Friday's Rant: Should I Join a Club?

Not long ago, I was helping out on a river clean up project with a local fishing club. No one really recognized me (which I generally prefer). I was happy to be helping out and going about my business with the others picking up Bubba’s trash along the bank.

Towards the end of the day, the tribe elders did a very good job at specifically thanking and praising club members for their time and effort on the project. So what about the non-club members? No love for the free agents? I’m sure this wasn’t an intentional jab, but I do find it interesting that some folks are conditioned to believe the only good derived is the good provided by clubs and their members.

Before I’m burned at the stake for my views, I’d like to subtly mention I have nothing against fly fishing clubs. Many organizations provide valuable services to new enthusiasts and exist for the good of the fishing community. Likewise, if you’re socially minded and take pride in being an extrovert, they’re comfortable networking venues.

That said, there are always two sides to the coin. In the worst sense, a club can be a good ol’ boy’s network, a convenient excuse to dine out on a perceived reputation, and a good place to get your self-esteem stroked – if you kiss enough rawhide of course. Are all clubs cliché and annoying? No. Do all clubs directly benefit fly fishing values and resources? Same answer – no.

Likewise, it's certainly not fair to paint all groups with the same brush. The truth is not all clubs share the same focus. Some are extremely welcoming, and others are rotten to the core. At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to decide whether or not to join one.

I don’t belong to any clubs. I never have, and given my current state of mind, never will. I appreciate the fact that many clubs try to instill values in the on-boarding future fly fishing rock stars, but I’m just not entirely convinced the message is getting through. Let’s face it. Etiquette sucks around here – especially on the Owyhee and the South Fork of the Boise.

I know no one wants to accept responsibility for that, but facts are nasty little things that just don’t go away. Should the clubs be responsible for preaching etiquette? You bet, and so should every one else in the fly fishing community. Anyhow, before we get too far off topic let’s move along.

Most roads to fly fishing clubs are paved with good intentions. There’s no doubt about that. Things start out nice and cordial, get all flowery, and everyone becomes fast friends and fishing allies. Great right? We’ll now all the sudden, a few money shots get snapped, people learn a few things, and six months later nine out of the ten new members are on someone’s ‘pro staff’.

So what’s the major problem with clubs? Here it is. Ego. Once an individual gets the pat on the back from the tribe elders, confidence starts rubbing elbows with ego. That’s really the point when things start sliding down hill.

Are all clubs breeding grounds for the visor-wearing frosted tip Mafiosi? My guess is no. But the problem is, some are – and if you want to be in the club you’ve got to kiss the ring. Is this really the reason you first picked up a fly rod?

I’ve always preached, fly fishing is a personal experience. I don’t fish for points, to show up others, or to advance a reputation or title. I fish because it’s my way to connect spiritually, recharge, and reflect on the lessons I’ve learned and the gifts I’ve received in my own life. That’s it.

There’s no denying some people cast well, tie well, fish well, read water well and recite Latin bug terms well. A select few may even do all these things together really well AND belong to a club. At the end of the day, they still put on their pants one leg at a time, and probably stumbled over the same learning blocks as everyone else.

Regardless, no one else’s reputation or ego has the ability to make you enjoy your fishing experience – not personally, not in a club, and certainly not on a blog site.

If you really want to learn to fish and enjoy the experience, leave the baloney behind. Here’s the best advice I could offer:

• Forget about numbers. They don’t matter. If you’re keeping track of the head count, you’re missing the point. Bean counting doesn’t create long term fulfillment. If you’re really that stoked about counting trade your rod in for a deck of Pinochle cards.

• Make a friend – if possible one who’s pretty good at the fishing game. I’m not talking about a forum friend or an online fishing pro – I mean a real friend. More times than not, you’re going to learn everything you need to know from someone who’s been there, done that, and is willing to share the experiences. Pay attention.

• Focus on the ‘now’. When you’re on the river, be on the river. Spreadsheets, reports, and figuring out how to deal with cranky bosses and juvenile delinquent co-workers have no place on a river. Enjoy the time you have. At some point in your life getting around a stream won’t be an option. Make sure you made the most of it when it was.

• Make fishing a personal experience. Help others when they ask. Be humble. Remember where you came from. Most importantly, THINK FOR YOURSELF.

Can you get all this from being in a club? I guess it’s safe to assume some people can. I never did. I guess I never joined a club for the same reason I never belonged to a fraternity in college. I never found much value in instant friends.

I always had true friends to help along the way – guys like Tim Burke and Joel Nowlin.