Some years ago, writing in his best selling book - African Fly Fishing Handbook, the author: Bill Hansford-Steele stated that: "Fly-fishing in all its forms is the fastest growing participatory field sport in the world."

I would not like to say whether this might be the case in the UK, but certainly in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, this statement might be very true. People also tell me that our sport is also growing in places like Russia, Japan and South Korea.

But The UK's "TV Fly Fishing Superstars" Matt Hayes and Mick Brown will soon be showing us all how to fly fish, at the Go Fishing Show at Cudmore this July.

There is no doubt that both Matt and Mick, being professional anglers have recognised that fly fishing is growing. In fact it is probably the only sector of angling that is growing world wide. How lucky we are to have a pair of fly fishing superstars in this country. I wonder when their book is going to appear. This is going to be a "must read".

But what do you think?

Fly fishing superstars?? Fishing superstars maybe, but I wouldn't reckon Mick Brown could teach a competant fly fisher much, nice bloke though he undoubtedly is.

Certainly in my neck of the woods, fly fishing doesn't seem to be growing. Sure the stock ponds attract a few ex coarse anglers, but river fishing? There aren't many youngsters coming into it. I'm assuming they eschew the challenge for the sometimes more obvious rewards of coarse fishing. I can't blame them - I was the same when I was a lad.

To give you some idea, I am a member of a long standing fly fishing club which controls some of the most sought after running water in the north west of England. We have one junior member. I, at the grand old age of 34, am one of the youngest full adult members, the vast majority being towards or beyond retirement age.

I would be only too glad to take a few youngsters out ot show them the ropes, but those who are interested in fly fishing seem by and large to restrict their ambitions to the small put and take goldfish bowls...which is a shame.

(the exception seems to be that Cumbria and Northumbria seem to be producing a handful of good comp angling lads at the moment - Gelder, Nellins et al)

Matt

__________________
The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

Wadaa's Kingfisher club has effectively injected some young blood into fly fishing in the Lake District and beyond.

I take my cousins up to the Eden whenever I have time out from my studies to help nurture their interest in the sport. They've gone from total beginners into fairly competent anglers and casters over the last 18 months or so. I've taught them everything I know and they've all listened with enthusiasm, it's comforting to see that not all teenagers have been lost to PS3's and Xbox consoles.

I don't want fishing to grow. I really don't care if anyone else takes it up at all. If I can help someone of course I will but I don't want anymore people competing for the same limited resources.

Selfish? Probably.

That isn't a coarse/game division - fact is, hardly anyone coarse fishes the rivers either. All they want is the more obvious rewards of carp fishing. I worry about how my (coarse fishing) club justifies paying for the leases when most of the members never fish the rivers, and fear that the day can't be far off when it stops bothering.

You have a bit of a point TBH.

I stopped reading fly fishing magazines long ago (except for T&S which I pick up from time to time), simply because I'm sick and tired of reading about self-proclaimed 'superstars'. It's starting to make the sport look like coarse fishing, without wanting to sound like a snob...

i wouldnt say matt hayes and mick b are fly fishin superstars, but ye i do belive that the media is havin a big impact on the influence to our sport, i also hate to admit it but i think robson green i has had quite a big influence while he may seem abit excentric to anglers that have been fishing for a while he does make it seem appealing to non anglers (dont get me wrong i think hes abit of a loon)

while fly fishing may be up in figures id say that it is still well behind compared to carp/ coarse fishing as an attraction but ye i dont see why it shouldnt take over from corse and carp fishin in a few years.

like fly fishing for carp, pike and bass the idea of fly fishing is starting to bleed over into diffrent branches of fishing which can only be good news for fly fishing

Yes, good point. I think you are right about that. Modern day ticket fisheries are just so heavily stocked that kids become spoilt don't they? It's a shame as fishing moving water teaches good water craft which can be applied anywhere....

Chilli, good on you for making the effort to get your cousins involved!

__________________
The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

Ron you devious old git ... come on, you're jealous?

As a captain of industry, get down the local college of 'art' and get the media studies kids to practice their skills on you!

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Help fund the WTT study of the Softmouth

Dont know if its the case there. From what I have heard from the local maggotboys and matchanglers, here on the Nene, the river is so clear now and food abundant, that the course guys are finding it harder to fish as the fish can see em on the banks now and aren't so sucidal when ground baits lumped in the open areas.
You'd think catches would have been down through dirty polluted water, it seems the oppsite is true.