Us locals love it when we are flinging jigs and bobbers into holes for steelhead, and a fly fisherman comes and wades out into the hole looking down his nose at us lowly cork soakers. Then proceeds to fly fish with a weighted fly that looks almost identical to our jigs, and an indicator that seems to work almost identical to our bobbers. Nothing against fly fisherman, I love to catch a fish on a fly rod on occasion myself. But this sense of higher being that a fly fisherman dressed in 1000 dollars worth of gear has towards the lowly local guy in his 10 dollar walmart flannel and his 20 dollar spinning combo has to stop. The same can be said for the way many archery hunters now act towards rifle hunters. We are all out there to enjoy the same thing, so don't think less of others if they choose a differnt rod or weapon. Use what makes you happy, and quite worrying about the other guy.

I'm really tired of the elitist attitudes of one group of "sportsmen" against the another. Especially the so called "purists". I've never seen the purist flyfisher forego thier high tech waders to go natural, (waderless). They always seem to have the higher priced rods instead of a willow branch, never using horse hair and a bent pin. exactly where is the line drawn? I thought the idea was to get out there and enjoy the outdoors. I'm all for a little good natured ribbing, been accused of dealing out a little myself. I think people should just step back a bit and chill out. Trying to elevate oneself above another about equipment or tactics ends up making some look like snobs and fools.

love them "spoon" flies for bruiser reds... Most other parts of the country we call them lures.

that bike has some seriously aggressive tires...

I know the answer to this one Deeter: stop nymphing... throw streamers.

Next topic?

Riceman

bobber fishing for steelhead? why the heck are you using a fly rod? just get a spinning rod and call it a day.

I only tried using indicators a couple of times. Not for any high and mighty reason, I just cast so poorly having an indicator in the middle of my tippet goes horribly wrong. Also alot of the streams I learned to flyfish on were very high gradient so nymphing was just casting into the roiling water and holding on for a voracious brookie to slam it like a bass on a crankbait.
I am guilty as charged when it comes to the "flure". Hell I got rattles tied into my deceivers trying to get a little extra attention from the Speckled Trout here in NC.

When someone asks why I am using an indicator, I reel it in and hang it in front of their eyes where they can clearly see that the batch of neon yarn has a hook attached to it ... and point out to them that it is a fly not a bobber.

I catch a surprising number of fish on that indicator, er... fly.

This falls into the same catagory as the CDC feathers and any fly that is mode of them. Give it a nice fancy french name for the high dollar roller, I still call it a ducks butt fly.

Deeter,
When I see a statement like this it makes me wonder what level of expertise the maker of such remarks has achieved, so here is a four question indicator test to see what level of indicator fisherman you really are.

1)DO YOU THINK THAT THE SHAPE OF AN INDICATOR MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE WHEN FISHING IT? If you do, then what is the best shape.

2) IF AN INDICATOR TURNS AROUND, DO YOU THINK IT MEANS ANY THING TO THE FLY FISHER? If so what could it possibly mean.

3) DO YOU THINK IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE IN HOW THE INDICATOR AND BUG LAND IN THE CURRENT?
A) THE NYMPH LANDS UPSTREAM OF THE INDICATOR.
B) THE NYMPH LANDS DOWNSTREAM OF THE INDICATOR.
C) THE NYMPH LANDS ACROSS THE STREAM FROM THE INDICATOR.
Which one is best and why.

It's All Fly Fishin'
Fox Statler