Investment

I’ve seen a lot of changes in this industry over the past 15 years or so.  When I first started, I was one of the only younger people around. Social media wasn’t a thing yet. People didn’t have thousands of dollars worth of gear, and fly shops were dusty places with old men gatekeeping most of the knowledge.  I was fortunate to find a mentor early on.  Maybe my raw passion, my want for knowledge, or just my energy, but I was given the chance to learn and apprentice almost with one of those old timers and learned the basis for what I do for a living now.

I’ve seen social media take hold of things like fishing and other outdoor activities. I’ve seen the world of fly fishing open up to more people, the river traffic is more diverse than it ever has been. I’ve seen more and more anglers become exceptional at this gig and that wasn’t the case when I first started.

Things in this industry change. Like how I teach casting. Which started out the old school metronome style 10 and 2 way.  And now it’s stopping the rod and noon, less false casts or none, point the rod tip, let the tool do the work.  Things shift, the sport is learned quicker, and people require more reinforcement than having a decent cast. Gear updates, new ways of teaching and applying skills are learned.  All these great positives come from the changes we see in fly fishing.

Investing is what anglers need help with.  Unfortunately too many times, social media, shops, or companies push the narrative that you need to invest your money and time into gear and things.  I don’t work for a shop, so the bottom line of running a brick and mortar is not a factor in my business. Only thing I’m trying to sell you is an experience on the water and learning how to fly fish well. 

No rent, no lights or heat to keep on, no inventory to sell or stock, no employees. Shops need to sell shit in order to be relevant.  And that’s what they are for.  It takes a lot of money or time spent in a shop to achieve access to the inner levels of fishdom in a fly shop.  The secrets, the gossip, all that shit.  It’s a club that has an entry fee.  And sometimes you won’t even be aware of it because the ‘powers that be’ are unwilling to open the clubhouse to you.  Not all shops are this way, but the system in place is to get anglers to invest dollars into stuff as opposed to knowledge.

No one, I’m gonna put this out there…no one needs a rod over $500.  It’s completely unnecessary.  A $1000 rod is not built any differently than a $500 or less.  It’s a blank of various materials, tied, lacquered, glued, with metal, cork, and maybe some flashy thread or inlays on the reel seat.  Cosmetics are useless to the actual application of the tool. Which a fly rod is.  Having a fancy rod that looks pretty is a little pretentious.  It’s for looking good in a case or sitting in the boat. No one is looking at the rod when it’s being used.  Fish don’t care either. 

In all reality, if it casts well for you, then it’s a solid stick.  Don’t spend $1000 on a rod.  Our industry makes you think you need it or it will do the job better.  It won’t. Almost 20 years of experience and having owned and used thoroughly rods from across the money spectrum…doesn’t fucken matter. 

The same goes for most reels, except in specific cases like steelhead, or marlin.  Fly line…matters.  Spend a little money on that.  It will make a $50 rod cast well.  Nets, bags, waders, boots….don’t spend too much.  I fish 200 plus days a year. I use my waders maybe 25 days, my boots even less.  I have a decent puffy and a decent rain jacket. $500 boots hold up just as long as $200. I should know. I blow through gear fast. A $700 pair of waders will leak just as quick as the $200 pair.  I promise. Not worth your money.

Invest in things for comfort. Like a good lumbar supporting fishing bag if you wade a lot, or a good wading staff.  Or maybe you have sore feet so invest money in comfortable more expensive boots.  Maybe you have a hard time tying flies on, invest in tools to help with that and forgo the $350 polarized sunglasses.  Maybe a long handled net to make landing things easier.  Invest money in things that help you specifically not just because you are told you need them.

I’m saying all this because people go nuts during the holidays with fly fishing stuff.  And people get suckered into buying shit they don’t need. I’m also saying this because if you want to be a fly angler, your time and money need to be invested in skill building and knowledge. That’s where the richness of fly fishing is…and the gear and stuff has absolutely zero bearing on fly fishing. 

Put your time and money into yourself. Take casting lessons. And ask a lot of questions. Or find a good instructor.  Too many people own a fancy stick but have zero idea how to cast it well or use it as a tool.  Take courses and workshops on entomology, flies, water reading.  Do use a fly shop for things like tying nights, or when speakers come in to do clinics, or presentations. Engage in the community outside the shop by hosting get togethers. Use resources like social media to gather and learn skills. Invest in a guide trip with a guide that does all those things and more like Kristen or myself. Invest your money and time into the things that will help you learn, find success, and give you tools to fly fish on your own.  That is what fly fishing is.  A mostly solo activity within a natural space where fish live and eat.  It allows you to be a part of that space in a very intimate and raw way. 

All the stuff and the things can overhelm and distract from the essence of what we are trying to accomplish with a flyrod.  It’s just not about all that shit.  It’s just not.  It’s a craft that is learned, then applied, which gives connection to the natural world and allows individuals to experience wildlife and their environment in a unique way. 

That’s it.  A $1000 rod, a magic fly, or anything of that sort isn’t going to give you that any differently.  It just does not matter. Our industry tends to get this way.  It tries to sell, it tries to expense people right out of the activity, it gatekeeps, it shoots itself in the foot with hype, high prices, and poor service.  And I sound like I am shitting on things it’s because I kind of am.  I’m getting older, and I’m seeing shit in the industry, social media, and from shops and companies that’s just elitist, a little dated, and just kind of sad. There is no reason for it.

We are just going fishing. It can be just that.  Because at the end of the day that’s all it is.  Not some epic adventure every time, not some session that needs to be chopped up into 30 second reels to help sell some shit, not some hyped up ridiculous slay fest…its just fishing.

Invest in the space, put time into yourself, learn and gain knowledge because that is where fly fishing really rewards, put your money into skills, not stuff.  Engage in the community, not the commercialism.  Enjoy the time on the water for what it is.  Just time…fish come or they don’t. That’s fishing. 

Invest accordingly anglers. Your time and money are worth a lot.  And fly fishing doesn’t have to be a huge cost. 

See ya riverside anglers,

Tamarack