Probably an odd inquiry, especially this deep into a blog – which on the surface at least – is about fly fishing.  Yet, it is one not easily answered, or perhaps more accurately stated, not consistently answered.

First just as something of a disclaimer…

Many states have as part of their fisheries management strategies “Fly Fishing Only” waters.  These areas are typically either ponds, or more commonly stretches of rivers where the only legal way to fish them is to “fly fish” them.  However, what legally defines fly fishing varies slightly and significantly from state to state.  These differences are not always clearly articulated either. The primary differences stem from how a “fly” is defined, but differences in gear, line, even casting and presentation techniques do come up from time to time. For example some states do not consider a fly to be a fly if it has any added weight so a bead-head nymph is NOT a fly by this standard, also some states do not believe that a technique like trolling, even with fly tackle, is fly fishing.

Just to reiterate these are legal differences – not opinions – a person fishing location A. could be fined for doing the same thing in location B.  Suffice to say defining exactly what fly fishing is or isn’t may not be possible, if it were you figure it would have been done at some point in its long history.  I will attempt it here…but this is just my opinion and like most of my opinions of no real practical value.

Fly fishing is not fishing for flies.  I hate that joke.

Oh wait, I have an idea.  I’ll pretend that I am my favorite internet celebrity: Marina Orlova – the teacher in the series of Hotforwords Youtube Videos.  I am a dork and always found the etymology of words interesting.

“Intelligence is sexy.”

Marina Orlova

Ok class which of the following is correct:

A.   Fly-fishing

B.    Fly fishing

C.    Flyfishing

Trick question.  See the English language does not answer to an “authority.”  There are no absolute correct spellings of anything.  Don’t believe me…look at a dictionary, and when you see the term “Common Spellings” use that dictionary to look up the meaning of the word “common.”  Grammar and punctuation are like-wise not bound by fixed rules – just “accepted norms” which may or may not make you look like an idiot.  For myself, I consider my grammar to be impeccable, my punctuation is horrid so I doubt I could pass a 5^th grade language arts class.  Yet, you all read my columns and have grown to love me; except for the few of you who keep sending me death threats…you know who you are, Ms. Jennifer Hate Hewitt…

Back to the quiz.  Answer Key

“Fly-fishing” the hyphen denotes that “fly” is an adjective describes fishing. So in this instance the word “fly” describes the fishing.  All fishing is more or less the same.

“Fly fishing” is used to show that “fly” is a type of fishing – not an adjective but a distinct sort of fishing.  Fishing is an umbrella term, and fly fishing is a separate sport but still in the same family.

“Flyfishing” as one word would mean that “flyfishing” is linguistically completely separate from “fishing” itself that the two sports are separate.  Best example “Baseball” and “Football” – they share the root “ball” but they are separate sports.

Honestly I could make a compelling argument for all of these, and as a reader of fly fishing literature I am almost certain you have seen all three at one time or another.  Normally, I would tell you that I am right and you are wrong, but sometimes a good professor has to step back and let his charges find their own way.  The one thing I will not allow is for you not to think about it.  Though the differences may seem minor, they are distinct and your choice will affect how you will ultimately define fly fishing.

I choose the term “fly fishing” because I believe that fishing is fishing, but fly fishing is a distinct type that needs to be performed a distinct way.  All fly fishers are fishermen, but not all fishermen are fly fishermen.

Why?  Because you can’t fly fish drunk.  Well I suppose you can but not around me.  This is a well known fact in Ireland, at least when talking to some distant relations if you mention you like to fish the Aunts will shake their heads and preach temperance.  Once you establish that you fly fish, they are all smiles and want to be in your will.

The simplest definition is to say that fly fishing is fishing with flies.

So what is a fly?

This is a much harder question.  You see a lot of people consider fly tying to be an art, and I think that is a fair observation.  What goes with it, however, is the realization that the people who produce flies are thus artists.  Artists can be incredible douche-bags.

There are some fly tiers who think a fly is only a fly if it is tied with 100% natural materials.

There are some who think a fly can have some synthetic materials but not other ones.

Some believe a fly can have no added weight.

Still others think a fly is only a fly if it represents an insect.

Are they right?  Yes and no.  Artists are free to believe and pursue their beliefs however they wish…they are less free to condemn the beliefs of others.  In my area there are a group of anglers known to some as the “Striper Moonies” they follow the fly design tenants set down in the book Striper Moon by Ken Abrams.  They have been known to express their beliefs with religious fervor.  It’s all in good fun, until it isn’t.  Luckily I’m an eighth of a ton…and have little to worry about…except taxes on sugar.

I am not immune from this.  My personal hang-up is tying the flies myself.  The only flies I will ever use that I haven’t tied myself are ones freely given to me by my buddies.  I will purchase a fly only as a model and even then generally only if I watched it get tied at a demo or show and I enjoyed the presentation of the guy tying it.  I guess I just feel that a fly must be tied with happiness and love, never mass produced.  Is this a rational belief? Of course not, but I am an artist and entitled to a bit of eccentricity.

Though all this debate over what is or is not a fly may seem trivial and annoying – and most of the times it is – it does point to one of the key differences between fly fishing and other types of fishing.

This difference is casting mechanics.

A fly has no significant weight; they are primarily composed of feathers and fur.  If you held the heaviest fly in your hand and tried to throw it, you would be lucky if it sailed 10 feet.  Most, if there was a significant breeze, would land behind you.  By comparison, bait, artificial lures, even rubber worms are much heavier than even a very large fly.  So in order to get the fly to the fish, the angler must unroll the line.  A fly cast has more in common with cracking a bull whip than a cast made by a spin fisherman.  Kinky!

The Fly line used for casting (a fly fisherman may use 15 or more different types of line all knotted together into one long string at any one time) is thick and heavy, sometimes brightly colored.  Regular fishing line is generally a clear nylon monofilament or a very thin braid.  When casting a fly rod the fisherman must create momentum with the line and use this force to bend the fly rod and make the cast.  This is not easy to learn (Flyosophy published a series on casting for more info).  The practical result is that a fly fisherman is limited in the distances he can cast far more so than other anglers.  A Novice spin rod fisherman can easily cast twice as far as a Master fly caster. Because of this a fly fisherman must physically get closer to the fish, very often a fly fisherman has to be close enough to see the fish before making a cast.  So there is an element of stealth – you don’t have to be a ninja but it helps.

Casting is why fly rods are generally much longer and far more flexible than standard rods.  The flexibility is needed to cast the line, where a heavier spin or conventional rod has the mass of a heavy bait or lure and can use a far stiffer pole.  This difference is most noticeable when fighting a fish.  The fly rod is flexible and less capable of muscling a fish in.  Therefore more of the battle falls upon the angler, who must adjust the tension on the line with his fingers.

All these traits add up to make one general truth.  Fly fishing is an active sport – the image of a fisherman dozing off in a boat is not one of a fly fisherman.  You don’t have to be an Ironman, but you can’t just sit on your ass all day either unless you happen to be in a human-powered vessel like a canoe, kick-boat, or kayak.  Given the shorter casting distances, and the fact that flies can only really be worked at fairly shallow depths, very often the best places to fly fish are impossible or impractical to pilot a motorboat through.  There are exceptions to every rule, but in general successful fly fishermen often have to walk or paddle considerable distances.

If you see a guy fishing while sitting in his truck with his rods set out rigged to cowbells – NOT A FLY FISHERMAN.

Finally there is the belief – controversial perhaps – that fly fishing is the most challenging way to catch a fish.

“It is easiest to feed a fish, and that is what you are doing with bait.  It is harder to fool a fish, and that is what you try to do with plugs, spoons or other lures.  It is most challenging to fool a fish with smoke and mirrors.  That is fly fishing.”

Captain Ray Stachelek

Bait is food.  Since it is nearly Halloween, consider the age-old tale your mom told you about the sick bastard that would put razors in apples and give them to kids Trick-or-Treating.  Now catching a fish this way is not evil…but is it really something to brag about?  Before you start with your feeble argument of the challenges of how you had to know where the fish was and tides and wind and Blah Blah Blah – answer this:  Which of those did you have to know that a fly fisherman wouldn’t?  Exactly.  Sit on your bucket beside your cowbell or bobber.  I will not place a powdered wig upon my noble head, cover my jacked body with a black robe, and sit in judgment of you.  Wait that’s exactly what I’ll do…in fact I will go so far to say that bait fishing is not purely fishing.  Honestly, it is far more like trapping than anything else.

“Oh No you did not just say bait fishing was like trapping.”

Bait Fisherman

“Oh yes I did.  What you going to do about it?  Nothing!!!!  You see these Pecs these Delts!!!  Gaze upon my biceps and DESPAIR!!!!  Now get your buttermilk pancake-ass out of here!!!!  Damn, I wish I had some buttermilk pancakes.”

The Flyosopher

Flyosophy Fun Fact: The Flyosopher fears no man, picks up EVERY punk card and accepts all challengers.  He has also had his ass kicked on numerous occasions.

With an artificial lure you are truly tricking a fish.  The angler has to present and work the lure in a manner than entices the fish to strike.  But then again, so does a fly fisherman and the fly fisherman has to do all that by hand, and the fly itself was made by hand.

It has come to my attention that a fair number of Flyosophy’s readership do not actually fly fish.  This is fine I just wanted to make a post that would shed a little light on the differences between fly fishing and other types of fishing.  I am often surprised by how little the general public knows about this sport – most people I meet when they learn I enjoy fly fishing will assume it is the same as competitive Bass Fishing or Deep-Sea Party Boat fishing.  Fly fishing has one other difference from other forms of fishing in that it is largely a solitary pursuit.  Maybe it is because of the amount of room a fly fisherman needs to cast, the fact it is not the easiest to do from a boat deck, or the stealth requirements.  But even on the rare occasions that I fish with another, we tend to be too far apart to communicate.  A fly fisherman spends a lot of time alone with his thoughts.

Whether he likes it or not, sooner or later all fly fishermen with become philosophers.

Not “Flyosophers” – there is only one of those ME and don’t go stealing my thunder…or my pancakes.