Fly Fishing

New York Times – "Fly Fishing Is the New Bird-Watching"

"For those who can afford the leisure time and some rudimentary equipment, it offers a reason to be outdoors, a closer connection to nature, an avenue for environmentalism, built-in community, opportunity for creative expression, and a lifetime’s worth of niche expertise. Fly anglers who are not vegetarian nor vegan, nor otherwise bound by the code of “catch and release,” see it as an extension of the farm-to-table movement. Plus, it’s very Instagrammable, even as it encourages people to put down their phones.

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You don’t think about work, or emails, or the city.

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Last year, one in four anglers surveyed were in the 18 to 34 age range.

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Hallie Brennan, a 31-year-old freelance photographer in Santa Fe who took up the hobby four years ago, said, “Fly fishing makes natural conservationists out of people. The planet could always use more of those.” The sport’s meditative qualities help connect her to nature, she said. “It’s a beautiful sport and I feel beautiful when I fish. And it helped me understand and respect the ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains — I once hated flies and bugs. Now I love them!”"