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In Search of "Generation Fly"
Following on an earlier discussion, and, subsequently, the sad passing of flyfishing icon Mel Krieger, I think it's appropriate to address the issue of "who will carry the torch."
I own every single one of Lefty Kreh's books, and I still keep on my desk a hand-written note of encouragement he sent to me, many years before my writing ever gathered steam. I have VHS tapes of the "Walker's Cay Chronicles," still watch them, and it was an honor to spend a bit of time on the river with Flip Pallot a few weeks ago. I think the world of Chico Fernandez, and I read every word John Merwin writes, half for entertainment, the other half for instruction. Charlie Meyers of the Denver Post is my mentor and one of my best friends to boot.
For the record, those guys are still steaming along with the best stories you'll read (or see) anywhere. But for those of you wondering where we'll find the next "Generation Fly" talent, do me a favor. Scroll down to the previous post on Fly Talk, the one titled "BC Steelhead Photo Essay," and click the "start" button.
You back? Great. That's what I'm talking about. You see, "Generation Fly" is already here. All around you. And while I deeply respect my elders (as I sit in a "neutral" position, somewhere in the middle of the age continuum) I say the fly game is, in many ways, being played faster, with more excitement than ever before. And the stories, the lessons, and the photos are better now than ever. The stage may be more global in scope now (these days, that's possible)... and yet it's also happening right out the back door. Legends can never be duplicated. But there are new legends created every day.
Finding them, in this day and age, is up to you. You must now wade through the clutter, as everyone with a computer is a writer now, and everyone with a camera is a photographer or film director. But the essence... the talent... it's there. And the raw beauty and intrigue of flyfishing? Alive and well. Don't believe it? Look at Romano's photos and tell me he isn't one of the best in the world. Ask me about Conway Bowman and his mako sharks. Go read The Drake magazine. Go watch the video "Red Gold." Heck, stay tuned for more stories in Field & Stream in coming months. After all, even some of us "not-so-old" dogs have a few tricks left up our sleeves.
Like this.
(Photo of Ramiro Badessich, age 28, with dorado in Bolivia, taken by Joaquin Arocena, age 27, story to come, by Kirk Deeter, age undisclosed).
Deeter
awwww...
Posted by: tim romano | October 14, 2008 at 07:26 PM
A friend (who is in the fly fishing industry) and I were discussing this in the fly shop on the day we heard of Mel's passing. If you will forgive the analogy, there was a similar situation a decade or two ago in golf. Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino had passed from competitive promise, and there appeared to be a gap in golf superstardom. Then came Tiger.
In golf, as in flyfishing those at the top of the charts aren't just extremely talented, disciplined and proficient. They transcended the sport because of they were the ambassadors of the sport...most people outside of golf knew their names, even if they didn't exactly know why.
Lefty, Flip, Whitlock, Joan Wulff, and others similarly became the ambassadors of fly fishing. So while I agree we do not lack for talent, I think we have a ways to go before the torch is actually passed to the new generation who can blend ability with statemanship to introduce the sport to the next generation of fly fishers.
I have no doubt the new standard bearers are out there...but perhaps it will take a while for them to emerge on the national and international stage.
Posted by: Labrat | October 14, 2008 at 07:40 PM
No disrespect intended to Tim or anyone else in the field.
Lefty is 84 I think...in our sport it takes a while achieve that level of prominence.
Posted by: Labrat | October 14, 2008 at 07:42 PM
I think that's very fair, and on the mark. But I still say don't wait for the vintage to "mature" before you pop the cork... If you get my drift. The onus is now on the consumer to find what's out there... it's a media thing.
And in terms of talking to new generations and crossing barriers, you could argue that word spreads faster and hotter now, to all generations and all corners of the world, than ever. I think the "ambassadorships" are also happening... just in entirely different ways. Better ways? Well, that's TBD.
Your point is well taken.
Posted by: KD | October 14, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Conway Bowman is one cool dude. I hope some new episodes are due out soon. Also, Tim's photos are some of the best I've seen! I think these guys are definitely part of "Generation Fly".
Surely, there is room in Gen Fly for Deeter ,the fly fishing pundit!!
Posted by: Alabama flygirl | October 14, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Nice post. Being the product of a bass-centric baitcasting upbringing (I didn't catch my first trout on a flyrod until I was almost 20, and it's still a rare enough occurence that I marvel when it actually happens) I've always been envious of flyfishing's literary tradition.
Maybe a fellow bass angler will argue, but I just don't see the baitcasting or bass fishing equivalent of a John Gierach or a Lefty Kreh, and the pervasiveness of the big-money big-sponsor tournament culture has so shaped the image of bass fishing I don't ever see that changing.
But it's nice to know that those of us who don't aspire to screaming down a lake at 85mph in a 225-horsepower fiberglass billboard can continue getting our deeper, more introspective fishing perspectives from "Generation Fly", even if we can't cast one of those funny rods...
Posted by: Chad Love | October 14, 2008 at 08:45 PM
I for one think one of the things holding fly fishing back is the notion that older is automatically better, and I am happy to see someone willing to talk about what is, and what can be. No disrespect intended, but there are a bunch of people out there who are making this sport more interesting and exciting than the "legends" ever imagined. It's all good.
Posted by: Drew | October 14, 2008 at 09:10 PM
Thanks Flygirl. But I've decided (in this crazy political season) that pundits are old farts... or else they can't get a job in the real world. I've also decided to just fish ... still can't help it (a good thing)... and, of course, write a cool story now and then. BTW, Bowman is a really cool dude... but, for the record, he's older than me! Sorry Conman.
Posted by: KD | October 14, 2008 at 09:15 PM
I know of a 20-something year old German named Stephan Gian Dombaj Jr. who works for a company named Loop Pro(they make some damn nice gear). He is probably their head equipment design tester, although he hasn't said what exactly he does and is for the company. But he travels all over the world catching everything from carp to tarpon on the fly, and he documents most of it via photo essays. I found him on Facebook, while looking through the photos that had been posted by the members of a group named "Fly Fishing." About 15% of the 1,800 photos in there were his. I don't know much about the man himself, but maybe if you guys looked him up you could have him give you some information. Someone like him has a lot of potential to be one of the next torch bearers.
As a side note, I want his job.
Posted by: ethan | October 14, 2008 at 09:29 PM
KD, I agree with you about popping the cork, and about having to navigate a lot of media to find the next gen.
The pics I see these days (and the DVDs) are absolutely jaw dropping.
I think those we regard as icons of the sport today were in their younger days the cutting edge next gen-ers. The future is bright.
Posted by: Labrat | October 15, 2008 at 02:34 AM
I have seen Guy Jeans' (Spelling?)movies and they are great. Guy cannot be older than his late thirties. Trout Bum Diaries was another good film, do those guys write anything? Heck, there is a young fellah at my local fly shop who post great stories and pics on the shops web site. Maybe the web and todays technology will help talented young people break into the business who would have had a harder time in years past getting noticed.
Posted by: JoeG | October 15, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Generation Fly? They are out there blogging and posting to forums. Kind of hard to see a candle up against the sun. As the older generation's sun sets, you will be able to see that thousand points of light. Makes that 2,310,000 points of light based on a a quick search of "fly fishing" and "blog".
Posted by: switchfisher | October 15, 2008 at 04:49 PM
While there is no substitute for a great eye and the need to get the shot, there is a formula. Passion makes practice and practice makes perfect. The very best get better over time. If the body's willing ...
Posted by: curmudgeon | October 15, 2008 at 08:09 PM
Several of the posts here are touching my wheel house. I recently transplanted myself from Colorado to Florida. Prior to my move I researched water and fish species before accepting the position.
The long rod can be used for any species and it shocked me this past weekend by the Kennedy Space Center. I was in the flats fishing the Mangrove-lined bank and got a very aggressive take. I thought it may have been a large sea trout, but it was a channel cat. I was bouncing my shrimp off the flat bottom and I was hooked up.
Some say it is hard to catch a bass on a fly rod. I agree, but us die hard fly guys have to continually prove to the traditional tackle folks that flies are just another method. There is nothing like getting a bass on a fly rod and trying to land it.
As I have said in other posts - we have to collectively bring the fly industry to the mainstream. In my office, which is full of traditional tackle folks, I have been asked to work with these guys in teaching them how to work the long rod. Pretty interesting in that they are willing to leave their rods home to learn my passion.
Mel, Flip, Lefty and the Wulff's opened the phenomial exploration to the world, but it is up to the rest of us to continue the immersion of fly fishing to the rest of the world.
I will challenge everyone to take someone fly fishing. This could be your co-worker, family friend, neighbor, etc.
You may push back and say I don't have a second rod or an extra set of waders. Stop right there - give them your rod and let them borrow your waders or run by the local fly shop to rent a pair for the day. Go one step further and buy them a one-day license if they don't have one.
Teach them the basics, watch them fish, tell stories, net the catch and snap a photo.
You may have just found a new fishing buddy where you can sit on a cooler telling stories and drinking a cold one together.
Posted by: Anthony | October 15, 2008 at 08:40 PM