Amen to that...especially in the Gulf. Out here in Oregon the fly fishing lobby has hurt the "use anything" fishermen like me. Their motives are different than the environazis though. They are not looking to kill the sport, but simply look down their noses at the rest of us and have succeeded in changing legislation for a large number of lakes and rivers. Some bodies of water are not only flies only, that fly needs to be attached to fly line, which must be attached to a fly rod with a fly reel.....nuts.
Its funny to watch their reaction when I dunk worms in their hallowed fly fishing waters. I'm hoping to organize a movement to change my local hole to bait only.
So, if a tippet is attached to your zipper and goes to a baitcasting/spinning reel you should be ok, a flyline!
You left out the 'barbless hook' part of 'fly'.
The Holy Hole of the Rogue, etc. Barf! I just want fish on the table!
NO! For you profane minded FReepers from elsewhere, that has NOTHING to do with prostitution or homosexuality!
I fly fish but I've always understood that the reason fly fishing exists is to make it harder to catch fish. When I want to catch some fish to eat I use bait. When I want to spend a day on the river enjoying myself (and catching very few fish) I fly fish.
I want to go to one of those fly fishing only streams and start tossing poppers like you would use for bass and panfish. Everything would be according to the letter of the law, but it would still make the purists wet their waders to see someone tossing some honking big frog with rubber legs instead of a size 22 midge pattern. I would probably catch some nice trout, too, because a big trout wouldn't want to pass up a big meal, especially something he's never seen before. That would make the purists do more than just wet their waders.