18 Comments

From now on I’m going to say that I “practice fly fishing,” not “I fly fish.” You elaborate well on so many points my fly fishing friends and I wrestle with. The practice has taken me far more places, afforded me far more friends, and made me aware of far more that’s at stake environmentally than fish I’ve caught. There is no progress (or genuine fulfillment) without patience. Great piece, bud.

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I hold a staunch belief that the way we speak about things affects the way we think about them. I’m glad that this one resonated; let’s get out and practice together in 2025.

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I like that idea. We’ll make it happen.

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A very thoughtful piece Jacob. This line of thinking is seeing more discussion for some of the reasons you present, which is a good thing. Hopefully the more attention the evolution gets the more we will try and manage it thoughtfully.

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Thank you sir! It’s important to keep this conversation moving, and moving forward. It’s easy to get nostalgic, but tomorrow will come whether we like it or not.

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This sport would be very different if we were required to build our rod, learn to cast it and tie our own flies before we ever hit the water. I like the idea of a fly fishing dojo, though I’m uncomfortable with the sport having gatekeepers. While trout are probably still the most sought after fish, I think the expansion of saltwater and warm water fly fishing has been healthy, as is the emphasis on fly tying. Fly tying may be one of the healthiest ways we stay connected to fly fishing without being on the water. Food for thought here, thanks.

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A fly fishing dojo - I love that idea. Maybe we should start one!

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Really dig the concepts you very interesting threaded together here. I’ve read a lot of books from the 1970s on fly fishing and in my mind that is an era when fly angling seemed pure but with enough innovations to keep the “sport” exciting. I enjoyed your discussion on the OG origins. Makes me want to dig much deeper into those times. I think a focus on casting, slowing things down, studying entomology etc are such great topics to encourage. Thanks for the nice read.

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I totally agree that 1970s fly fishing feels balanced between discovery and innovation and I really enjoy the nostalgia of that era.

But the fact is that angling is still wide open, perhaps more so than ever before. We’ve gained a lot of insights in 50 years, but there is still much to be discovered. We just have to get out there and live it.

If you haven’t read it, check out the book ‘Bush Pilot Angler’ by Lee Wulff. I’m only a few chapters in, but it’s incredible.

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Excellent rec. thanks

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Nicely put, can easily say you clearly see what I see. The paradigm has clearly shifted, and continues to do so, good, bad or indifferent. Our finite resources have never felt the pressure they are currently feeling, and it's rather hard to watch. Although we may have more involved in conservation groups, I would rather see more that are clearly "conscious and aware" of what is really going on with it all. You got a new subscriber here.

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Well said. Consciousness and awareness is a tall order, but perhaps not as tall as asking people to alter their behaviors. But I’m hopeful. It begins with the conversation — thanks for joining in, Rich.

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A nice, braided bit of writing. Thank you for your thoughts, especially the ones modern fly fishermen may find controversial. Subscribed.

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Thanks Kaleb. We’ve gotta push into the stuff that makes us think, even the controversial. I appreciate the subscription!

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I don’t fly fish with much skill, but this essay resonates with more than just a call to action for fly fisherman. It’s true for most outdoor pursuits — for most everything in life, really. You see it in hunting (guys who are hyper focused on only taking the biggest bucks, documenting it, and often taking questionable or even bad shots for the sake of content), you see it in mountaineering, in trail running, even in hiking (the relentless quest for FKTs).

If we could all take a step back and make that shift you mention — from from thinking about our hobbies as practices, not pursuits — I think we’d find that they become more fulfilling, and, ultimately, more sustainable (for both the environment and those who practice them). Thanks for sharing.

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It’s a good perspective, Lou. It’s not totally surprising that it’s happening elsewhere. Social media has created a generation where the focus is not on the doing but on the production and proliferation of doing. Thanks for reading and for adding to the conversation.

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Here in New Zealand’s Lake Taupo region, our Department of Conservation is directing anglers to keep up to six trout a day to help ease the pressure on the smelt in the lake - the most common food for the thriving trout population. This wasn’t the case a decade ago. The post-Covid angling boom is declining now in many parts of the world. Keep removing those dams and cleaning up waterways and the trout will thrive.

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Fascinating. Changes aren’t always linear. Being good stewards of our fisheries will take new and unusual forms as things evolve.

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