Why we are Gear Nuts

To the outside world, fishing seems like such a simple, pastoral pastime. According to the Norman Rockwell ideal, you don’t even need shoes, or a real fishing rod. (You don’t even need to stay awake for that matter.)

But if you are a fly fisher reading this special 2010 Gear Guide annual, “simple” doesn’t describe you or your passion. Fly fishing is an incredibly complicated, and deeply involved, activity.

When trying to explain to a nonfisher how wonderfully complex this pursuit can become, you may expound on the pseudoscience of angling entomology; aquatic ecosystems; the rich heritage of our angling literature (500 years and thousands of books spanning the globe); or the art/craft of fly tying that involves everything from urine-stained wool from a ram’s testicles, to plumage from rare or exotic birds. Then you might explain how the skill and athleticism involved in fly casting can be equated with pitching a baseball, taking years of effort and practice to master.

All this, and we have yet to broach the subject of fly-fishing tackle. In addition to the intriguing history and tradition of silk lines, ported fly reels, split bamboo rods—all of this cataloged by books, museums, and personal collections—today there are myriad new levels of complexity. There are thousands of specialty rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, jackets, and other tackle and soft goods—not just specifically designed for fly fishing, but for specific situations within fly fishing. A niche within a niche you might call it.

And in many instances, the engineering, the science, the materials, and the craftsmanship behind these items is spectacular.

At one time, fiberglass rods were considered modern marvels. More exciting now are reels with titanium drag shafts, ceramic bearings, Rulon, Teflon, or Ertalyte friction pads (page 32); zippered breathable waders, and self-inflating safety waders (page 58); lines so specialized that one has been made exclusively for carp (page 44); boots with stainless steel ratchet-

operated laces, rubber that stays sticky underwater, tungsten-carbide cleats, nano technology to shed aquatic nuisance species (page 66); and “green” products such as sunglass frames made from castor seeds (page 74), and wading jackets made from recyclable materials (page 73). A decade ago, much of this was unimaginable, but now the fly-fishing universe not only wants this stuff, we need it.

Which raises the question my wife has asked many times “Why are fly fishers such gear nuts?” Answer “Because it helps us have more fun.”

Better outerwear keeps you drier, warmer (or cooler), or in the case of boot bottoms and inflatable waders, it may help keep you alive. Performance rods and lines respond to your touch in ways that allow you to reach out and connect with fish while exerting less effort and executing greater precision under more varied circumstances. And a fine reel—the only hardware in our sport—can be an heirloom that lasts for decades or longer, and it plays the music that signals our success. So welcome to the 2010 Gear Guide, 80 pages of the tackle we crave, tried, tested, and reviewed by ardent anglers.