the offer is much appreciated. i think you are a great fit for this site, too. i would honestly have to sat that you pa guys have a much more enhanced addiction for fishing than my brothers over here in the flatlands. whether trout, crappie, steel or muskie, yinz go at it with the gas pedal down. pa fishers turn addictions into passions outdoors.

OOOO you have alot to learn Grasshopper...

spinner, actually the fly guys that post here are not the orvis-catalog labels. they are not only really decent guys, but a few of them have taught me everything i know (retaining is another question) and have been more than patient with my multiple beginner questions. i cannot tell you how many flies i have received via mail or personal contact from these guys. sorry to disagree, but i happen to think the fly guys here are a good bunch of rabble.

the way i see it is there are too many people that worry about which rod a person uses or what is tied to the end of it.  to those i say, "I'm sorry for you".  I and most of the people i know could care less about what a person fishes with or what they fish for.  what does it matter as long as a person fishes for the pure enjoyment of being out there.  and it just so happens many of those same people is willing to help anyone they happen upon.
 

ORIGINAL: AndyLee

This has been bugging me for a long time now.   Can anyone here explain why fly fisherman are such annoying snobs?  I mean 99% of them are in streams fishing for completely synthetic rainbow trout, and stocked pellet heads at that.  Yet for some reason they act like their method of fishing is the only civilized and natural way of doing things.

When I go bass fishing guys using crank baits don't look down on guys using soft plastic worms. 
When I go out for walleyes guys using jigs don't turn their noses up at guys using a worm or minnow harness.
When I go catfishing guys using cut bait don't get their own private sections of the water that only they can fish at.

So please, somebody, ANYBODY, explain to me why the hell fly fisherman turn their noses up at people who use spinners or live bait?  Why must they make a negative comment about "bait floppers" or "worm drowners" being on the same stream as them every time they go out?  

In my 30 years of trout fishing I have never once been out fished by one of these water slappers, yet they always seem to be annoyed at the very thought of somebody fishing for trout and not using a fly rod.

 
Actually we're not snobbish, you just believe that we are in order to mask your own issues.  Its called an inferiority complex.  You should probably seek professional help immediately.

so right, joe. only quitters quit. better had i said that when life throws a high-rising inside fastball at you, to hit the deck, get up, brush yourself off and get back in the box. to me, fishing is an escape, and like you, i could care less what the guy next to me is using.

you're still an inspiration.

fair enough but that Wasn't the point.
AL was saying something quite sweeping about all those who fly fish (altho' he was quick to narrow it down to purists). The original question was hot and his reply was rude.
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We've been down the road of anti-special regulations quite a few times... is in the case of every internet debate, it matters little to the commission that makes the rules....But IF you want we'll have the big spec regs debate. I'm sure determined advocates are online this very second...

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as for me, I'm not IN or over fly fishing. its an awesome feeling to get a big fish on a long thin rod, but its most definitely not my passion. Other things work better for me.

ok. I wrote about three things then I read you post read again, and...

let just get it said. Fly fishing egotism DOES exist. some fly fishermen do think that fly fishing is the ONLY civilized way to take a fish, and yes, the whole streams to fish on, and untouched pristine waters, with enormous native trout and massive hatches of mayflies, and on and on.

but it wasn't the EXISTANCE that got people all riled up, it was the charge that ALL fly fishermen are like that. Its a paranoia and its misplaced.

There's idiotic, rude attitudes in all kinds of fishermen and indeed in all kinds of sports. Some bait fishermen leave bait containers and spread themselves out to hog out like 90 feet in a crowded hole; should ALL bait fishermen have to answer for them? some wading lure fishermen are awful pests, going up and down a stream crowding out people, scaring fish right out of the holes other people are trying to fish... and on and on and on.

and thats the gist (hopefully) of many good posts that reply to A.L comments.

I reject, completely that the existance of Special reg areas saying anything sweeping of fly anglers. the areas where the result of a small group of influential sportsmen and many of them are as inclusive towards lures as flies. are lure fishermen also at fault?

jolie, i'm with you, i use my spinning gear much better and with good results, so most often i stick to it. but i haven't heard any harsh words for doing so, other than being called a sinner at the one fly last year.......bullies

yep

BTW, only 2% of PA trout managed waters are FFO.

Turtle Creek and Pine Creek in Allegheny County, just to name two, are approved trout waters. If you've ever seen either of these creeks, you would know that they shouldn't be approved for anything other than Mon River White Fish. Coincidentally, Turtle Creek and Pine Creek aren’t FFO. FFO is for the good water, not the sewer trenches. So, yes, FFO might be only 2% of the approved trout water, but generally, it’s the best 2%.

Rhine someone Might be think that the FFO areas are awful examples of fly fishing egotism, but I don't think I know.

whats different with someone like you is at least you don't brand ALL of one kind of angler as anything. Pesky Government regulations is always fair game (for heated discussion) in a forum.


personally, The big waterway I fish is designated Trophy trout water. I don't much like it, to be honest. While the idea is great, the waterway is stocked to living *!* with little trout which then become protected fish.

it puts a HECK of a strain on all the fish that would spawn there, and since this is the tailrace of a major dam, this is a sweeping affect on many fish that naturally move upstream to spawn.

and this kind of relates to fly fishermen since in their ranks is the chief supporters of this regulation, but kind of doesn't since the commission made it clear its making its own decision based upon more exact shocking this year (thats per the three river management plan)

on the other hand, whether the commission puts in rules based upon purely objective ecological data- like they say they do.. is another huge debate by itself.


IMHO it kind of make sense to make the very best 2% of trout streams FFO kind of make sense. I mean If we're talking limestone creeks with lots of bugs and big native trout- doesn't that kind of water naturally favor the fly fishermen anyway? wouldn't a worm dunker be at a great disadvantage?

But I Don't even know- if you show up with spinning gear at a big name limestone creek; can you catch trout with the 'grubby' baits- power bait, mealworms, nightcrawlers??

Spinfishing is just too easy, I need/want more of a challenge. Except if you use those rubber worm harnesses with a little propellor on the front, that's pretty technical stuff.

ORIGINAL: rapala11

ORIGINAL: DarDys

ORIGINAL: rapala11

jolie, i'm with you, i use my spinning gear much better and with good results, so most often i stick to it. but i haven't heard any harsh words for doing so, other than being called a sinner at the one fly last year.......bullies

You are lucking you left that pool when you did, there were some snobs there that were thinking about pushing you in for using spinning gear.

i could have told you i was from the southside of youngstown or i could have said that i had a bit part in the movie 'deliverance' (i played the banjo) and could handle myself well back in the boonies, but instead, upon being the recipient of menacing looks, i just reeled in and went back to the pavilion.

the week following, though, i did buy another 7wt. can't go to the ball dressed like a pauper or a steelers game dressed in brown.

Now all you need is some snob to show you what end of that 7-weight the reel goes on.