angler. It takes a commitment, and time on the water. The motor skill of casting doesn't take that much time to learn. Reading water, and what to focus on takes far more time, and that just takes time, and a commitment. I was a freshwater guide for years for everything from Salmon/steelhead to rainbows, and cutthroat trout, and the best I ever fished with was a basketball player from Davidson Univ., a starting guard in his day, and ORIENTALS! I don't think I EVER fished an ORIENTAL that wasn't an exceptional fly angler...their focus is beyond good. Where they are focused on their line, and presentation, and not blinking, an American caucasian is trying to cast, and drink a beer at the same time.

Matt! Thank you for the correction! I have said that hockey players name over, and over to myself over time liking the name besides his outstanding play. I should have known better! I know little about the rules of hockey, and never watch a game during the season. But get into the playoffs like they are now?....I watch! I luv the spirit of competition, and the Stanley Cup brings all of that out.

Dangle, One of these days I going to figure out why you have an ax to grind with Deeter. Until then I'm just going to assume "folks just need that in their lives".

Dangle, check out this months magazine for your loop to loop answer.

Dangle, you reason like a guy who can only read if it's out loud and I'm left to assume that the incoherence of your argument is from the resulting cloud of Polident.

Williams is considered the greatest, inter alia as a fly angler because he fished for everything with everybody everywhere over many decades in the kinds of places where people know the difference. Is it possible that somewhere in some insular, Tasaday-like backwater there resides the Jimmy Chitwood of fly anglers (who also happens to be pro at something else), capable of nicking a pimple on a flea's tit from 60 feet whilst blindfolded after a goblet of hard cider AND that no one's heard of? Sure, it's possible. But very unlikely.

If you disagree re: Williams, name another pro athlete regarded by those in the know, those within the fly fishing community, who is considered a superior angler, rather than continually hopping the curb every time you try to park.

Deeter,

You should look up our old TV color man in Buffalo, Jim Lorentz. He took up the sport while playing for the Sabres and eventually became so obsessed with Atlantic Salmon it hastened his retirement so that he wouldn't have to leave Nova Scotia during the best runs. I believe he also authored a book on the subject. Great guy, too.

So you think he was the greatest..Ted Williams, without knowing the thousands upon thousands of athletes that have participated in fly fishing without knowing almost all of them. Incredible how the mind works. If you want Ted Williams to be the best go for it. Folks need that in their lives I guess.

For Buckhunter's info..Of course Deeter brought up the topic just for discussion. And to say Ted Williams is the best is foolhearty in my opinion of course, because there is no critiria to judge anyone as the best fly angler. Williams is a Hall of Famer we are proud to accept as a flyfiserman. And I did describe Williams very accurately.
For treelimits answer as to who I think is the best athlete/flyfisherman...and it would be foolhearty again to say he is the best, but....and based on what I know about athletes I would say golfers have more credible flyfisherman in their sport, and Andy Mills, the Olympic Skier is the best fly angler. Mills has spent countless hours flyfishing for one thing. He lived and often fly fished in the Rocky Mt. region. Mills had his own fly fishing show as an athlete/celebrity fly fisherman, AND. Sports Illustrated wrote an article on Mills as the very best Tarpon Fisherman on the highly competitive Tarpon Tournament Trail. Mills is driven to be the best Tarpon fisherman from hooking big taron to landing big tarpon. If I am not mistaken Deeter may have even interviewed Mills, and his prowess as a Tarpon Angler. I attempted to bring up Mills on Rimano's Florida Tarpon subject, but Rimano posts "who cares?..no one cares" But back to the loop to loop thing! One poster posted what a great subject it was. Why? Because of the info provided that anglers can actually use! Deeter pointed out the problems he had with loop to loop connections in the past. One of the major problems is how you connect your looped leader to the looped flyline!!! Why not offer that info? Let's get some meaningful discussions on this thread, and not just what Buckhunter says is the reason he reads them...because of the humorous posts. It is like pulling teeth to provide good info to anglers that could benefit from good info on this thread. Wazzup with that?

This week is the Memorial Golf Tourney in Dublin, OH. Jack Nicklaus' designed course, and Jack is a member..I got to play a round of golf on the course, so it will be very special for me watching the tournament. Back when I played the course the city was called Upper Arlington. And how good ae today's players? Incredibly accurate, and able to hit it long, and straight. Most now have physical trainers brought on by Tiger Woods, and his super athleticism. You can imagine how they can be good fly anglers...Mark O'Mera, David Duvall. Duvall was used in Caba'les' ads in their catalog.