Shotguns and Fly Fishing?

[Smoke]

An innocent remark made in passing by our fine Mod. Mr. Dave in another unrelated post reminded me of something I've casually noticed over the years and want to see if my theory holds up here.

How many of you that consider yourself good/above average shotgunners are also into fly fishing?

I think there is an artistic continuity at work here. Most of the better bird hunters and clay busters I know are also avid fly fisherman.

Opinions, observations, comments?

[Johnpl]

Shotgun (trap, upland birds and deer hunting)
Rifle (hunting, plinking, target, mil-surp, rimfire)
Pistol (concealed carry, target, plinking)
Fishing (fly, spin, baitcast)

[Steve Smith]

As a rifleman just passing through, I see that Shotgunners are the only ones in your poll with a flyfishing option. Riflemen have spincasters, and pistoleros get a crude pole and string. This further reinforces my opinion that shotgunners are often snobs.

I am a rifleman and I flyfish.

[redbone]

Flyfish, pistol, rifle, shotgun, and slingshot.

RBH

[redbone]

One more thing:

Sounds like you've spent too much time in an Orvis shop. Try a Winston or Sage.

:D :D

RBH

[Andrew Wyatt]

i'm a rifleman first, and the one time i caught a fish, i did it with a rented pole and reel.

[sm]

I can't vote on the poll either...

edited, seemed a bit stereotyped, to me.

[Smoke]

I wasn't trying to be a snob; I was trying to be a smart@$$.

Really only interested in the first two entries in the poll.

Basically yes or no.

(must seek out training in beiong a better smartalleck (sic?).......

[Dave McCracken]

I flyfish, baitcast, and use spin tackle. I draw the line at explosives. I prefer flyfishing

And while my instrument of choice oft has 870 writ upon it, I do shoot rifles, handguns and muzzleloaders.

[stevelyn]

I shoot anything that burns gunpowder, including the ancient stuff, I bowhunt, and I flyfish. Seems like flies catch more fish in AK.

[Steve Smith]

Really only interested in the first two entries in the poll.

So why insult the others by assuming that they would not prefer a supposedly more refined form of fishing?

[makdaddy03]

I own alot of guns and I like to fish.:evil:
Bream
Bass
Catfish
Big Bull Bluegill.

[Coronach]

[haughty mode]

I have better things to do with my day than sit beside a river, fighting mosquitoes and trying to outsmart a fish.

[/haughty mode]

...mostly because the fish so often wins... :uhoh:

Mike :D

[Preacherman]

Steve, re1973, I've added another category to the poll - just for you! :D

[CMichael]

Why not combine both sports and shoot the fish?

[Cadwallader]

I hunt birds with a shotgun and I flyfish with equal ineptitude.

There's nothing more refined about fly fishing - it's the person doing the fishing that matters. I don't know any shotgun snobs, but there are plenty of fly snobs who act like they're doing the fish a favor by sticking them with a $4 dry fly:what:and blanch at mention of eating a trout or fishing with bait - these people are really fun to mess with:evil:.

Of course, I learned flyfishing from my dad who was one of the old-timers who'd mostly just fish a worm downstream and take a limit (and then some) in short order.

[Smoke]

Preacherman,

Thank you.

Smoke.

[Steve Smith]

Still can't participate...no applicable answers.

[Dave McCracken]

Being a bit of a redneck, I do flyfish sometimes for greenwater species like Bluegills, Crappie, and Rock Bass. I use the Anything Streamer I invented and written up in Fly Tyer magazine.

Sometimes I dig out the 8 wt Thunderstick and bust a few Largemouths with a Thumper(Another invention), the flyrodder's answer to the ubiquitous bucktail jig. Alternately I use a variant of the Bunny Leech.

And there's a section of the upper Patapsco that is great for wadefishing with a size 10 black Wooly Bugger on a 5 wt rod for stream smallmouth, but do not expect directions. There's usually a good White Miller hatch in August, but I fish a streamer and catch the fish that are eating the fish eating the White Millers.

And in my younger years, I was known to go with companions of dubious respect for the law and shoot carp as they jumped into the air in mating displays in the shallow inlets of Tridelphia lake.
Snap shooting but fun...

Note, 2 shot or larger work best if you've a carp problem.

[sm]

Thanks Preacher.

Now everybody will know that I have used a Sage 5 wt as a canepole...

You didn't tell them about me tying 8# line the bbl of an mod 70 in' 06 did ya...had to wrestle them crappie out of the stick-ups...slabs...yum, smack smack

it aint't cheatin' if it works...:D

adapt, overcome...

[Glamdring]

Smoke said (must seek out training in beiong a better smartalleck (sic?)

Training is available. References on request, specifiy how many pages. :rolleyes:

***

Some people like Elmer Keith used handguns on sharks at least.

What about bow fishing? Spear fishing? Trapping (ie fish traps).

And the professionals that used nets and trawels (sp?).

Shooting fish in a barrel?