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Cornmuse	Are you an FFF Member?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 562 (07/24/08 08:16:48) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A branch in an earlier thread got me to thinking. I've been a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) for a long, long time. I first joined in about 1974 for 5 years or so. Then I re-upped in the early 90's and I've been current ever since. I'm curious how many here are also members. I'd also love to invite some discussion about the organization. If you are a member, are you active with the FFF? Are you active with an FFF affiliate club, but not with the FFF national organization? Are you a member but not really active beyond reading the magazine? Curious minds want to know.... Joe C. What is your level of involvement in the Federation of Fly Fishers? (Result) I'm not currently and never have been a member of the FFF. I'm not currently a member, but I'm serious about joining. I'm a past member and I'm not serious about re-joining. I'm a current member for less than 2 years I'm current and have been a member for more than 2 years I'm current and have been a member for more than 5 years I'm current and have been a member for more than 10 years I'm a lifetime member "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry David Thoreau Visit www.flyfishohio.com for great fly fishing and fly tying articles, the "Adventures in Fly Tying" monthly video podcast and the "Adventures in Fly Fishing" monthly audio podcast. The Midwest isn't a place you fly over to get to good fishing - it's right here in our own backyards. Think globally - fish locally.
flyflingerandy1		#1	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 445 (07/24/08 11:37:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe, I would prefer not air my dirty laundry about the parent organization. I enjoy having people to fish with and the opportunity to meet some industry leaders, but when it comes at the cost of being the only person in the local FFF club (a charter club) under the age of 35, thus having nothing in common with the other members, does not help me want to renew membership. I would like to see a national organization on warmwater fly fishing akin to what we have over at warmfly.com. Andy
cofisher		#2	[-]
Posts: 806 (07/24/08 12:30:55) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Andy, that's age discrimination. I used to say I go fishing a lot with older guys until I realized that I was an older guy too. I guess I would have to honestly say that I didn't really participate in any activities partly because of time constraints and partly because I didn't want to drive 20 miles to the meetings. I'm just not a joiner but I thought my dues would at least support some conservation projects. Last Edited By: cofisher 07/24/08 12:34:23. Edited 1 times.
Cornmuse		#3	[-]
Posts: 563 (07/24/08 12:55:45) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I would prefer not air my dirty laundry about the parent organization No reason to... And I'm certainly familiar with the feeling of being outside the clique. My local group would prefer to chase the hatchery truck around "scenic" trout streams a four hour drive away than actually dirty their waders in any of the 29,000 miles of Ohio's flowing streams. Then again, more than a few of them are showing up on the banks of the Ohio since I've started a series of programs on our winter striper fishery.... I've had my share of run-ins with club megalomaniacs, too. I've been involved with the nascent Ohio Council of the FFF and even tried to get involved at the national level, but every time I've stepped up I've been left with a foul taste. That said, I'm a member and will remain a member. I believe in the core values of the FFF. I'm not trying to get a flame-fest going re the FFF, nor am I proposing a love-fest. I'm just curious, seeing as we have a group of seriously hard-core fly fishers here (rank amateurs seldom look to glass and fly shops aren't going to push them here), as to how many of us hold a membership card and to what degree we use it. I agree that we need a much greater representation of the warm water sensibility. But then I'm also bullish on actually talking about fishing in places where folks with ordinary incomes are welcome. And places most of us can actually get to... Siberia, Mongolia and Christmas Island may be nice, but they're not in my immediate plans.... Joe C. "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry David Thoreau Visit www.flyfishohio.com for great fly fishing and fly tying articles, the "Adventures in Fly Tying" monthly video podcast and the "Adventures in Fly Fishing" monthly audio podcast. The Midwest isn't a place you fly over to get to good fishing - it's right here in our own backyards. Think globally - fish locally. Last Edited By: Cornmuse 07/24/08 13:01:17. Edited 2 times.
jkurtz7		#4	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 292 (07/24/08 13:47:06) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm not a member and never have been. I did check out a local club that is an affiliate, but after looking into it a bit more, I decided it wasn't going to be for me. A close friend of mine who is a warm water fly fisherman as well approached me about starting a warm water club and I said HELL YES! After many discussions we have decided that we will not be a FFF affiliate. I do have a couple of issues with FFF, and like Andy, I'll keep it to myself. We have talked to others here in NE Ohio, and most of the people we talked to seemed interested. We have yet to get the whole thing off the ground, but it will happen at some point. J.
TNSmallieman		#5	[-]
Guide Posts: 55 (07/24/08 14:41:56) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Just started up a local FFF club last November. East Tennessee Federation of Fly Fishers .We currently have about 35 members, but with the high price of gas, only about 10-12 come to the monthly meetings. Many of us are also local TU members and have known each other for years.Ages range from mid-60s to early twenties. Most are strickly cold water FF but a few like me also spend as much time on the ww species. I am the only one who fishes glass, but several boo users. We are having our first fishing get together this weekend and we have a couple of in-stream community service projects going this fall. Also supporting a local Boy Scout Camp with equipment and instruction for the FF merit badge program. We publish a monthly member newsletter and are working on a website. So far it has been good but drawing new members in has been the hardest thing.
flyflingerandy1		#6	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 446 (07/24/08 15:58:41) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have posted this before in other places, but in the club here, if you do not fish the latest Scott alphabet soup superduperholycrap200'cast rod with a Ross Evolution on a 9'5wt, you fish crap. I show up there with glass and get asked by these retirees, trust funders or those that own their own fly shop and bring out whatever rod on the rack looks good why I don't fish a Scott, TFO, Sage, Echo plastic tomato stake, so you can understand how I can feel that way. Also, those rods that get fished get sold as new BTW. Andy
BassYakker		#7	[-]
Sport Posts: 9 (07/24/08 17:08:37) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I agree with Joe. I am a 10+ year member. The FFF isn't perfect and the local clubs even more so. But, every GOOD FF club I was involved with made education priority one. The free casting clinics my old club used to give, IMHO, were much more rewarding than any "club fishing outings". If you look at what the FFF offers to member clubs for free, it's all about education and the future of the sport, and that's why I stay a member.
eagleman43		#8	[-]
Guide Posts: 83 (07/24/08 17:09:39) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm the :member of less than 2 years". I joined this year at the Fly Tying Expo because the entry fee for two days was the same as the registsration fee. There is not a club with in 130 miles of me so I do not worry about joining one. If I go to the Fly Tying Expo next year I will propably re up. Eagleman
beauglass		#9	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 312 (07/24/08 18:12:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm the founding President and a "member in good standing" of the CGGA (Childress Gill Gitters Association). Does that count? ;) Last Edited By: beauglass 07/24/08 18:15:06. Edited 1 times.
flyflingerandy1		#10	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 447 (07/24/08 18:15:19) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	BassYakker wrote: I agree with Joe. I am a 10+ year member. The FFF isn't perfect and the local clubs even more so. But, every GOOD FF club I was involved with made education priority one. The free casting clinics my old club used to give, IMHO, were much more rewarding than any "club fishing outings". If you look at what the FFF offers to member clubs for free, it's all about education and the future of the sport, and that's why I stay a member. I understand nobody is perfect, but when you ask your council president if they are concerned about the number of younger members in the council and they say, kind of, but what can I do about it? how are you to feel. When I asked my local club what we could do to draw more members in their twenties, I was told, we have programs in place (yet, nothing has worked, one works at the fly shop, one is his friend, and one is me). I thought that was unacceptable, but hey. Andy
Cornmuse		#11	[-]
Posts: 564 (07/24/08 18:20:19) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Andy and everyone... Serious question and direction for the discussion if you'll permit me - what do you think might work to recruit younger or new members? I've got my own ideas, but I'm definitely curious to hear what others have to say. Joe C. "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry David Thoreau Visit www.flyfishohio.com for great fly fishing and fly tying articles, the "Adventures in Fly Tying" monthly video podcast and the "Adventures in Fly Fishing" monthly audio podcast. The Midwest isn't a place you fly over to get to good fishing - it's right here in our own backyards. Think globally - fish locally.
flyflingerandy1		#12	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 448 (07/24/08 18:37:40) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The entire national organization needs to not be content with where they are at now, as their national membership has an average age of somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 I imagine, I could not find that statistic personally, but that is my estimate, and the numbers are THE LOWEST in an around my age range (20-30). I would like to see not only education programs, but outreach programs combined with appearances by popular folks in and around that age range that fly fish. For example, I know of nobody famous in my age range that fly fishes. The sport just needs to be exposed to younger generations in ways that they will be accepting of. I stumbled upon fly fishing about 4 years ago because I saw an article on pond bass fishing in Fly Rod & Reel. A week later, I was casting a rod at bass. Until recently my largest bass landed on long rod was caught in the first 3 weeks of my fly fishing (13") I recently landed a 15" on a cat's whisker. These types of organizations seem content with their memberships growing, regardless of looking at the long term health of the organization with the influx, or lack thereof of younger folks. Andy
cofisher		#13	[-]
Posts: 808 (07/24/08 18:56:52) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Several years ago I joined an organization that shall remain nameless. I joined because I liked the ethics and fellowship of this group of men. When I joined I found that at 48 years old, I was the youngest member by 20-30 years. I wasn't really uncomfortable, but wanted some people closer to my age and experience to hang with. At my prompting, the organization started a drive to increase membership and lower the average age a bit. This not only increased the membership but assured that when the old guys started passing on, that the organization wouldn't die off as well. One piece of advice I got from an older man was, The organization is only as good as it's members and their willingness to work to keep it going. The older generation were joiners and worked hard to keep some fine organizations alive. Many of the younger generation (and this is not aimed at anyone in particular and you can make younger any age group you want) aren't joiners. Old standby organizations of all kinds are suffering from a die-off of their older membership and not being replaced by younger folks for whatever reason. It's up to the younger generation to rekindle the flame and see that good organizations don't fall by the wayside. My .02-
jkurtz7		#14	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 293 (07/24/08 19:08:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe, I'm not really sure how to go about growing the sport at this point, and honestly it isn't something I've spent a lot of time thinking about. I'm sure it will be when Mikey and I get the warm water club up and running. There are a few things that I can think of off the top of my head that I believe may be factors in the decline of our sport. First is the snobbery that is associated with fly fishing, it's not appealing at all. I must admit that I too am guilty of fly fishing snobbery at times. I'm not a trout snob, but I can be a panfish snob. Second, is that I think that many folks feel that fly fishing is a rich mans sport. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. How about the fact that fly fishing is still considered a cold water only deal. Trout dominate the fly fishing media, and how many folks that may be interested in fly fishing even live in an area that has trout? For the uninformed, they may think that the fly rod may not work for bass, or panfish. I'm just barely scratching the surface here, I could probably write a book about if I had the time. I see the biggest opportunity for growth in our sport in the warm water arena. We just have to figure out a way to opens eyes and minds to the idea. J.
harleydeen		#15	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 260 (07/24/08 20:28:36) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm not a member nor have never been one. Nothing against this organization, but I joined an organization that isn't centered around the sport of fly fishing, but the conservation of our coastal waters. Living out here in the Puget Sound, the thought of not having a coastal fishery is far more important to me personally then the sport of fly fishing. I figure if there isn't any fishery left then there won't be any fishing sport of any kind to participate in. Now I'm assuming that if I lived somewhere that I didn't have a marine fishery to speak of my priorities perhaps would be different, but being that it is what it is, belonging to a group that is just conservation orientated instead of being gear specific, then we as members have a greater membership. With the greater membership comes the larger voice, and with that comes the power to succeed (hopefully) in some changes that we so desperately need here in the Pacific Northwest. Tight Lines, Harley Lk. Stevens, Wa.
JimatFFO		#16	[-]
Guide Posts: 55 (07/24/08 21:24:15) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ok, I've already hashed this out with Joe but, you're right. I'm 45. I'm not a joiner. I basically taught my self to cast. I've been doing this since the year or two before the 'movie' came out (90-ish). I'd taken a few guided trips but was more interested in fishing locally. I joined the local FFF affiliate in 03'. They're well intentioned but they do have a serious trout centric attitude. Where I live, there isn't a trout that doesn't reside in an aquarium, for at least an hours drive in any direction. This and the fact that my local club is far more social than 'active' in fly fishing, kinda turned me off. I didn't re-up my membership this year. If nothing else, to just take some time off from that vibe. Like I said, I'm not a joiner but I do like being a part of organizations that are greater than the sum of their parts. That's why I like coming here to throw stuff at the nearest wall, with you mokes, and see what sticks. -Jim
wb4tjh		#17	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 218 (07/24/08 22:25:39) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Our local flyfishing club here in Sarasota, FL., is a fast growing group with a large membership base. I believe we are the largest FFF group in Florida. We are an FFF affiliated club, with 100% FFF membership: we require it for membership in the club. Some people might resent that, but it's a small price to pay for a place to meet many new friends and to find others of like persuasion as myself. I'm not a real "joiner" either, but my FFF membership makes me part of a good oganization, with good ideals and purpose. No, it's certainly not perfect, but then, what human organization is? If you want to be part of our group, FFF membership is part of the price you have to pay. I have no problem with that. Fine flyrods can be made from different materials, but bamboo is the Benchmark against which all the rest are compared......
Boo	FFF	#18	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 429 (07/24/08 22:52:46) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I started a club where I live. Started out with about 10-15 members. The members voted to become a charter club. With a core of 5-6 people that seem to organize everything our membership has grown to around 60. Unfortunately, the average age is about 60. I'm much younger than 60. Fortunately, I befriended a couple members, one in particular, in his 60's that I believe is best ff'man I've ever met. He uses plain ol custom graphite rods, an old pfleuger reel, wears flannel shirts and still uses a doughnut float tube. But, he catches fish and knows his ff'ing. Anyway, a few club members offer tying classes to local schools, we participate in local fishing events, we have professional tyers in the club that I never knew were living in such a small and out of the way place. While the club is not perfect I can't help but to have a touch of pride when I see what I helped start. Not everyone will be happy but I 've had a few members actually thank me for starting the club. For some it's provided new friendships, a way out of the house, a new learning experience, and a way for some to rekindle a hobby they long forgot. If I could afford it I'd become a life member.
keebranch		#19	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 547 (07/24/08 23:12:08) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	This is Mrs. Keebranch coming to you from Kalispell, MT. Some have expressed an opinion that FFF is trout centric. While it may seem that way to some because many of its members are from trout country, but the reality is that FFF is the only fly fishing orgnaization dedicated to all fish, all water. They support conservation efforts for warm water fisheries and salt water in addition to cold water. One example is the support of the restoration of the Guadalupe Bass in the Texas Hill Country. I'm happy to report that I've met people here at National Conclave from places like Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. There's even a workshop on fishing in the southeast, given by a woman from Atlanta. So they are trying to offer workshops to give a little something for everyone. On the point that FFF membership skews middle age. Well, that's true, but then again, it's the demographics for ALL of fly fishing. Face it, older baby boomers are those most interested in the sport, probably because the last of the baby boomers (those born 1955 to 1964) were one of the last generations whose parents took us camping. The younger set didn't grow up camping and enjoying the outdoors like we did. But one of FFF's strength is education (in addition to conservation). They work hard to encourage youth to join the sport. For example, every conclave hosts a Youth camp for two days (age 8-17). And we work closely with Boy Scouts to help kids earn their badges in fly fishing and conservation. Hopefully the renewed interest in the environment, especially by the younger set, will encourage them to get involved in outdoor sports like fly fishing. I heard a presentation from Gordon Sullivan, author of a new book 'Saving Homewaters" where he discusses how ordinary people (who happen to be fly fishers) were responsible for helping lead conservation efforts in Montana over past decades. He said this: "Fly fishing is not a sport. Fly Fishing is a legacy." The point is that we help keep the legacy of our rivers and fishing alive for future generations. And if a group of individuals work together though organizations like FFF or even our local clubs, we can keep the the legacy going. I invite you to check out the FFF site (www.fedlfyfishers.org) for more information about their efforts in keeping the legacy. Kay J.
flyflingerandy1		#20	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 452 (07/25/08 00:03:33) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have read what FFF says on their page about education, and youth, but when I speak to a COUNCIL president about the lack of young people, and am told that if I do not like how the local club is doing things, start my own club, I get a bad taste in my mouth. Andy

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