This is the hurdle that I point out to newbies that you have to overcome IF you want to be a good fly fisherman, and why so few are good fly fishermen, or fisher persons to not disregard the ladies that can become very good fly fisher persons. You have to get over.. I am out there to fish the most effective method, but will take my flyrod along with me, and say they are a fly angler. I know right away they are not a very good fly angler. You will find yourself amongst spin fishermen from time to time, and see them catching fish when you are not, and that can validate why you should be putting down the fly rod, and picking up your spin rod. It takes time to be a good fly angler..presentation is a big one to becoming a good fly angler, not just the casting skills that need to be developed...reading water, identifying what fish are feeding on, elimination of things can lead you to the right approach. There are times when the fly angler far out-fishes the spin guy. The fish want the bug, and the spin guy is throwing a flashy something or other that just spooks fish, but they do have a distinct advantage often of using a thin diameter line, and a wt.'d lure that gets their offering down quick when the fly guy can't get it down that effectively when the only way to catch fish is too get your lure deep. But it is in the fun of casting, and getting into the fish's world that sets a fly angler apart from most spin fishermen. It is not that the fight of the fish is more fun on a flyrod. Whenever I bring up fishing, and tell a fish story in HS class, and I do it often before starting a class, a common response pops up from the class.."My dad took me fishing once, and it was BORING! I sat there for a long time waiting for a bite." And I tell them I'm referring to a totally different kind of fishing..fly fishing, that is anything but boring. You are active, constantly trying to solve the riddle, picking up clues to the riddle like playing one of their I-pod games. But, there is a line I draw on fly fishing. I will not ONLY fish with the flyrod thinking I have to, or someone will discredit me from fishing via other ways. When it is cold, and I need to cast with a heavy sinking line, a heavy fly that many would deploy dumb-bell eyes, and maybe lead wire on the shank as well,.. I could easily pick up the spin rod concluding it is a much more comfortable way to fish. I stay much warmer, and the casting is even more fun then trying to sling a line/lure on a flyrod that is anything but fun just to say I was a fly fisherman. Take drift fishing for steelhead/salmon. You tick along the bottom highly tuned to what is going on determining a tick from a take...that keeps you highly motivated, and focused. I enjoy fishing that way with spin/baitcasting gear.

I ain't prejudice, I like it all.
But, come steelhead time, it's the flyrod.

Smerf, I think you're right, this board doesn't see much traffic. If this was another site, a dedicated flyfishing site that is, there'd be a lot more posting. As it is though, F&S is just about the only "mainstream" or all-around sporting publication that gives any play to fly fishing on a regular basis, and they have good writers in Cermele, Merwin, Deeter, and Romano. So, even if it's just a few people who post regularly, it's still an exchange of ideas and discussion. And like you, I learned quite a bit of what I know of fly fishing through books and the internet at first, then as you progress, stream time and experience take over. When I was a kid and trying to learn to fly fish, there was very little instruction available outside the basics, the old "10 to 2" casting stroke and soforth, so if you didn't know anybody to give hands-on instruction, it was easy to label fly fishing as too hard, and stick to spinning gear. So at the very least I guess, we have forums such as this to communicate ideas and info, and I look forward to seein' you on here!

jamesti, you are so right. There are so many aspects to fly fishing. Tying, casting, rod making, entomology, it goes on. I don't get tired of anything relating to fly fishing, much to the chagrin of my wife. The sport has a terrific body of literature dedicated to it as well. The spinning rod, or other methods have no appeal to me anymore. If people get over the idea that fly fishing is too complicated, and abandon the notion that they must catch fish, or a lot of fish, every time out, then the progression to "fly fisher" is begun. What matters to me, and I don't mean this to sound snobbish, is how I catch fish. I am tickled that we can catch fish on bits of fur and feathers wrapped on a hook, and nothing compares to feeling the pulse of life on the other end of the fly rod.

Also you should include first hand experiences of guiding. A book wouldn't be that hard to write because you can just write paragraphs and paragraphs off of the top of your head. DO IT! hahaha

Guys...If you read my book you'd have to buy a pair of chestwaders when you read it. It could get pretty deep!

you got that right sayfu haha

hey its very good info, whats better then that. sayu this off topic but you should write a book about politics, it be the "RIGHT" thing to do LOL

badsmerf...This flyfishing site is anything but a serious attempt to advance fly fishing. Look at the journalist model for this site...spinning gear applicable, promote real worm use, 3 Oprah Winfrey's highlighted. Few that visit this site know how to cast, or care, little knowledge of the insects that are the essence of our sport. A rather pathetic site if one wants to advance their knowledge of fly fishing, and skills involved.