Fly Fishing Culture on the Rigs

Derek Young — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:23:27 +0000

Fly fishing, music, road trips – these things in life have great meaning. That seems like an over-generalized statement, now that I read it inside my head and now start to think – “wow, great start to a blog after such a long absence.” But this idea, the idea that these things are intertwined, are represented in the simplest of ways. In how we express ourselves, what we pay allegiance to, which bands and brands we follow down the roads we travel in the pursuit of fish – well, we tell ourselves that we’re after fish, but for me, these journeys are about more than the fish. There’s a song by the uniquely Southern band Southern Culture on the Skids whose lyrics for the song “My House Has Wheels” reflect a simple life -

My house has wheels, it roll with me
From the lakes, down to the sea
By mountain stream, or in a desert breeze
My house my home, it roll with me

Now, I don’t happen to live in my vehicle at the present time, but I do spend a fair amount of time in it – back and forth to the rivers across the Western states. In the last two years of guiding, I’ve put 50,000 miles on my Toyota Tundra, and two sets of new tires. Les Schwab knows me well. But we’ve all, and by all, I mean the six people who will read this blog, have the same love affair with the road, with fly fishing, with sharing the river and the experience of fly fishing with others that creates that shared meaning, the “I’m with you and I can tell that I’m with you on your journey” because of how we get down those long roads, to those rich waters, carried there by the notes of hope, exploration, familiarity, excitement, and passion. Is it with that, my reader, that we began the journey into understanding fly fishing culture as seen in the vehicles of the fly fishing fanatics – the “I fly fish, and you should know that” among us who paste every brand sticker we can get our hands on to our rigs – Fly Fishing Culture on the Rigs. They mean something, like song lyrics, like road signs, and like lyrics and signs, what we as fly anglers are telling the world says a lot about what drives us. Sit down, buckle up, get your road pop ready, and read on. Before you get too far down the road, let me share a quick note – fly fishing culture as expressed on the vehicles of those of us who shape it, is the subject of two great blogs (and trust me, they’ll be great!) and a planned event. The three bloggers decided one day a few weeks back that we’d try something never attempted before, or at least in our minds, the greatest thing to ever happen to fly fishing blogs about stickers on our vehicles. Well, two out of three ain’t bad. Read more at the Unaccomplished Angler , or swing on over to Fishing for Words. I’ve shared stories, rivers, and lies with Kirk and Patrick.

I eat, I fish, I oppose the Pebble Mine. This angler’s vehicle is ready for the road. The Drake magazine is like the Wall Street Journal to us, as soon as they start putting fish porn in it.

I’ll stop wherever the wild fish are, and I intend to keep Bristol Bay that way. And, I’m ready to fish at the drop of a hat. See the rods in the back?

I steelhead, and I want to make sure I can see out my back window. And, I can sleep in the back of my truck if need be. Some vehicles geographic locations can be determined by their stickers – a PNW truck for sure. And thanks for having one of my stickers on your rig!

I’m really fishy, so my stickers are fishy too. Oh, and no Pebble Mine. Another Toyota Tacoma, classic fly fishing vehicle.

Really just looking to get you on the boat, and no Pebble Mine. The author’s vehicle – I’ve always been a sticker nut.

Perhaps the best place to eat in Jackson, Wy. Try the breakfast burritos at Down On Glen.

What we’re trying to say in expressing ourselves via the vinyl stickers on our fishing rigs, is that we are cultured, that we choose the lifestyle, that we care about what we do, where we do it, and in the process, create a visual brand of ourselves that is present whether we’re with our vehicle or not. Favorite rods, reels, organizations and causes we support, it’s all there. When you show up at the river, you’ll know the anglers on the water by the stickers on their rig. We travel to amazing places, we hang out at fly shops, we make quick friends with fellow anglers (and especially product rep’s, which reminds me, my pro-forms need to get into the mail!) and anywhere worth saving – and we all care about wild fish and preserving wild places. We’ve been there, and we’ve got the sticker to prove it.

What does your rig say about you?

Fly Fish The Yakima - Musings, Reports, Tips and Tricks about Fly Fishing on the Yakima River, Washington » All About The Fly.

Fly Fishing Culture on the Rigs