By Ethan Hollifield
If you’ve hung around a group of fly-or-die guys long enough, then you’ve probably heard how catching any fish on a spinning rod (especially trout) is an abomination. Conversely, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard fly rods coined as “fairy wands” during my career on N.C State’s Bass Fishing Team. There’s always been a back and forth debate between these camps as to which style of fishing is quote “better.” Having experience on both sides, I can attest to the ignorance that lingers on either side when viewing the other. Whether you target wild trout in small mountain streams on the fly or skip jigs under boat docks during bass tournaments: each requires a certain set of skills and knowledge of aquatic environments that can’t be learned overnight. I don’t see one or the other as being “superior” but rather as just another set of skills in an angler’s arsenal.
When comparing fly fishing and spin fishing, the most obvious difference between the two is how the “lure” or “fly” is presented to a given fish species, and both come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Spinning rods and bait-casting rods have the ultimate advantage in presenting larger and heavier lures over greater distances and at controlled depths. Have you ever tried to bass fish with a fly rod on a lake when the bass are holding in 30 feet of water off a vertical bluff wall? It sucks, believe me. Even with heavy sinking lines it’s almost impossible to control, let alone, present flies to fish at that depth. Conversely, fly fishing for trout far outweighs spin fishing as far as catch rate is concerned, due to the ability to cast virtually weightless flies that match aquatic insects that make up 90% of a trout’s diet, on average.
I realize that there are exceptions to either technique and it’s all very circumstantial as to what kind of presentation is needed. Personally, my decision to strictly fly fish for trout and do either/or for saltwater/ bass species is mainly from a conservationist standpoint. While, ultimately, fish survival depends on fish handling/release, regardless of technique, I truly believe that fly fishing for trout results in lower mortality rates as a whole compared to spin fishing for them. A long fly rod absorbs greater amounts of potentially harmful shock than a spinning rod, and it’s much harder to “gut hook” a trout as apposed to using spinning tackle. However, you would never catch me bass fishing without at least one spinning rod rigged and ready to roll if the bass/saltwater species are keyed on a specific presentation that a fly rod just can’t achieve.
In conclusion, I really don’t believe that either technique is greater than the other, and neither is any given angler who prefers one to the other. What I care more about is whether an individual angler respects and cares about his or her fishery, and uses this as a basis for their technique choice over anything else. A mindset based on conservation far outweighs any petty differences in fly fishing or spin fishing.
Ethan Hollifield is an Environmental/Physical Science Teacher and is also a guide for Southern Appalachian Anglers.