What's in it for you?

[Todd Oishi]

I am often asked how and why I became interested in competitive fly fishing. For me personally, the main reason why I attend these competitions, is the fact that it provides an opportunity for me to have my “eyes opened” on a fairly consistent basis. Fly fishing competitively allows me to see things from a different perspective, as well as a chance to be exposed to different fisheries, techniques, fly patterns, people and places that I would have otherwise not been exposed to.

The learning process with fly fishing (as a whole) is truly never-ending and limitless, and for that I am thankful, as it is the ongoing challenges of finding new methods and patterns for enticing trout to accept my humble offerings that drew me to fly fishing in the first place...

Cheers,
Todd

How about the rest of you?

[Chris Smith]

Todd,

Like you, I relish the opportunity to learn from others.  I've yet to walk away from a competition or practice where I didn't learn something valuable.

At its basest level, however, I'm a competitor.  It's no surprise that when I read the book "Know your Strengths" and took the subsequent "Strength Finder", competition was at the top of the five "strengths" revealed. 

The premise of the book is that we all have strengths, but too often we spend our time and energy working to lessen our weaknesses.  The key to success, says the author, is to embrace your strengths and use them to their fullest capacity.

[Mike Norton]

Todd
 I too like the learning  part,you never stop learning. I am competitive by nature I think we all are in some sort, but I also enjoy meeting new poeple and learning new methods and techniques and what better way to do that than get out and fish....fly tying for that matter too.

mike

[Dejon Hamann]

For me it's the straight Chedda! The bently, the 22s, the hoes.  Getting recognized at clubs. The vip sections. Court side tickets.  Oh, wait - wrong forum....

Knowledge.  5 years ago I would have never imagined i'd have the skill set or knowledge I do today. I hope that happens again.  And again. Without competition fishing I'd never have the catalyst to learn so much in such short periods of time. 

Community.  I've found some of the best friends and worst enemies in this sport.  It brings out the best and worst of people. I like that.  It's hard to discern that sometimes in regular life.  When faced with difficult decisions and pressure situations do you become a gentlemen or a child?  Do you push forward for personal glory over team? Do you hold your head high in defeat?  Will you draw ethical lines and stick to them?  It's much easier to develop a Network of people that you respect and trust when you see how they react.  It's kind of like going to war, but we don't have to carry guns and get killed.

Success. I've always been competitive.  Soccer, ping-pong, chess, collecting cards, racing to the bus stop.  I'm sure it would be a fleeting moment, but there is something unique about knowing you could be the best in the world at something.  Not your town, or your city, your state, or even your country.  But the World.  The only place in this universe where we know this species to exist.  And for a single moment you were the best at something.  And that something just also happens to be the greatest passion of your life.

Fish.  I love fish.  Maybe I was an osprey in a past life. I love to catch them.  I can just sit around and look at them for hours.  Trout are by and far my favorite.  Every single fish I catch brings back a small part of my childhood.  That time when joy was untethered and wild.  I can feel it surging through the rod and into my heart.  Some fish, some moments bring that back with tear jerking fidelity.  I'm a crack addict for that feeling. 

[Jeremiah Hamilton]

Well I read Todds post, and sat on it for a couple days but realized it last night, I went to a rugby practice to meet the old team and go to the captains dinner afterwards. When they seen me walking out to the field the where excited to see me, they where hoping I was going to play this season. We have built a bond over the blood, sweat and tears. We have all been to battle together and can count on each other to do our jobs with out question. We have spent many of nights planning strategy and truly love what we do. That is the same as competitive fly fishing, you practice new things on your own but it helps the team. At competition you have other teams to compete against, you have all stars that you strive to be and those that you don't. You have the talkers and the quite guys, you have those that are confident enough with there skills that they will help you out in any way and those that think you will still there secrets witch are not really secrets. Its a whole new world to me, exciting and scary but no matter how far I go in this sport I have made some great friends along the way.

[Chris Puchniak]

Todd, you took the words out of my mouth.  Well said.

Although I haven't competitively fished per se, there is a strong attraction for me to go that way (despite the fact that so many people locally are dead-set against it).  I think competition helps drive us to be better - and the best part is that I think we can do it without degrading the "activity" in any way.  In fact, from what I have seen, the "competition" atmosphere actually brings like-minded people closer together, something I relish and want to be a part of.

I don't think you can ever learn enough in flyfishing.  I feel I am on a quest for more knowledge all the time - each day I go out.  And it seems to me that those in the competitve forum are very similarly driven.

Meet new people.
Get to fish.
See new waters.
Strive to improve yourself.
Priceless.

I cannot see a negative spin on it anywhere.