Fly Fishing Historical Trivia: Steelheader.net- Steelhead, Salmon and trout fishing

Oops that link above is not working here is the article from the Virginia Gazette, it is not copying and linking properly.

"History lessons in fly-fishing

By Art Cone
The Virginia Gazette

Published November 26, 2003

As a member of the Fly Fishermen of Virginia, we passed an interesting evening by watching Ken Reinard, The Colonial Angler, demonstrate his stuff.

He pointed out that back when lines were made of horsehair, from stallions only, extremely long rods were used in conjunction with very short lines.

Fly fishing in the 1600s and 1700s was a gentleman's hobby, and he went astream with servants who tied on his fly and often played and landed the fish their master had hooked.

Reinard evidently comes to Colonial Williamsburg annually in June and gives a demonstration of hooking and landing carp on a fly in the Palace gardens.

In the days of William Penn, who flyfished the Schuylkill in Philadelphia, rods were often 20 feet long. Using a short line, you used the long rod to dap the fly on the surface. When your quarry struck, you heaved it ashore. If you hooked a monster, that was impractical, so you tossed your rod into the stream to be retrieved, by a servant of course, when the fish had worn itself out.

By the way, in colonial times, bass were not a gamefish. They were netted, along with carp, as food fish. In fact, carp, a Eurasian fish, were imported for stocking as a food source.

For a long time before and after the American Revolution, sport fishing was considered a waste of time, and it wasn't until James Henshall perfected the multiplying baitcasting reel, that bass fishing came into its own. Actually, it is because of the baitcasting reel that our rods are designed to have the reel mounted above, rather than below. European tackle, including both fly casting and spinning, have the reel mounted underneath.

Sport fishing, as we know it, owes its popularity to the 5-day work week.

Back when everyone worked on Saturday, there was little opportunity for town-dwelling people to fish. After all, Sunday was the Lord's day and all decent people attended church both morning and afternoon.

I can remember “Blue Laws,” which forbade Sunday fishing in Pennsylvania even in the early 20th century. These same laws outlawed Sunday hunting and are still observed in our older states, including Virginia. Go west and you can hunt and fish all day, on any day of the week, with the exception of a few localities that didn't want to hear gunshots during a church service."

I hear you Bobk I would love to see how long you would last with me in 20 degree air temps, a wind of 20 MPH, wsnow flurries, and water temps in high 30s. BTW, Like my Thanksgiving Steelhead trip was last Tuesday. I was out in the water from 6 AM until 12 non stop.

They have salmon ghillies in Europe wonder if they have trout and carp Ghillies ? Malcolm (aka Willie Gunn) need some input here.

BG

P.S. Got to love these new Graemlins, thanks again Marty and who ever is doing the technical support work.

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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."

Jane Wagner

Edited by Black_Ghost (12/01/03 04:50 AM)