Re: [Paddlewise] Public beaches - was Saturation Point

From: R. Walker <rww_at_mailbox.neosoft.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 15:45:11 -0500
> I agree.  Its my impression that trout fisher have been fighting for their
> resource and access to same for a long time.  You just don't go out and go
> fish for trout, you have to get a license to fish and then get another one
> to go for trout.  And how much money is spent by a flyfisher on their
> equipment?  Blows my mind when I have seen the prices on a rod and real! 
> A heck of a lot more than my daddy paid for my fiberglass rod from Kmart
> back in the 70s!  And how about the actual SKILL in using a fly road.

Most of the money spent on fly rod and reel is for asthetics.  I can walk 
down the street and get a $40 8ft 5wt rod and a $15 reel and fish just fine.
In fact, my 9ft 10wt saltwater rod cost about $45, just the spool on my 
large reel cost more than that.   Yes, its true, I could go down to the Orvis 
store and spend $400 on a flyrod, but I doubt it'd catch more fish.  Its 
simply marketing.    Cheap graphite rods are available, and quite adequate 
to the task of putting a fly in front of a fish.

To get back on topic....  If you like to fly fish from a kayak, you might want 
to look at some of the british suppliers, such as Shakespear, they can put 
you on a 10ft or 11ft rod without taking out a 2nd mortgage.  The extra 
length will help keep your backcast off the water.   Also, I think the skill 
aspect of flyrodding is overrated.  Yes, if you feel the need to participate in 
national casting championships, or care how you look to your friends, then 
skill will be important.   Personally, when I got a rod in my hand, the 
purpose is to catch fish, not look good, if I *need* a particularly long cast, 
then I will pay attention to form and do it right, but otherwise, I just flail 
away and don't worry about it.  Its more important to get the fly in the right 
spot at the right time, than it is to do it with grace.



Richard Walker
Houston, TX
http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
Received on Wed Sep 29 1999 - 13:46:16 PDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:14 PDT