I completely enjoyed the Body Counters essay. I was insulted, but I enjoyed it. You are a good writer. The “diaper sized indicator” line got me laughing so hard I nearly woke the baby (ironically).
I doubt many people would dissagree with your description of watching a head break the film to take a dry. It is what fuels this tradition. Especially when sight fishing and working for a particular trout. I dare say, there is talent and excitment in nymph fishing too. Is it a numbers game? Maybe. I think the WAY people wet fly might be the bigger problem. The diaper, the drag and slap, splashy, careless ungaurded approach can put the fish down for the rest of the day (or week). I will admit, there is a small feeling of regret when you re-rig to go wet, but all I know is I enjoy the pursuit using all stages of micro-invertabrates.

Pulling a trout “from the depths” with an emerger or soft hackle can be just as rewarding. For that matter, submerged dries are an underappreciated craft. The entomological (is that even a real word?) stages are pretty interesting and reading the water underneath adds to the challenge. Many wet anglers can go without the indicator and split. They just dont know it.

You ask me? You give the trout more respect with a #18 hares ear than with a #6 foam hopper (Fishing with foam gives me the same sick feeling I get as when I walk in to a Walmart).
Great writting. Love the bloggg (as bloggs go). Keep it up.

Still, for pure fun the Holston’s hard to beat, though at this time of the year the smallmouth fishing (farther down) might be better than the trout fishing.

Either way, good luck.

Try the StoryArc site. Great writing and submissions.