Why people pursue fly fishing rather than other fishing methods has probably been the most debated question concerning the sport. There is no definitive answer to this question. One person's attraction may not be another's, but certain common bonds-a love of the outdoors, a passion for understanding various species, and a patience born of deep feeling for the beautiful complexity of the sport-unite all fly fishermen.

Essentially, fishing as a pastime is a game, and the sport of fly fishing is its pinnacle. In all games we have an opponent and in the sport of fishing the opponent becomes the fish itself. Because this incredible adversary neither lies nor cheats but rather reacts upon its own instincts, for survival, the intrigue of angling for it on equally honest terms runs deep.

For most people, the fishing game starts at an early age, simplified in form and technique. A fishing pole, a plain line, a pocket full of hooks and sinkers, and a coffee can filled with night crawlers or grasshoppers generally starts the game in motion. But after awhile, something begins to happen. Through observation of fish habits and, perhaps, an inherent desire to make the game more complex, the angler slowly turns his attention toward the fly rod and the insects so attractive to the fish. By becoming a fly fisherman, the angler discovers he has entered a world and a game that can consume him for the rest of his life.

Dealing as it does with Nature and her creatures, the sport of fly fishing is always variable, never constant, and the angler alert to its variations learns something new on every outing. Indeed, the daily subtle changes that the angler faces are one reason why the appeal of fly fishing is so great for so many people. The knowledge gained through fly fishing holds special appeal, too. A good fly fisherman finds himself becoming an amateur ichthyologist studying fish, a hydrologist analysing water, an entomologist identifying insects, and a meteorologist recognizing weather patterns. All these subjects require a lifetime of attention and study, but the quest for knowledge is one of the sport's continuing attractions.

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