Fly fishing is really making waves

By A.J. SOMERSET
Special to Sun Media

		Quick tips for better fishing There's no bad time to go fishing. But, to improve your chances of catching fish, pay attention to the lunar tables found in most fishing magazines and calendars. Fishing in peak hour of the best fishing days can pay dividends. While you're fishing, frequently check the first 3 to 6 feet of line above your lure for abrasions. Just run the line between your fingertips, ooking for nicks or rough spots.If you detect damage, cut out the damaged section and retie the lure. € Polarized sunglasses area a must for anglers. They cut down sun glare and protect your eyes. Polarized sunglasses do a better job of cutting glare, and also allow you to see into the water. You can spot structure, estimate depths, and often see fish or minnows that would indicate a good place to fish. Save money by using only the amount of line necessary. Often, the reel spool has capacity for more line than you need for casting or trolling. Keep 30 or so of used line on the spool then tie your new line to it. Wind on the new line until it is about 1/8th of an inch from filling the spool. . € Keep your line in good shape. Avoid storing your lineand outfit in very hot places or in direct sunlight for extended periods. Also, keep line out of contact with suncare lotions, gasoline and other solvents. - Courtesy CatchFishing.com

Suddenly, fly fishing is everywhere. What was once a hobby for a few pipe-smoking eccentrics in funny hats has gone mainstream. The new breed of fly fishers is devoted to their hobby, supporting no fewer than five national magazines in the U.S. and one in Canada, and a minor industry selling everything from chicken feathers to computer software.

During the 1990s, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association claimed that fly fishing rivaled golf as one of the fastest-growing recreational activities in North America. Rapid growth followed the 1992 release of the movie A River Runs Through It, and fly fishing as a symbol of the good life became a favorite icon of lifestyle advertising. Already popular in British Columbia, Alberta and the Maritimes, fly fishing exploded in popularity in Ontario thanks in part to improving fisheries.

"There is no doubt that fly fishing is growing in Canada," said Chris Marshall, editor of The Canadian Fly Fisher, a six-year-old magazine based in Belleville, Ont. Marshall believes that increasing popularity in Ontario is fueling the growth. "On a per capita basis, Alberta is probably the fly fishing leader," said Marshall. "But Ontario has a larger population and there are a lot of fly fishers in Ontario."

The sport isn't just growing in Ontario. Marshall points to the appearance of new fly fishing trade shows in Vancouver and Calgary since 1993 as a further sign of growth. And last year, Manitoba hosted the country's first national fly fishing championships, which Marshall describes as a great success.

Erik Poole, an economist from Burnaby, B.C. who works on fisheries issues, echos Marshall's view that fly fishing is on the rise. "Angling participation in general appears to be flat, perhaps slightly shrinking," Poole said. "Yet fly fishing appears to be growing." And Poole has the numbers to prove it: 28% of anglers fishing in B.C. fished mostly with fly tackle in 2000, up from 16% in 1995. "I suspect that B.C. has the highest rate of fly fishing participation in the country," Poole said. "Alberta has to be No. 2."

The growth of the sport is fueling a minor renaissance in Canadian fly fishing. "Canada is very diverse, and we've had a number of solitudes," Marshall said. Each region has developed its own fly-tying style and fishing methods. British Columbia and the Maritimes have adapted British traditions and approaches, Marshall says, while Ontario has followed the American lead. Now those traditions are being shared and anglers are adopting flies and techniques from other regions.

The face of fly fishing in Canada is also changing as the sport attracts increasing numbers of women.

"When I started fly fishing, I was totally in love with the sport, but I didn't see a lot of women around," said Rachael Crowder of Ottawa. Then Crowder met Brenda Sharpe, and the pair formed the Ottawa Women Fly Fishers, which now has 15 members and is one of several women's fly fishing clubs across the country.

Although fly fishing in Canada remains a male-dominated sport, women have made their mark. Ruth Zinck of Calgary is recognized as one of the country's finest fly tiers. And Kathy Ruddick of Vancouver, competing in the 1999 World Fly Fishing Championships as the only woman in a field of 110 competitors, posted one of the best results ever by a Canadian by finishing 10th overall.

Not only are the participants changing, but the sport itself is diversifying. "It's not just a thing for the purist in his funny cap and pipe anymore," said Marshall. "What is really booming now is people fishing for things other than trout." He rhymes off a list of increasingly arcane species: smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, carp, sheepshead, suckers, gar.

Fly fishers are also turning up in unusual places, far from the typical trout stream. "This country is unique in that there is so much urban fly fishing," said Marshall, whose magazine has featured a city as a destination in almost every issue. "Rivers in cities are often well suited for fly fishing."

What's the attraction? "I think fly fishing attracts problem solvers, a thoughtful bunch," said Crowder, who describes the sport as an empowering experience. "Fly fishing isn't the most efficient or effective way of catching fish. You have to work at it, and that adds another dimension."

The added dimension brings a sense of achievement.

"It's not difficult to learn to cast adequately, and it gives physical satisfaction, like hitting a golf ball straight," Marshall said. "There's a delight in laying that line out. You don't get that in casting a spinning rod."