From Fontinalis Rising written by Jason Tucker
“Fly fishing has always had a reputation for elitism and purism. For some it is what draws them to the sport, for a lot of other people it is what puts them off. Some come to the sport wanting to challenge themselves, learn new skills, or fish in what they see as a more natural manner, appealing to the natural feeding patterns of the fish rather than just fishing a worm or spawn. Others like the feeling of being in an exclusive club. Whatever your motivations, don’t ever forget your roots, or the roots of the sport. No matter how deep you go into the sport, or how esoteric your pursuit, don’t forget that in the end we’re all just fishing. A little humility can go a long way, especially if we want to promote the sport or draw others to it.
Fly fishing needs that. It needs humility, it needs to continually draw new people. The fish and the rivers need it as well, and in the current climate of political hostility toward clean water, natural resources and public lands, fly fishing needs to link arms with sportsmen and women of all stripes. We certainly won’t prevail if we are taken down internally because of petty squabbles over our personal views of fly fishing, and especially if we think we are too good to show respect to others engaged in their lawful and ethical pursuit of the outdoors.”
