Even before the downturn, many decried the “expense” of fly fishing – and the need for the industry to produce inexpensive gear to recruit new genes into the pool.
I admit to some confusion around the gear aspect given the sub-$100 fly fishing outfits offered by several manufacturers (though I always wondered why they didn’t put the damned backing and line on the reel instead of forcing some newbie to do it).
And yes, I think it’s fair to say no newcomer to fly fishing should be expected to spend $3000 for a fly rod, reel, waders, boots and little gear, but frankly, fly fishing’s never enjoyed as much really good, really affordable gear as it does now.
And compared to other outdoor pursuits, fly fishing’s actually pretty affordable. (Priced a bass boat lately?) After all, a day on the water costs as little as an annual license (amortized over many days), and the biggest single consumable expenses revolve around gas and flies.
In other words, it’s possible that fly fishing’s “expensive” reputation has little to do with reality, and a lot to do with perception.
So what’s feeding that perception?
I’ve got a few guesses, but want to hear from the Undergrounders.
Some Guesses?
- In most magazines, the average newcomer is bombarded by ads & stories for high-end rods and $5k/week destinations
- Fly shops aren’t always the friendliest environment for newcomers
- Fly fishing isn’t expensive as much as it is hard – and to some, investing time to get “good” is the equivalent of “expensive”
What do the Undergrounders Think?
- Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
- Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
- Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
- Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
- Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
- Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
Pencils up,
Tom Chandler
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Tom
As a total newbie to fly fishing ( and lifetime member of the butinski club) i thought i’d chip in my 10p.
Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
The magazines make it look so, but my whole kit cost less than £100 and I later learned i could have spent even less.
Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
The magazines only preach to the converted.
Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
NO
Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
Looks like it, but in fairness I learned to cast from another blogger in a kentish chalk stream for the price of a pint, and my annual rod license.
Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
Thisisfly.com might help.
Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
If I cared what others thought i wouldn’t practice in the park. Strangers have shouted tips from their cars while stuck in traffic, some of them helpful.
SBW suburban bushwacker(Quote)
Q. Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
A. No. I started “fishing” at age 4? started fly fishing when I had to for Atlantic Salmon borrowed rod hip waders and stuff camped out total cost 0 or priceless (sorry Mastercard)
Q. Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
A. No. I beg people to join on a daily basis.
Q. Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
A. see above
Q. Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
A. On the surface yes. Do you see GOLF WEEKLY running ads for Walmart or Goodwill? (I don’t know because I dont Golf.)
Q. Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
A. Why recruit? they newbs will find the sport if they want. Sell dreams and memories my best writer contributer is a non fly fisherman. So far I got him back into the sport of “fishing” by just talking about it ofer a few pints. Now If he goes Skiing or Golfing he comes back with a report about fishing and even fly fishing. I still have not gotten one thank you card from Cabela’s for all the business I sent their way by getting this guy back into fishing. (I wont loose sleep)
Q. Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
A. I want people to ad to the depth and breadth of the experiance of fishing at that rate we are all newbies.
On that note. No excuses. Go fishing. castingoutloud(Quote)
“In other words, it’s possible that fly fishing’s “expensive” reputation has little to do with reality, and a lot to do with perception.”
While I agree that perception inflates fly fishing’s expensive reputation, I have to disagree that it has little to do with reality. Sure that $15,000 bass boat costs a lot, but you don’t need that boat to go fishing.
Let’s take a look at the cost to set a beginner up for bass fishing at the local lake, vs setting someone up to fly fish for just about anything.
I can go to Wal-Mart right now and pick up an Ugly Stick for about $30, and a reel that will more than suit the needs of the average fisherman for about the same price. Another $15-$20 for a decent tackle bag, a few packs of rubber worms, some sinkers, a spool of spiderwire, a few generic spinner baits, and a few rapalas, and a pair of Bill Dance polarized sunglasses. When I check out, my total will be in the neighborhood of $125. We could drastically reduce this amount by skipping the lures, and going with a carton of live bait and some bobbers.
Now I don’t have high end gear when I leave, but I do have stuff that, with the exception of the lures, will last damn near forever.
Now let’s outfit a beginning fly fisherman with the basics it will take to get him by-
If he’s lucky, his Wal-Mart still sells fly fishing combos(most don’t anymore). If his Wal-Mart does actually still carry the combos, he can get their fancy schmancy starter kit for $25. But the fact of the matter is, the kit is a bigger waste of money than sending your Pay-per-view provider $50 to watch Mike Tyson knock some no-name out in 15 seconds. So to get something comparable in quality to the ugly stick, he’s gotta go online, or to those things they used to have called fly shops.
First he needs a rod. He should be able to find one at Cabelas for about $50 that will be decent(no where near as durable as the $30 ugly stick, though). We’ll assume he’s just going to be fishing for trout, maybe bass, and panfish- so a reel with a good drag isn’t really important. He get’s a cheap Shakespeare reel, or an old medalist off ebay for $20. Now he needs line($25 at the least for something that will last more than a season), backing($5-$10), leaders($3 each, he buys 3), and tippet material(we’ll say he just get’s a single spool of 3X, 4X, and 5X- $10).
We’re already up to $120. He still needs flies, waders,wading boots if he bought stocking foot waders, polarized sunglasses, nippers, a fly box or two, and maybe some floatant. Even on the cheap, this stuff will add another $125-$175. And the worst part, his gear sucks, so he’s gonna have to upgrade just about everything sooner or later.
So now our hypothetical newbie fly angler has just spent a crapload of money on crap(other than that medalist). But the fun doesn’t end there, now he’s got to figure out how to put everything together, how to tie 3 new knots, and how to get the fly to the fish.
Unless he’s got some friends who fly fish, it’s going to be at least a season or two before he’s got a feel for things, and that’s assuming he fishes more than the 10-15 days a year the average angler spends on the water.
To sum it up, fly fishing is expensive. Not only in dollars spent on gear, but in time spent learning how to use it. And as long as there is a $30 Ugly Stick at the local Wally World, it will always be that way. This is why the average fly angler isn’t out there to fill his cooler, he’s out there for the experience- an experience that anyone who survives fly fishing newbdom eventually learns- is priceless. DayTripper(Quote)
Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
No different than golf, except for the fact you don’t have to pay a fee every time you head out. All that is needed is organization, and a few human examples to look up to.
Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
Sometimes, and on occasion it’s even unfriendly to those who held their first rod thirty years ago. Solution – sack all the arrogant local shop flunkies and re-staff after a visit to Orvis Sales Training School.
Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
It’s a mixed bunch – there are all kinds. Out here in CO, almost everyone lays on the charm when around the water – you rarely run into an agro moron. But in my old home state I once had guide whine like a little girl when I couldn’t reach a cruising bone, 12 o’clock and 120 feet out, with a 50 knot wind in my face, and another that watched me and a buddy break several rods on huge poons and then spent his tip money on our beers afterwards.
Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
Yes and no. The high-end gear pitches could use some checks, but that is going to happen whether they like it or not. As for the travel – upgrading is the name of the game. Going to Christmas Island is like playing at Pebble Beach – you pay your dues at the municipal course and hit the gems when your handicap is 10 or better.
Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
See first inquiry and answer.
Do we want newbies in the sport?
If you don’t, then I do not want you around me. That, however may be a foregone conclusion since I rarely wash. Michael(Quote)
Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
Surely. Your average new fly fisherman is likely an angler already – he knows the cost of spinning or bass equipment, and has a stable of good servicable tackle in his garage.
He walks into a fly shop and knows one end of the hook from another, as he ambles through the rack of $700 fly rods, pausing at the riot of colors of the fly bins, then saunters over to the counter to check the $100 (and up) reel hardware.
By the time he’s engaged a salesperson to chat, he’s made up his mind – and asks a couple pertinent non-commital questions, and then leaves to meet his wife coming out of work.
He’s a fisherman and he’s done the math with a quick tour of the hardware. He doesn’t know about floatant and leaders – but he’s seen enough. It worsens if the fellow behind the counter cops any form of attitude … he’s met those fellows already.
Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
Yes, and no – there are pockets of each. The fly shop itself is a daunting experience, complicated by the triple digit tags. Fishermen are the same the world over, if he gets a friendly gregarious fellow behind the counter there’s a better than average chance he can learn of the inexpensive option.
Magazines are no help at all, all he sees are the $800 rods and $5000 package trips.
Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
Absolutely not, unless you’re at the Drake forums …
Fly fishermen love suffering – and the chance to give another fellow a “leg up” means someone who’ll spring for the next round – or a new fishing buddy.
Donny Beaver may have a thing to say, but likely it’s “NO Tresspassing.”
Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
Yes. Prices are reaching the point where the newer angler who isn’t sure whether he needs the item, knows he can’t afford it. This stifles or slows his progress toward Jedi. It’s especially difficult for anglers that have no friend to instruct them – they’re entirely at the mercy of magazines or the local shop.
Not all shops are mercenary, but there are some.
Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
Some few, the rest will read you moaning about no rain and goddamn slaw dogs – and will never come any closer.
Cowboy up, eat a sandwich.
Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
HELL Yes, the rest of you’ve already heard all my best stories (lies). kbarton10(Quote)
Ah, something I can speak to with some level of expertise, having first picked up a rod less than a year ago.
Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
I think it very easily can be. My initial outfitting (guided trip included) came right at $1,000. Since then, I have spent at least $500 more on gear, flies, books, permits, tags and a guided trip in Colorado. I came in completely green – neither my dad nor anyone else in my family are anglers – and I did not have a source from which to borrow gear, so I had to start from scratch. I have friends who are interested in the sport and who I would like to introduce to it, but $1,000 – or even half that – is too steep a sum for them. I will probably wait until I can upgrade my rod, reel and waders (another $1,000, most likely) so I can loan a friend my current entry-level tackle.
Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
I don’t think so. My local fly-shop owner is a great guy. Say what you will about Orvis, but they’ve been a great resource for me, which is what I think you can attribute much of their success to (and their synonymity to noobs loaded with fresh gear and little experience – at least in my part of the world). That said, a lot of the knowledge I’ve gained over the last year can be attributed to industry-related Web sites (such as this one, Moldy Chum, Midcurrent, the local anglers forum, etc.) rather than media or information from manufacturers or retailers (save for Orvis).
I think the time (as in time = money) aspect is a big one, too. The closest trout stream to me is half an hour, but it’s one of the most difficult streams to fish in the state. The more reasonable waters for my skill level are at least an hour away. I realize that that is my own unique predicament, and I could easily resign myself to fishing the lake that’s fifteen minutes away.
Are fly fishermen newbie-unfriendly?
From my experience, absolutely not. I’m sure it could be, because there are jerks everywhere, but everyone I have met has been very welcoming and open to sharing knowledge and ideas.
Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
Yes and no. On one hand, I’m saving up for a $600-$700 rod when I know that my experience level and frequency of use warrants something half as much. On the other, I’m waiting to conquer my “home” waters before I tread out to “exotic” places. I have no reason to go steelheading on the coast. I don’t need to chase salmon in Alaska. Kiwi brownies can wait. (For now.)
I think with any hobby, there are always items or experiences placed on pedestals that really cater to those who spend (or want) easily. Obviously, marketing has a lot to do with these things, encouraging loyalty and desire, but I think we can all fight the urge to spend recklessly. Maybe.
Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
I’m interested to see what sort of bounce the sport gets from “The River Why” coming out later this year. With it debuting (possibly) at SXSW, that will put it in front of many liberal-minded Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers. I could see a chunk of that audience seeing the beauty and virtue of the sport, if I can extoll a bit. I’m in that category, and I saw those things, and I chose to chase it (and thus pledge my $$$ to the industry).
Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
(Please say yes.) Aaron Scott(Quote)
Cranky reader signing in here, boss. And, I’m not gonna answer all of your questions, just the ones that interest me.
First, nope, reasonable gear is not too expensive, but the trips that most dealers advertise are. I’d love to come up to your neck of the woods and fish, but a.) lotta gas; b.) motel & meal expense; c.) added expense of a steelhead coupon; d.) time off from work…time off from work…you get the point. so yeah, the exotic trips everyone talks about so much are out of my budget. No annual week long trips to Alaska and the Florida keys for me, at least not until I hit the lottery (c’mon, God).
On the other hand, if you are a rod junky like me, the gear can get pretty expensive. My rods range in price from $75.00 on up to about $1,000.00. I’ve only got four, but need several more. Yes, need.
Fly fishermen tend to be snobs. I know; I am one. Before you point your finger at me, take a really hard look at yourself. So, I think the sport can be unfriendly to “newbies”. I try to be conscious of that, and to be courteous on the stream, especially to people many of my colleagues refer to as “bait chuckers” or “hardware dunkers”.
I think the industry works pretty hard to recruit newbies, at least I hope for their sake that they do. I can’t imagine a marketing plan based on the status quo, especially with something as esoteric as fly fishing. Small Kentucky Jim(Quote)
Oh, did I mention the price of a guide for unfamiliar water? Kentucky Jim(Quote)
What do the Undergrounders Think?
We think?
* Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
If you pay attention to magazines, yes. If you have some kind of internet savvy and know that there are deals to be had, no. My first setup was $100, I recently got a rod and reel for $40 (and the reel is actually quite nice), new, with warranty. Even guides can be cheap if you just go with someone more local than the guy with the “sponsorship”.
* Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
I don’t think so. There are enough “Beginners Guides…” and “Build Your Kit” ’s out there to make things easy for new people. I’m new, and was lucky to have a great community to help me…
* Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
See the last sentence in the above answer.
* Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
No, its just letting us poor people dream. I still have just as much fun (and probably more fun) going down to the local Smallie hole and catching a dozen fish in a couple of hours and heading home. As un-glamorous as it is.
* Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
Generosity. Generosity. Generosity.
* Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
No. Well. Yes. No, I mean… yes, unless they’re egg sinker chucking snaggers.
In all seriousness, its new people that less us that were new not long ago pay back our debt to those that spread their knowledge on to us. Also, it gives us that were new not long ago (and still are, for the most part) someone to show up on the stream. Eric(Quote)
Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
In my first year of fly fishing, a three short years ago, I don’t think the trout could tell the difference between my $125 L.L. Bean 5 wt. combo and a $795 Sage TCX with the requisite $300 reel. Throw in another $50 for tippet, leader and a few of the basic flies, and I was ready. A waist pouch served well enough to carry tackle. I wet waded (and the odors emanating from last year’s tennis shoes didn’t seem to bother the fish), eliminating the need for waders or boots. That was all the gear I needed to fish the rivers of the Sierra’s west slope during the spring, summer and early fall.
Is fly fishing equipment more expensive than conventional gear? Yes. Too expensive? No, not for someone who wants to seriously try fly fishing. I love the drag on my newer reel, but my L.L. Bean reel held my line just fine during my learning period. (A second son who is learning to fly fish is using it now.)
Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
Try to find any rod literature that actually describes the feel or action of a rod in plain English. That said, during the last few years only a few manufactures haven’t added “value” rods and reels aimed at newbie fly fishermen. Unfortunately, it often takes some looking to find them.
Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
Typically no. But the learning curve of the sport can be. With a non fly fishing friend substituting for a newbie, ask them to translate the following into plain English: “I saw some scum suckers near the seam and after getting nowhere with a Parachute Adams, I nailed ‘em with a size 18 BWO.”
Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
Apparently not. The club to which I belong had to move our last novice seminar venue to a larger facility as the number of students had nearly doubled over the last few years. In this class there’s a discussion about local and semi-local waters that can be accessed with minimal driving and other costs. And outings with other fly fishermen allow for spreading out the costs of longer trips by sharing rides, lodging and food, with an added appeal to new folks as they also get to spend time with the more experience fly fishers.
Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
From what I’ve seen, the industry seems to be going about it in a subtle manner, as my club has secured low-cost rods and reels through various programs from various manufacturers for the education of fly fishers, and we put them to use mainly in teaching casting to new fly fishers, both in class sessions and before monthly meetings. Friendly fly fishers, as a group, is the “what” that could truly answer this question. In my case, a club-sponsored low cast day-long seminar covering virtually all the aspects of fly fishing (with a Q&A offered by a long-time fly fishers, suggestions of where to fish as well as gear options), seems to work well in recruiting newbies with a realistic expectation of what they absolutely need to start fly fishing. Then, with any luck, one might be able to borrow needed gear from fellow fly fishers/club members.
Call me crass, but when it comes to recruiting newbies, or keeping them interested, throw away the whole “it’s the experience” mantra. Does anyone take up fly fishing to not catch fish? The single biggest detriment to the enthusiasm of a new fly fisher is not the cost of the equipment but rather the maddening experience of unsuccessfully trying to use it to catch fish, particularly without any education. But catch that first fish on a fly rod — cheap or expensive — and the seeds of addiction are planted.
Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
Can I answer if I’m not cranky? Absolutely. For most fly fishermen I know the sport and conservation eventually go hand in hand. I can get behind that. Patrick K.(Quote)
* Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
Nope, not if your a shop arounder.
* Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
Not really unless you run into an intimidating shop person
* Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
If the newbie just splashed across the pool I just spent half an hour stalking the fish of the year in, yes. But gender and looks can greatly mitigate the abuse.
* Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
If by throttling you mean speeding it up, then yes. If you meant killing, it then no, since it hopefully gets more people out of “my” river and into someone else’s river.
* Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
More blogs like Rogue Angels….and the Trout Underground (snuck that one in at the last minute!)
* Do we want newbies in the sport? (This last for you cranky readers.)
See answer to #3.
Survey done Tom, when does the beer show up? Taku(Quote)
Too Expensive for Noobs? That depends on the noob – if you are a Noob, recently unemployed, and having trouble paying your rent, then perhaps even that $100 budget setup is going to break the bank.
If, however, you are recently unemployed, but had gotten a few billion from a government bailout to stuff your pockets before you clocked out for good, then that $3,000 may be just what you need.
After you purchase it, I’ll personally guide you in a really spectacularly isolated part of the Eastern Sierra Range. I know your feet will hurt getting there, but it’s just a little farther. You say my shotgun makes you nervous? Really, its just for your protection. Hey! Look over there. DSflyman(Quote)
“Do we want newbies in the sport?”
Most definitely! The prolonged front in Montana can only be won with a new surge of
proportions not previously thought possible. Newbies , waving oriental fly rods as they charge the mogul controlled farmlands, are the only answer if we want lasting casting. These newbies recruits may rest assured that senior fly fishers, armed with IM6 and bamboo, will be staged one spring creek over in reserve for the surge. “Trout Underground” has been selected to be imbedded with the newbies so that, in no way, will the surge be misreported. Newbies and a surge, the only answer. Turnip Truck Driver(Quote)
It’s as expensive as you want it to be. When I was a student I had a very minimal outfit that served just fine for years. I think I bought a new fly line every six years or so., otherwise just leaders, a few flies, and that’s it. These days between the stuff made in China and what you can get on ebay, it is possible to spend almost nothing except on waders and travel, and Dan Bailey makes darn good cheap waders.
In my dotage now I like fancy gear and travel to exotic places. I can afford it and I am happy to support the guides, outfitters, and craftsmen who make their livings catering to guys like me. Philip(Quote)
Ok, this one clearly drew a little interest.
Truly, I don’t think expense is the biggest barrier to getting people interested in the sport. Instead, the fact that fly fishing is actually pretty hard – and it can be a long, long time before that first fish eats – makes it difficult to keep beginners in the sport.
I was lucky enough to learn fly fishing in warmwater as a kid – practicing on willing pods of bluegill and crappie, so I had some idea the practice would produce fish, even if staring at a (then) impenetrable river tempted me to believe otherwise.
Love to hear more from the Undergrounders. It’s Friday after all – none of you slackers are actually working, are you? Tom Chandler(Quote)
* Is fly fishing too expensive to recruit newbies?
It may be popular to say “no,” but if you add it all up… it does get to be a hurdle for folks… you can get a good rod for $150, but you have to get your reel, a line, leaders, tippet, split shot… the flies alone can really add up… then waders, boots, a wading staff (for me, that’s required)… You can get to a figure of around $700 pretty easy. Sure, it is nothing compared to a bass boat, but it is more than a rod, reel and some power bait.
If you live some place you can wet wade all year, great, deduct the waders. If you live in a place where fish will eat Royal Wulffs all year your fly selection can be a bit more simple. Once you have the gear it gets less expensive, but there is a high bar for entry for most folks. Skis are REALLY expensive, but if you ski a couple times a year, like I do, you can go and rent them… you don’t have to buy the stuff to play around the edges of the sport.
* Is the industry newbie-unfriendly?
I remember when I was really just getting into ffing I was in SF and that downtown shop did not make me feel very welcomed or important to them. If I wasn’t buying the newest Sage outfit to go chase Tarpon, I was not worth their time. I found other shops that were glad to help me out. As in everything, there are good folks and bad folks.
* Are fly fishermen newbie unfriendly?
They can be… there are some real a-holes out there. My experience getting started was full of folks that wanted to share, though. The NCFFB (ncffb.org) was a great place to hook into as I leared a lot from folks on there and they were always free with ideas and tips.
* Is the sport’s focus on high-end gear and exotic places throttling the sport?
No, because all that is geared toward the folks already in it who are going to spend money on it… it isn’t to bring folks into the sport… that is a harder thing to market for, I’d imagine.
* Recruitment during a recession is never easy (even as millions suddenly find themselves with spare time), but what will get newbies into the sport?
I hope “The River Why” will bring new folks into the sport when it gets out and on the silver screen.
* Do we want newbies in the sport?
Yes… there are fewer people on the rivers in CA now than there used to be… rivers without friends are rivers in peril. Bjorn(Quote)
Just in case this hasn’t been made clear-
I don’t want ANY more newbies, drones or old queens on the rivers I frequent.
Counted 38 rigs parked with a four shuttlers convoy rolling in at Threemile on the Big Horn in early (pre-Baetis) April. Go clog up a golf course already.
Of course there is always room for jello and more brownwater anglers. Sully(Quote)
Wow. Now I wish I hadn’t posted the GPS coordinates of all those small streams you told me about… Tom Chandler(Quote)
A general answer to most of the questions really revolves around why someone is interested in fly fishing and their degree of image consciousness. If you are really just interested in fishing with flies, then a $10 Wright-McGill fiberglass rod, a $20 Pflueger Medalist and a Cortland 333 DT line will do fine. If you read the magazines much, that rig probably won’t be very satisfactory.
The thing I found about fly fishing after getting started was that it takes a lot of time, and most of that is away from home. There are a lot of leisure activities for which the time investment is not so steep or at least is easy to parcel up into a smaller time blocks. You can go play softball with some friends at a local playground for a couple of hours and you’re done. Other than cast my rod in the street, tie a few flies, or browse ebay for gear, there’s not much I can do in a couple of hours that’s related to fly fishing.
The industry is newbie starved. Once I’ve got adequate equipment, I don’t really need anything other than the consumables, unless I decide I just have to take that trip to Belize. Now, according to the magazines and manufacturers, I need a “saltwater” rod and reel, because the steelhead rig I already have surely won’t do for bone fish. And do I really need a line just for Clousers?
The fly fishing magazines advertise stuff that people sell. You can’t really sell time. As someone above said, “time off of work.” American Angler wouldn’t last too long if they told you that the most important thing you need for fly fishing was time.
And what about the learning curve? There’s a lot of stuff to learn in fly fishing. You need to have learned quite a bit to even get started; much more so than in most other leisure activities. I suspect this factor weeds out a lot of the newbies after they get started, if the time commitment doesn’t. It turns out you don’t need to know as much as it seems when you get started, but it can be overwhelming, what with sink tip setups, latin bug names and so on.
I’m actually somewhat indifferent to whether the sport is growing or declining. People will find their way to the activities they enjoy and find their way out of activities they don’t. If there are too many people on the water, I go somewhere else.
Jim Jim Ferguson(Quote)
There has been many valid points brought up about the cost, in both time and money, that it takes one to feel like they finally may know what they are doing on the water. Other than weeding out newbies as Jim put it, how does this add to the perception of the sport?
Just the fact that there is this much interest in discussing the cost, and nature of people who fly fish says a whole lot by itself.
The questions alone, “Are fly fisherman/fly industries newbie unfriendly?” and “Do we want newbies in the sport?” almost answer themselves when you think about the reason anyone would even think to ask in the first place.
Almost every person on here has stated that they try to recruit new people to the sport, and besides to the inevitable ass in the fly shop or on the water, most of the people they meet are just as nice as they are.
Are these apparently sporadic ill-tempered people the cause of it all? Do they not hang around commenting on blog posts? Is there a secret army of anti-newbie fly fishermen lurking in the shadows, pulling the strings, turning the screws? Or is the issue deeper and more evil?
Maybe the involved time and money itself plants a little secret seed of thought in every passionate fly fisherman that, in the subconscious, causes them to think they are better than others. Almost like getting your doctorate, and yelling at people in your mind who call you “Mr.” You spent all that time and money and got the little “Dr.” in front of your name, and people should have the respect to recognize it.
Could the fly fisherman think, “I spent all this time and money to be good at this sport, and that makes me better in some way.” Could this feeling be so hidden as to not even be acknowledged? Is it in me? Do I need help?
I guess my point, is there has to be a certain level of unfriendliness for the subject to even be brought up. I can not tell you where it resides, but I know it is there. It’s like when its cloudy, and you know it’s raining somewhere close. You can smell it, but you don’t know where it is, and searching for it will most likely only get you wet. Fat Guy Alex(Quote)
if you compare other outdoor sports media images to fly fishing imagery, the actual cost of entry to fly fishing seems the same or lower. i’ve pointed this out every time this comes up for the past few years. do the math. priced bass boat rigs lately? a “quality” baitcasting or spinning rod/reel combo? what about all the electronics? priced an african hunting safari lately? how about enough shotgun shells to become a decent wingshooter with that $1300 shotgun? price out setting yourself up to go duck hunting!
i agree with those who say the biggest barrier is that it’s “harder.” but i prefer the phrase “more complex.” the cast is definitely harder. but the rest isn’t really any more difficult, it’s just more complicated. it is more intellectually challenging and less gear-dependent. and so this only appeals to a certain type of personality.
and i also think that the “snob” image is a two-edged sword. i KNOW there definitely are fly fishing snobs…even bigots. i recently met a club full of them. i also know that a great many fly anglers are anything but snobbish. but i have come to believe over the years that people perceived of by others as “smarter, wealthier, or more successful” are also automatically labeled as “snobs” all to often. so if some perceive fly fishing to be a more intellectual form of angling or a form of angling that requires a level of physical dexterity they don’t possess, it is a common defense mechanism for them to write those who can do it off as “snobs.”
so i think all of that plays a role. but i don’t think the “high end trips, gear, etc.” has anything to do with it. Ken Morrow(Quote)
Too expensive? I don’t think so. There is more higher-quality gear available today for less $$ than ever before.
What would be nice to see is more rod manufacturers running ads that showcase some of their mid & lower end rods (some of which are quite good rods for the $$), instead of only running ads with their newest, top o’ the line, $700+ rod.
I’d also be ecstatic to see that tired marketing stereotype, the “trout bum,” clad in $2k worth of gear, go by the wayside…. Smithhammer(Quote)
I’d love to see the term “trout bum” exiled from the sport’s lexicon given its rampant misuse. Tom Chandler(Quote)
if they spend their ad $$$ 2 try and convince us that their low-end rods r good enuff 4 us, they r working against their own high-end offerings. marketing theory says u promote the high end and when the customer finds out he/she can’t afford it, u “target close” them n2 something from their line that the prospect can afford. if u start low, u can’t work up. but if u start high, it’s easy 2 drop down. Ken Morrow(Quote)
i think a lot of us would gladly sign that petition and toss a dollar n the tilley. lol Ken Morrow(Quote)