American Angler wants to know who fly fishing’s “young guns” are (and yes, the Underground hates that term as much as you do).

In what we’ll label an attempt to engage with a younger readership (the non-boomer crowd the Big Three fly fishing magazines currently aren’t tapping), American Angler is compiling a cover story on fly fishing’s under-40 crowd, and even running a poll where you can nominate folks in different categories.

The catch? All must under 40 years of age (as of December 31, 2009).

It’s an interesting idea, though it didn’t take long to stumble across the fatal flaw: I don’t have the faintest idea how old anyone is.

I’ll bet you don’t either.

On the Internet, the clues are few and far between. As I approach 50 – but deep down still believe I’m 34 – 40 seems kinda old. And yes, because we’re talking about the under-40 crowd, I’d suggest somebody’s online profile could offer a significant leg up (at least in the poll).

Fouling the waters even further is a simple truth: I’ve been in marketing for almost 2.5 decades, so I know those rising to “guru” or expert status often do so simply because they’re more aggressive self-promoters than their less-ambitious counterparts (or, dare I say it, more egotistical).

What’s left may be little more than a popularity contest where half the people you nominate aren’t even eligible (due to age).

And yes, it has crossed my mind that the “alternative” crowd – people making very real contributions to the sport without orbiting a somewhat ingrown fly fishing industry – will be overlooked.

An even more pessimistic view was provided by an anonymous industry wag, who suggested – with fly fishing’s existing legends heading into 60+ range – this is an attempt to anoint a new set of industry-friendly, non-rebellious, fly-rod-manufacturer-label-in-every-magazine-photo legends.

Dark reasoning indeed, but we’ll see.

Still – because we’re the Trout Underground (fly fishing’s patron saint of lost causes), I – with the help of the Undergrounders – are going to nominate the folks we believe belong (if you want to vote in the American Angler poll, simply click here – after you’ve read the list below).

Here is American Angler’s copy and the categories (remember, everyone has to be under 40):

Who are the faces of fly fishing’s future? Where are the anglers, explorers, fly tiers, film makers, and conservationists who are making fly fishing not only a sport, but their life’s calling? Is there another Lefty Kreh, Joe Brooks, or Lee Wulff waiting in the shadows? American Angler wants to know your thoughts on the matter, with only one criteria: All candidates must be 40 years of age or younger as of December 31, 2009. Help us identify the next generation of fly-fishing innovators— the true young guns of the industry—and we will include your collective input in a cover story to be featured in an upcoming issue of American Angler.

Fly Fisherman
Angling Writer
Angling Photographer/Artist
New Media Professional
Filmmaker
Television Personality (gotta love “personality” eh?)
Fly Shop Owner/Manager
Fly Tyer
Fly Fishing Guide
Conservationist
Product Developer
Female Fly Fisher
Other

The Underground’s wholly capricious, wildly biased picks? They’re below. Feel free to add your own in the comments section – maybe between us we’ll work up a worthwhile list.

Fly Fisherman
I have no idea. Really. Suggestions? How do you define the “best” fly fisherman? This seems destined to raise the profile of a competitive angler, but really, that’s just the “best” fly fisherman who competes.

Angling Writer
Can I nominate everything Gierach wrote before he turned 40? No? Ok. I’m stumped. Bruce Smithammer? His work is intriuging, but a) I don’t know he’s under 40, and b), I don’t judge writers by their age, so can’t think of many others – making significant impacts – who qualify.

To put the question in delicate terms, how many under-40 fly fishing writers are having a sizable impact on the sport?

This is one category where age might actually provide a little wisdom. I know what I’d have written about fly fishing while under the age of 35, and all I can say is I’m glad blogs didn’t exist back then.

Suggestions?

Angling Photographer/Artist
I’m going with Derek DeYoung of Canvasfish.com. This talented painter offers a style all his own, breaking away from the naturalist style of work that dominates the sport. Bold, graphic and still gorgeous, I love his stuff – and my discussions with him suggest he’s got the chops to keep it fresh and interesting for years to come.

New Media Professional
This category’s a force fit, but I’ve gotta ask; how old is Tom Bie? I’m sure American Angler isn’t all that interested in promoting a competing magazine – and the print edition of the The Drake isn’t exactly “new media” – but Bie has altered fly fishing’s publishing landscape in tectonic fashion, and though the Drake message board isn’t something I visit often, Bie’s certainly put the whole package together: video, online, and print.

Bie’s not exactly “new media?” Maybe, but blame the faulty category, not my choice.

Filmmaker
I’m nominating the Felt Soul Media guys, who produce the most interesting, poignant, stunning (and least testosterone-laden) moves in fly fishing. The problem? I don’t know if Rummel & Knight are under 40 years of age (I’ve never spoken to them).

Should they become age-ineligible, here’s my surprise runner-up vote: Steve Apple of Hustle & Fish. Sure, Hustle & Fish was flawed in a slightly schizophrenic way, but frankly, he’s done something intriguingly different with the fly fishing movie, and he’s about one movie away from relegating the rest of the fly fishing movies into the “oh, more fish porn” category.

Fly fishing desperately needs a filmmaker who can see the sport through a Spinal Tap/Ed Zern/John Gierach perspective (yeah, I know), and Apple might be it.

Television Personality
Sure, I threw up a little in my mouth when I saw the words “television personality,” but there it sits. And here I sit – without a clue. Is On the Rise’s Frank Smethurst under 40? If so, the coming-into-his-own host gets my vote, but then, how many under-40 TV “personalities” are there?

Smethurst was on the receiving end of a so-so review for the early episodes of On the Rise, but has lost the stiffness that marred his early efforts. Still, is this a category with only one qualified winner?

Fly Shop Owner/Manager
I have no idea. None. Really.

Fly Tyer
Singlebarbed’s way, way, way too old to fit here, but what of brownlining’s other crazed fly tyers? In the past, I’ve suggested brownliners were tying the most inventive flies going right now, so why not Lipton of Roughfisher.com fame? Others?

Fly Fishing Guide
Ian Rutter easily wins the nod in the Fly Fishing Guide category. He and his wife Charity run a successful guiding business in the Southeast, and they published several books (including the top fly fishing the Smokies guide book). In addition, they regularly donate their time and efforts to Brook Trout recovery programs within the park and to other fishing-related charitable causes.

The natural inclination would be to nominate a young guide from Montana, but I don’t know anyone doing as much alongside the guiding as Ian. He gets my vote.

Conservationist
Uh oh. Can we nominate Ted Williams twice, thereby halving his age? No? I’m stumped.

How about steelhead guru Dylan Tomine? How old, exactly, is he? (That question again).

Product Developer
Yeah, right. Outside of a rod or fly line company, who would know?

Female Fly Fisher
Well, uh… hmm. I already know who isn’t going to win, and that’s a shame. Charity Rutter (like husband Ian) aids brook trout recovery programs, works tirelessly for Casting for Recovery and other charitable causes, yet still finds time to run a successful guide biz.

However, she lacks the self-promotion gene, and I expect one of the higher-profile, website-equipped femal fly fishing guides to score the win. Weigh in, Undergrounders.

Other
Other what? Those who have noticed the dearth of online-specific categories (only one) might want to look at emerging media for new legends, and vote accordingly.

Comments? Questions? Rants? Other input from the Undergrounders?

See you online, Tom Chandler.

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