Regarding fly fishing, is tying the fly or the actual fishing with the fly the s

1. 83

   K9keystrokesposted 12 years ago

   Regarding fly fishing, is tying the fly or the actual fishing with the fly the sport?

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2. 66

   Highvoltagewriterposted 12 years ago

   Both..for those who pride themselves with the ability to tie a fly, draw much pleasure from it. Of course, learning how to present that fly at just the right spot and just the right way, is the absolute goal of the angler.

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3. 60

   Madcaravannerposted 12 years ago

   There are Fly tyers who excel at tying but scarcely catch any fish
   and
   there are those who "Fluff Chuck"  (a Northern Anglers nick-name for someone who fly fishes) who can catch any species but don't have the first idea of HOW to tye a fly (Notice I use the OLDE English word for tying).
   
   I personally would not class the tying of a fly as a sport but as an ART or art-form as there are many different materials that an expert tyer will join together to form a representation of an insect or fish.
   
   The sport of selecting the correct type of fly or bug to the prevailing weather insect hatch or water colour is something that take many years to perfect
   
   To stand at the waters edge and persuade a wild trout that your fly /pupae/lure is edible and to try and eat it is something else.  It's you versus nature and with so many variables it can boggle the mind of someone who doesn't participate,  some days you can change just the colour of a fly somedays as many variables as you want without success, that's the sport.

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4. 69

   David Legg 7posted 12 years ago

   It's fishing that is considered a sport, while tying flies is generally considered an art or a craft. (Both art and craftsmanship play a role in tying.)
   David

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5. 53

   cotterbassposted 12 years ago

   While both are important for achieving the ultimate fly fishing experience, the actual presentation of the fly should be the primary goal.  The study of aquatic insects as they relate to imitation in the form of wet flies, dry flies, nymphs, or emergers becomes increasingly important as the angler's knowledge of stream conditions, preferred lies, feeding habits, and other aspects of stalking and presentation evolve. 
   Learn the techniques of observation and presentation first, then hone your fly dressing skills.  Remember that an angler skilled in the basics of approach and presentation is capable of catching trout with a less-than-perfect imitation, but an angler lacking those necessary skills usually has a difficult time fooling trout with a perfectly dressed fly.

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6. 0

   oldandwiseposted 12 years ago

   Both in my opinion. Being able to go to a lake or stream, identify what the fish are feeding on, then being able to reproduce it in the form of a fly. Then being able to take that fly you just made, and present it in such a way, that the fish will consider it as live bait. If you do both, you will have a creel full of fish. Happy fishing!

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