Fly Fishing: Hobby or Job?

[RAW]

A post on another site got me to thinking (dangerous). And maybe we have touched on it here before, but I'm throwing it out again.

The post hints to the fact that Gary LaFontaine was able to keep fly fishing in perspective. Although he was very famous as a fly fishing writer and fly fishing/tying thinker, he was able to keep fly fishing as a hobby or pastime. He could have very easily made fly fishing his "job" but he always said that fly fishing was his hobby and always kept his job as the prison psychologist in Deer Lodge.

How do you guys keep fly fishing in the proper perspective?

Can those who make it a "job" get too high on themselves?

Can reps of certain manufacturers' put on blinders and claim that their products are superior to others, when the kid with the willow stick can still outfish us all?

[fulano]

This post reminded me of one of my favorite lines from "A River Runs Through It", when the brothers are laying on their backs in the grass looking at the clouds and the older one asks the younger one "what do you want to be when you grow up?" He quickly replies "Professional fly fisherman" only to have the older brother inform him that "there's no such thing".

While I am jealous of those that work in the business sometimes, I'm kind of glad it is not how I earn a living, that it is a hobby (or religion as the case may be). I sure wish I had a job that put me on the water now and then as part of the work though.

[Trout4x]

Hobby here, wish it was a job.

[Lonnie]

Hobby here, wish it was a job.

T4x,

As a professional ski instructor, I can honestly say "No you don't..." :)

L

[CycleFish]

More power to anyone who can make a living doing what they enjoy. Sounds like LaFontaine had two things that gave him satisfaction, so why change the status quo.

I've come across the type of characters you talk about in other walks of life, & try to cut them some slack. Sure it's narrow minded but they put food on the table from doing their job. The reps & salesmen that usually get my attention are the types that openly admit its all about personal preference. "If this feels good, go for it. If theirs does - so be it."

[Tom]

a few years back. We were fishing just above the trestle and upstream from us this guy gets into a decent fish. He works it down near us and asked if I would take a picture. As I am doing this I notice that everything he has is Orvis. We start talking and he tells me that he is an R&D guy for them.

Twice a week he picks up a package that has rod, reel, waders, boots, vest, hat, you name it. He fishes with it for 2 days then packages it all back up, writes an online report, drops it off, and get his next gear set. He does that every week, 52 weeks a year.

He said it didn't pay huge, but then again with a grin he said, it didn't really need to. He was out here from back east and was able to write off his vacation, cause he was "working".

That's the only guy I really ever envied as far as his job was concerned.
Well that and the oiler for the Hawiian Tropic swimsuit team.

[Curtis Fry]

Having done fishing and tying both as a way to make money some time ago, I can honestly say what Lonnie does: "No you don't". Some people may be ok with it, but I got to the point that tying flies was more of a chore and not as much fun when I did it for the shops and clients. When fishing with a client, I got tired of "Oops, I broke off my 20th fly of the day...can you come tie on another one??" Or "Uh, yeah, how do I get this fly out of my elbow?".

anyway, for those that like it as a job, wonderful. I'll stick to the hobby side...

[Crosby]

Something that just fits in well as a way of life. It's certainly not a hobby.
I have 2 brothers that are guides. One guides fly fishing and has very well off clientel. One guides on Lake Eire what ever 4 guys can come up with over $400.00. I have helped with both of them and though I love being on Lake Eire and wouldn't feel bad if I still lived there, I wouldn't take his guiding service even if he gave it to me. 9 out of 10 times he is nursing a bunch of idiots and not because they can't fish. Now my other brother I could see me guiding his clientel but only after I retire from real work.

I can see Lafontaines's reasoning, but I think he should have also said that you can't turn down a goverment job and the perks that go with it.

[Hopper]

Guiding would be different, because you aren't really fishing, someone else is. The people factor is definitely the worst part of the job as you are trying to satisfy them. Having taken many friends out and "guided" them I can honestly say "No way in H*ll" would I ever do that. I just don't enjoy the human race that much.

The gear tester concept would be a better one, especially if you are a guy who likes the challenge and gadgets. Proper gear for a situation definitely enhances the experience. I suspect those jobs are few and far between. The worst part would be getting "up" for your job even though there is no hatch, it is cold, wet, windy (hot, dry, windy). You still "have to" go out and fish. That's not the same as doing it when you want to do it.

I think this kind of pressure would start to take the fun out of it. I kind of felt that way this fall with goose hunting. There is nothing like watching a bunch of cupped wings coming into your decoys and dropping them at 10 yards, but another day slogging through the mud and having to clean your gear, eating a smashed sandwich out of the bottom of a bucket again starts to get old. A few days of that and the thrill starts to go away.

Hopper

[Juke]

To echo what others have already mentioned. Back when I was a professional Fishery Biologist, versus the amateur one I sometimes play nowadays, I got to the point that I did not want to fish recreationally. I had played with fish all week for work, and then had no desire to fish on my time off. What draw was there was catching an 20" walleye, or a 22" brown, when earlier that wee you were sampling and admiring a 28" walleye, or a 30" brown that you had just sampled. I had fed my addiction via 12 volts or gill net, instead of a size 16 hopper. Personally, my perspecive had changed. I look back at that time and I have regrets. I lived within a stones throw of some of the great rivers of the west, Roaring Fork, Colorado, Gunnison, Logan, Gandy Salt Marsh, and did not fish them as hard or with as much enthusiasm as I would today.

Once I stepped out of the public and into the private sector, angling became enjoyable again.

"Hobby" is the way to go.

[PowerBaitHeppy]

juke mentions some things I hear frequently from my father.

30 years of managing the southern region has changed his outlook on fishing. He still loves to fish, and does so as often as possible. However, when fishing in Southern Utah, many times he has a hard time enjoying the "recreation" because it feels more like work. Try going fishing somewhere, and having someone recognize you, and the only thing they want to talk about is what should be done differently at their favorite fishing hole....

For the last few years we have been doing lot's of exploring out of state waters. Wyoming, Idaho, and a bit in Montana also. British Colombia is quickly taking up time spent in other places. Finding new waters, that have nothing to do with work, have given the old man something to look forward to in fishing.

There are many times that I wish I would have gone in to a field of fisheries. The poor pay is not what persuaded me to find another profession. It was the whole, don't mix your hobby with your work. That's not to say that I don't enjoy my profession, and I do like to screw around with computers. But computers are not my hobby (thank the Lord!). Fishing is my hobby, and the last thing I want to do is turn my hobby into work!

with that being said, I sure wish I could fish for a living!

[mems]

I had a friend in college who was in a photography class with me. I met him after our school days were over. He was now a pro photog. I said wow what a great job! He told me it was terrible. I said what about all the beautiful models and all. He said no, it just became a job, they were anorexic and cranky all the time. He said he hated it because something that he had loved was now work. I hope fishing never turns into that for me. Aloha, Mems.

[Stoney Clarke]

My job started as a hobby in Junior High at the 7th grade dance behind the bleachers and has turned into a full blown career by age 21. Gitty up!

SC

[ScottT]

Have never really got to know any "professional flyfishermen", but I have known a couple of golf pros quite well and I think (if you squint a little...) there's an anology here somewhere.

- Would love to go out and play even 9 holes, but somebody's gotta run the Pro Shop (Thought about hittin' the Provo for an hour or two, but I've gotta get 24 dozen para-adams tied by tuesday).

- Was looking forward to playing with some friends, but somebody signed up for a lesson (Got an invite to Blacksmith this evening, but I've got a group tying lesson at 6:00).

- Finally got out to play one afternoon, but had to "entertain" the course owner's out-of-town cronies (the Green is really red hot, but I'm booked 5 out of the next 6 days guiding "touristy easterners" expecting to catch a wallhanger).

I'll keep my day job (like a pro anything is really an option...) and appreciate/anticipate my moments on the river - and on the course!

ScottT

[UtahFlyGuy]

With any job, stress comes with it. I cant imagine being a guide and hoping under the pressure of catching some fish for the client, and try to look relaxed. Ill keep it as a hobby, Its relaxing the way it is. Ill get my stress somewhere else, thank you very much. UtahFlyGuy

[Marty]

What started as a hobby for me turned into a job and is now almost back to a hobby. Like in all professions people experience burn out. Look at the Green River. I started guiding the Green back in the early 80s. After about 8 years I had my fill. If you look at the crew that was guiding with back them, not many are left. Most have move on and are not guiding any more. Guiding did burn me out on fishing the river I was guiding but not on fly fishing. I still guide a few trip every year. There is nothing more rewarding that watching someone stick their fish on a fly. Even as a profession if you keep it in prospective and change it up now and then it will always be a hobby.

[Graycliff]

It's a hobby that takes at least one job to do it.

[JayMorr]

A post on another site got me to thinking (dangerous). And maybe we have touched on it here before, but I'm throwing it out again.


RAW here is the link to that post http://www.flyfishermanforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=637&page=3&pp=10&highlight=Gary (Dangerous).

I like to think of flyfishing as a lifestyle rather then a hobby. If I was working in the industry full time, I would'nt have to call in sick to go fishing! Vacation time would probably be spent on the same things as now.....flyfishing.

[ARW]

I agree with Marty on this deal. If you make it your job it is no different from sitting in a freaking cube typing on a computer.

The only dfference is, on a day off, the dude that works in a cube still wants to fish.

[RAW]

That's the one Jay.

I have to admit that I have witnessed numerous shop owners who ended up fishing less once the shop tied them down, and fly tiers that turned pro and then burned out on the tying.

It takes a rare individual who can turn fly fishing and fly tying into professions and still remain passionate about it and want to do it after they get off "work."

Really, the only people who can consider fly fishing a lifestyle, would be the true trout bums. Most of us have other responsibilities in life: wife,children, job, church and civic duties.

[Tightloop]

I like a lot of the folks that worked in shops, guided, and tied commercially went from hobby, to obsession, to job, back to hobby and still somewhat of an obsession.

It is pretty easy to burn out on the work if you don't truly enjoy watching others fish and enjoy what you have already learned to love, but it is two different things. I've noticed flyfisherman who become guides get burned out on guiding but not necessarily fishing. Seems that commercial tiers tend to get burned out on both I think. I bought a lot more flies then I tied for myself when I was tying commercially, but when guiding I still enjoyed fishing just as much, if not more.

As far as "getting too high on themselves" I've seen it happen a lot, but they usually don't last long. I probably got a little too cocky when I first started. But if you do it enough you will be humbled quickly and I have never met a good guide that is cocky. I think if you are in the "profession" you gain even more respect that it is something that can not be mastered and are always trying to learn more. Most are confident, but not cocky.

As far as the reps go they fall in the same category. They naturally lean towards their own products (it’s their job) but very few will flat say that another company's product sucks. They are in a very competitive market that it is very hard to get an edge in. Never met one that said that his rod, reel, line, glasses or blah will instantly make you a better fisherman.

It isn't too hard to keep the right perspective. I was very fortunate and learned from some of the best shop owners, guides, and tiers in the industry and they always taught me how to keep things into perspective and how to not burn yourself out.

There are a few that stay in the profession and will probably do so there entire life, these are the folks that will always be there to teach the new ones. There are a lot of guides/outfitters out there now days especially on the local waters like the Provo. Hard to stay booked unless you have been at it for a long time, doesn’t matter how good/bad you are. But even some of the guides on the Green who were booked 5-7 days a week year round still didn’t make the best of money. It’s not a profession that you will easily get rich in, matter of fact a lot hold separate jobs just to get by. I still enjoy guiding/teaching and do it a few times a year, but don't do it near as much as I did when I started. One day I’ll retire and get to do it full time again.

[S&P]

Well, I guess Mr. Lafontaine and I have somethig in common.

Time spent on the water is all the more enjoyable when you spend your professional career behind bars. But I'm not a phsychologist, I just hand out lots of toilet paper.