Why Isn't Flyfishing Growing in Popularity?

[ncflyboy]

Why isn't flyfishing growing in popularity? There are plenty of places to swing a flyrod. No flyshop to purchase gear? The Internet is full of flygear, in all price levels. All kinds of fish can be caught on flies. Nobody to teach flycasting? There's the Internet, dvd's, and books.

NASCAR has expanded. Turkey hunting too. It seems that most people associate flyfishing with trout in stream and river fishing.

Cheers,

Robert

 

[gt05254]

Just wondering...how do you know it isn't growing??
Gary

 

[brobar]

Just wondering...how do you know it isn't growing??
Gary

Exactly.

The 2010 Fly Fishing Market Survey (released earlier this year) showed that 59.3 percent of anglers bought some type of fly fishing tackle in 2010 which was a 4.1 percent increase over 2009.

I'm sure the economy can have an effect on purchases of equipment and/or excursions but then again the economy wasn't much if any better in 2010 as it was in 2009 but it appears more people were buying fly-fishing equipment according to the survey so I also have to ask... how do you know it isn't growing?

 

[Ard]

Robert,

Observations made at any sort of a local level can lead one to believe that there are conditions that may not apply when taken in a broad or sweeping generalization. While certain areas may not be experiencing a growth in any number of markets there may well be other area markets that offset the sparse growth in those fore mentioned. If I were to make any sort of an un-researched or better put, guess, I would say that fishing might well have a very stable market. Whether we speak on growth as in new anglers, or market in terms of tackle sales I would expect that there is a steady increase in both interest and purchasing. Now remember that's a guess.......................

If we were to use the forum as a guide line then we could measure the number of new members who describe themselves as 'Newbies' against those who state they are quitting fishing altogether.

Ard

 

[Guest1]

Where I live fly fishing doubled when I taught my Canadian friend. I have another guy that wants to learn so it will have tripled when he learns. There will be a whole 3 of us.

 

[gt05254]

Uh oh, Dan! what if those two start teaching people?? I see an exponential growth curve of fly fishers in your area! don't teach that third guy!!
Gary

 

[bruce m]

I have another guy that wants to learn so it will have tripled when he learns. There will be a whole 3 of us.

You better be careful pretty soon you'll be elbow to elbow in the river.

 

[ncflyboy]

Just wondering...how do you know it isn't growing??
Gary

Gary,

Flyfishing isn't growing in my area...major retailers removed their flyfishing merchandise. I've fished the public lakes, swamps (yes, I flyfish in swamps), rivers, streams, and reseviors...I'm usually the only flyrodder.

My friend owns a popular bait and tackle shop, and I've asked him to carry flygear. He does, but the only thing moving are the poppers. There is a sporting goods store in the neighboring county that carries flygear...but most of it is dusty.

If flyfishing were growing, then why aren't the mainstream magazines writing more about it? Why aren't regional magazines covering it? You see tons of catfish and bass advertisements, but rarely anything flyfishing. When will flyfishing magazines devote more articles about promoting flyfishing?

Turkey hunting is far more popular in this region than flyfishing. There was very little turkey hunting here 15 yrs ago...nowadays there is plenty of turkey gear sold in many local stores with plenty of hunting pics that adorn the brag boards in the stores.

I have visited every tackle store in this county and neighboring counties and have seen very little in flyfishing merchandise. There is far more saltwater gear to choose from than flyfishing gear...and the ocean is 90 min away! Go figure!

I've flyfished at major reseviors here in NC with plenty of anglers...but I'm usually the one carrying flygear. I don't see anyone casting at the popular beaches either.

I'm sorry, but if flyfishing is growing in popularity, I fail to see any evidence over here. I once joined a flyfishing club 2 counties over, but it was dead.

Cheers,

Robert

 

[gt05254]

Robert, North Carolina likely will never be a hotbed of fly fishing activity, even though the Fly Fishing Show does, or did, a Charlotte venue. I used to eat my lunch with one foot in Tennessee and the Other in NC, at 6,000 feet in Cherokee NF. I saw a lot of wild hogs, few of the ruffed grouse I was studying, and zero fly fisherman. But there are some incredible little streams up in NC mountains.

Bottom line: NC is hardly the canary in the coal mine as far as whether fly fishing is growing as a sport...that would be in my opinion, of course.

I suspect that if one went to the fly tackle dealer show - or whatever its called now - as was just held in New Orleans (I used to go to it when it was in Denver) - one could get a sense from the manufacturers about whether or not they were in line for pay raises or not.

Good topic, though,
Gary

 

[bruce m]

I don't know about growing in popularity here, it has always been extremely popular, but I sure can tell you there is no shortage of fly fisherman on the rivers or in the fly shops, mostly in the fly shops lately because of all the rain and flooding.

 

[brobar]

Absolutely... you shouldn't take your local conditions and use that as a consensus for nation-wide. When I lived out in CA and fished many of the mountain lakes and streams there in the Sierras... there were fly fishermen everywhere... it seemed like they were butt to nut in many locations. I haven't been fishing yet while living here in Denver but I'm determined to pick up fly fishing and I've heard it is very popular here in the Rockies... several fly-shops in the area.

So definitely don't take your specific location as the defacto for everywhere nation wide. It may just not be popular (or growing in popularity) in your location.

 

[ant]

I think another thing to consider is that all markets fluctuate. Nascar is expanding now, but where will it be in 5 years? 10 years?

Even if fly fishing is declining (and I have read a few articles that say that it is. Wish I knew where.... ) I think a better stat to look as is the fishing industry as a whole. Between 2009 and 2010 fishing as a whole went down approx 3 million participants (yes, I'm nerding it up with science) so of course fly fishing will decline. But between 2006 and 2007 it rose just over 2 million. But it's been dropping ever since. Which is about the same time as the economy tanked.

So I would say that the industry as a whole is declining as a result of everyone being p*** poor. Would you want to spend $200 to start a new sport if you're worried about your finances? Didn't think so.

Once the economy starts showing strong growth, fly fishing will be on the upswing. Hopefully in more places than just Montana.

 

[gatortransplant]

I think that Gary hits the nail on the head. I think the expansion of fly fishing does not mesh well with your location. Fly fishing is seeing expansion in exotic new quarters (dorado, more saltwater, carp ). Besides carp, the targetable game species in your area represent maintenance of the status quo. However, there is a great expanse of new fly-fishing emags, youtube videos, and other media emerging. There are also a lot of new companies appearing at every price point. Brobar's citation of sales growth in the face of a less-than-favorable economic situation speaks to the growth of the niche.

The growth of NASCAR represents a different sort of niche market: investment from the customer base is very different in a spectator sport than in a sport where followers actively participate. There may also be the possibility that the growth of NASCAR may also speak toward different social situations and demographics; this can be said of any activity, but must also be considered.

 

[Fly2Fish]

I think the basic problem is that public trout-fishing waters are relentlessly being driven private, to the point that the quality waters of the upper Rocky Mountains cost a ton to fish, since you pretty much have to have a guide/lodge to fish them now that they are pretty much private. Those that have remained public, like the San Juan, New Mexico, are so overfished that you pretty much have to hire a guide to have any chance of catching anything significant.

Just my 2c . . .

 

[Jackster]

Robert, go to area's that have trout and you 'might' see things differently. Your area of NC will never be that hot bed of fly fishing in the south. Go further east or west and it's a different story altogether. Bait frankly works better than flies most times and most fisherman fish to eat.
Understand too that the internet and mass marketers have taken a lot of business from the local mom 'n pop fly shops. One can only survive for so long in a business where so many use the local shop to look and do their buying on line.
The local Bass Pro here has a fine fly shop (for being a big box store anyhow). The local Gander Mountain had a fine fly shop inside but the employees and fishing managers who were basically afraid of that area because they knew little to nothing about fly fishing. Clue? Red and white plastic bobbers in with the floating line display. That does not create sales or prompt adding fresh inventory. The fly shop is all but gone at that store but the local small shops surely picked up the slack. We also have a new Orvis company store in Charlotte. They have both good inventory and good, knowledgeable staff.
Why not ask about doing some part time fly fishing sales at one of those local bait shops of yours? If nothing else you might get gear at pro discounts.

All that said, the big push in our FF club is to bring fresh people into the sport. In my subdivision I ran an email to homeowners stating that we will offer a free kids fly fishing class at the clubhouse for those interested. We filled that class within 3 hours of the email going out. That tells me the interest is there, we just need to make it easy and convenient.

 

[ncflyboy]

Jackster,

You do bring up a point about promoting flyfishing...even the girlfriend suggested that I put an ad in the local newspaper to teach flycasting. Catherine says "there is an air force base in town and you can show others how to flyfish."

When I entertained the thought of flyfishing, I passed this idea to my catfishing buddy...he looked at me and said "Flyfishing around here? There's no mountain trout streams around here."

Maybe I'll place an ad in the newspaper.

Cheers,

Robert

 

[gatortransplant]

Maybe there is a NC fishing forum where you can find people in your area who may be interested in a new style? Newspaper could also work so definitely a possibility.

 

[Jackster]

Robert, I know of a gent who has been strawbossing doing fly fishing classes for about a decade at the Pechmann Center in Fayetteville (In fact, he just won the state Wildlife Volunteer of the Year award). They have several sessions per year. He is often seeking volunteers. They do classes for folks from all walks of life including the soldiers stationed near the NC coast.
Just bounce back to me if interested.

 

[mbphotos54]

this is a neat subject, growing up spin and bait fishing I looked at flyfishing as an oldguys sport.(no offence anyone keep reading.. ) I ended up not able to fish for 3 years while in germany, and when I came back I was so used to not fishing I didnt get back into. untill last year a friend in my other club( rc flying) and thus I ended up on youtube watching every video on flyfishing.. so the addiction began. I finially got enough gear to fish earlier this year and have been on the water once a week since. I now understand why people do this.. but here in Kentucky it seems bassboat lure and big bait catfishing are the mainstay for fishing here and the local tackle shops reflect this. as for the elitist trout fishing I dont get it.. a fish that delecate is great to catch once in a while but I dont target them because unless you fish after a stocking and before the water heats up,, I havent seen a trout in a month at my creek.. but the bass and bluegill and catfish still hang in there. so I am looking at the FF thing as I can or have the potential to catch anything someone with a spinning reel could on my flyrod. And I have to toss this in here, I think alot of folks are lazy and look at fly fishing as too much work. fly fishermen for life now atleast I am doing my part to grow the sport.
mike

 

[milt spawn]

I think almost all sports, hobbies, and pastimes are feeling the economic pinch. Golf is stagnant, look at the live gate at NASCAR races, lots of room in the bleachers, the one sport that is bucking the trend is MMA. Just my armchair observations. milt.