What I am noticing

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Aug 28, 2008

Now I expect to get all sorts of insulting comments on this thread, but what matter - here goes:

It has been said that fly fishing attracts older people amongst us, and judging by the average age of the anglers on my local reservoir yesterday, this seems to be true.

Certainly young anglers are not inclined to take to fly fishing like they did years ago. It is the one style of fishing where you cannot become an instant, like you can with carp or barbel fishing for example.The reason for this is that manual dexterity has to be learned!

Oh I know that you have to learn to cast a 4 oz lead and bolt rig, or even a feeder, but most canacquire those sorts of skills a day. Not so with casting a fly. It can take years to become really skilled and proficient and young anglers taking up the sport want none of that!

As a man grows older, he acquires certain skills. He also learns to be more patient with himself and certainly doesn't mind if he blanks a few times. But with young anglers, out soon comes the dummy and the tantrums -I've seen it.

But it's a shame in a way, we need more people to take up fly fishing because if they don't there will be few waters for us fly fishing enthusiasts to fish in the future.

And one thing that is attractive to most older anglers about fly fishing is that you don't have to carry loads of gear around with you.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Aug 28, 2008

A very true observation Ron.

I'd like to add that fly fishing is not as accessible as course fishing to young anglers (by this I mean children) at the bottom of the learning curve.

When I was a kid I went out and bought some basic fly gear, practiced casting in the garden etc. But soon gave up as I didn't have anywhere nearby that I could get to easily to fish.

Whereas, I could easily get to the Sheffiled canal or Ecclesfield Pond etc.

Furthermore, I didn't have anyone to help me. The only fly fishing I had witnessed was on Ladybower, so that's where I thought I had to go to fly fish (fly only waters). These places were miles away and the tickets seemed extortionate.

The result was I sold the fly gear (the only tackle I have ever sold) and went and bought a Steadfst 7m glass pole and Pole Fishing by ****y Carr (which was a good decision).

Jim Bowdrey · Aug 28, 2008

I tend to agree with you Ron (Im 61), Ive recently taken up fly fishing and still at the very novice stage but although I do get a bit frustrated with myself, I still keep trying. One of the things that Im sure puts youngsters off is the cost of day tickets, some places charge huge amounts. Ive been practicing on coarse waters and although I might look a bit odd using fly gear on the canal, I enjoy it and it gives memuch needed practice.

Derek Gibson · Aug 28, 2008

Very valid point Matt, another equally valid point is that fly fishing, trotting, lure fishing are all branches of the sport where the moment you stop casting you have effectively stopped fishing ''physically active''. And by the way Matt I didn't know you fished my old stomping grounds. What about Flask, Underbank and Clown.

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Aug 28, 2008

Interesting post Ron

50+ now so the art of the fly beckons!!!

Seriously this is one area I really would like to develop....WP has raved about it to me long enough!! I do have to work out how to justify even more gear in an already overcrowded "cupboard" in the cellar....(I know I should be thankful for the cellar), Strikes me as an incredibly "flexible " form of angling - I shall endeavour to get along to Prees Manor next year.

Blimey Ron, 4 replies and no insults...you're doing well

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Aug 28, 2008

Derek

Flask, Underbank, River Don, Wosborough, Newbiggin, Westwood, Sheffield Canal, British TissuesMill, Ecclesfield Pond - all where I spent pretty much of my time growing up in Sheffield, with occasional trips to the Trent, Witham, Gt Ouse, Welland etc.

Underbank was where I first went fishing at the age of 9 and caught my first fish, a 12" Rainbow.

Colin North, the one and only · Aug 28, 2008

I think that the cost of fishing some fly waters is out of all proportion to most young anglers. A day at Avington for two cost well over £140, and the cost of fishing some of the "premier" chalk streams is very high also. I belong to a fishing club orientated towards fly fishing, who annualy secure fishing on some of the chalk streams referred to above, and even by paying to secure one day a week or fortnight, the cost of a days fishing would still be prohibitive for many.

Some of the reservoir fishing can be had for reasonable cost, and some of those in say, Teesdale (e.g.Cow Green) are very cheap indeed, but I suspect that the size of many would be daunting for most novice fly fishers.

Gary Dolman · Aug 28, 2008

Fluff flinging is the only branch of the sport that I have never tried, and in my humble opinion it was introduced only to give the trout a fair chance. They are so greedy and stupid, even more so than the perch, that to fish for them with anything else is unfair.

The aura of exclusivity is encouraged in the sport, and river trout fishermen in particular, look down their noses at us as some sort of sub species, that is only fit to be wiped off their hunter wellies.

As for flies being tied to imitate natural life forms, I would dread to meet some of those flourescent beasts, they use to great effect, on a lot of the reservoirs.

There you are Ron, get your teeth into that one!

(Insert smiley face here)

Colin Brett · Aug 28, 2008

Of course Ron, years ago we didn't have to beware of the PC crowd when teaching kids to fish.

I stopped taking kids along on fishing trips a few years back because of all the crap attached. The same with fish-ins, I used to organise fishing for kids locally when I was PAC RO for Cambridge, but I won't get involved anymore. Plus at my age I'm not interested in getting all the police stuff that's now needed.

The only way I'll help out now is if the parents are present and are prepared to get involved! Not much chance of that!!

I started fly fishing when I was in my 20s but only went ocassionally as the cost even then was prohibitive. I to was self taught and only had a push bike.

Certainly my youngest son has never shown an interest in Fly Fishing and displayed all the signs of an instant Carp Angler, which indeed he was. Happily he has got over the instant stage and learnt a bit about other sides of Angling, but still not FF.

Tony Rocca · Aug 28, 2008

Rons right about dexterity, most of those taking to fishing these days will never fly fish, many cant even cast underarm for Gods sake.

Alan Tyler · Aug 28, 2008

I'm intrigued - how do you get to be an "instant" competent player of golf, football, or tennis; or an instant athlete?

You don't; you have to love doing it enough to work at it, and kids know this. So I don't think the "instant angler - just add overstocked water" syndrome is what's putting them off.

So what is? Fear of being alone in the countryside? Transport costs ? Time? Or What?

My guess is time, more than anything else, but let's hear from our younger members - why don't your non-fishing friends fish?

Bully, flies were invented by professional anglers, men who lived by what they caught; there must be more to it than making life difficulfor he angler. Though that thought takes some clinging to asyou try to unhook your seventh thorn-bush of the day...

pcpaulh · Aug 28, 2008

"It can take years to become really skilled and proficient and young anglers taking up the sport want none of that!"

I wouldn't say that Ron, I know a few young anglers who would like to take up fly fishing. I don't know if you've noticed but its not exactly a cheap day out, well at least not where I live.

blankety blank · Aug 28, 2008

Inever took it up as a boy as there was nowhere local to go, except a put and take place that cost more money for a day ticket than all of my gear had cost.

I've just started to get into it now.

And on the cost thing, i went bream fishing last night on the yare, and chucked the thick end of £10 worth of groundbait in. don't have t do that when fluff flinging!

GrahamM · Aug 28, 2008

One of the points that Ron makes applies equally to all branches of angling, including coarse fishing. The average age of anglers is going up; fewer younger people are coming into the sport.

That fact is at the basis of why fishing is in decline.

It's sad to read that the old belief that fly fishing is for snobs still persists even to this day. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no one more helpful than a fly angler or more welcoming to a beginner.

The mentality that drives anglers to duck inside bivvies to bait the hook or hair and answers a polite enquiry of "Any luck?" with a grunt hardly exists in fly fishing.

You'll find it somewhere every day of the week in coarse fishing.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Aug 28, 2008

First of all I am very lucky living where I am. I am within 5 miles of some of the best small reservoir fishing in the country which this year has cost me just £132 for 30 visits.

But Thrybergh reservoir is not an easy water. A hell of a lot of people who fish there blank on a regular basic. Anyone who can catch trout regularly at Thrybergh can catch them anywhere.

Gary Dolman you obviously know nothing about fly fishing judging from your post, and as I am not prepared to suffer fools, I'll let it go at that.

Tony Rocca, there are now hundreds of thousand of anglers in this country who only know either slinging out a heavy bolt rig and sleeping on it, or shipping out a pole rig and "playing a fish at the end of lacky band."

You live in the South I take it Christian?

Shame.

And please stop calling it "Fluff Flinging". People who do, obviously have never done it because we certainly do not fling fluff!

Shrek · Aug 28, 2008

Some valid points made here.

Cost of a ticket on a fishery - Take Draycote for example, it's fished heavily by more senior members of the community as they have a) the spare time and b) a heavily reduced day ticket. I don't think there is a ticket reduction for juniors.

No. of Fisheries - It's not as easy, or as cheap, to start up a trout fishery as opposed to a coarse fishery, hence the number are less. This being the case, they are further afield than your local carp puddle so harder for youngsters to get to.

Ease of Catching - With trout fishing you can't entice the fish into an area with feed of any kind, you're either going to be sight fishing, or casting and hoping. This requires a lot of patience and (for sight fishing) casting accuracy.

I'd love to be able to get involved in teaching the younger generation how to fly fish and, if things go the right way I might well get a chance to do this. At the moment though, there isn't anything that is enticing to them. Look at the angling weeklies/monthlies. They are ALL centred on coarse fishing. Perhaps if they could be persuaded into exposing the "myth" that is fly fishing then some headway might be made.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Aug 28, 2008

Interesting post Graham.

You certainly will not find still water fly fishers being secretive about their catches or what fly they use. In fact many of them are only too willing to give out their flies ir advice to other anglers who are struggling. Barney Knowles found out that to his benefit. He won a fly fishing match using my reel, my line and my flies. You will not find that in carp angling.

In fact as Graham says, there is no snobbery in fly fishing these days.The only snobbery in fly fishing is that that comes drom the ranksof non-anglers or in this threads case, non-fly fishers!

Ony this morning Ihad a chat with two fellow fly fishers and it was an open flybox session. As old Bob Church used to say, if you are not catching and someone else is, find out why.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Aug 28, 2008

Adrian, I remember Angling Times in the late 60s and early 70s. Grafham had opened at £1.00 a day and Rutland Water was filling.

Anglers swarmed to Grafham to get a share of the incredible action that was taking place there. Rainbows approaching 6 lbs that took 100 yards of backing at incredible speed. Even double figure barbel in fast water can't do that.

I had a 2 3/4lb fit silver rainbow take over 80 yards of fly line and backing on Tuesday this week. The fish is reclining in my deepfreeze. Nothingin British freswater can touch a fit ressie rainbow for fighting power size for size!

Nothing!

pcpaulh · Aug 28, 2008

Yes Ron, down south. £25 for a 3 fish ticket near me.

Tony Rocca · Aug 28, 2008

This cost thing related to fly fishing is rubbish, loads of kids play golf at a greater cost, mostly fishing of all types is really cheap comparitively.

I used to have the odd day at Ladybower even when I was a poor student and you can still have a day, dry only, on some lovely bits of the Derbyshire Wye for a tenner.

In my experience most coarse fishers, what with it being a working mans passtime traditionally, are just tight.

What I am noticing

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