Perception and Reality

It is the same game...

Amidst the sport of fly fishing, there is an omnipresent ranking system of superiority within the hearts and minds of fly anglers. A lot of people seem to put their specific pursuit on a pedestal and lambast any technique, species, or region as being "unworthy". I am certainly someone that has partaken in this over the years, but knowingly or unknowingly, all fishermen are hypocrites. This hierarchal caste system of pursuits has never been more in your face than with the arrival of the internet and social media. The meme culture that has exploded with Instagram loves to poke fun at specific niches within fly fishing like Tenkara, Euro-nymphing, or using an "indicator". I'll admit that I have laughed at the expense of these anglers too, but I respect them as skilled and productive techniques. However, I typically have the opposite reaction when the target is the potamodromous rainbow population of the five major Great Lakes. Hitting closer to home, there seems to be an utter disdain that exists for Great Lakes "steelhead," and those that pursue them. Out west, I've had anglers, fly shop managers, and guides go out of their way to let me know that Great Lakes steelhead aren't steelhead. Typically, they will bring the topic up unannounced at the mere mention that I live on the east coast. Based on internet views, you would think that anyone that pursues the migratory fish within these lake systems isn't worth their salt as an angler and that the intended quarry isn't worth anyone's time, energy, and effort. Overall, this perception of Great Lakes steelhead is damaging because it divides us an an angling community at a time when we need to present a unified front. 

Woah, big gulps eh?

Beware...Alligators

To go further down the social media rabbit hole that creates division, one can look at the accounts of major companies and influencers. It seems that whenever there is a slow period of content, these accounts will weaponize the debate over whether or not these fish are actually "steelhead" in an effort to drum up likes, comments, shares, and follows. During the doldrums of winter season, this debate seems to emerge like clockwork. All of it is done intentionally because it elicits a rabid response from anglers whom go to great lengths as keyboard warriors to defend their fish and fisheries. From my perspective, there is a certain level of ignorance that exists within these views and a massive grey area that can be entertained. Focusing on ignorance, the vast majority of critics have little to no experience outside of their respective regions. Meaning that Great Lakes anglers have never caught a wild steelhead on the Pacific Coast and vice versa. Beyond that, most have never extended their pursuits past steelhead to other anadromous fish like salmon. When it comes to the grey areas, anglers love to bring up genetics, biological factors, wild vs. hatchery, and the environment that produces these fish. For this, I prefer to leave those debates to experts. On Brian Niska's In The Bucket Podcast, he had on three lifetime fisheries biologists, Bob Hooton, John McMillan, and Brian Morrison, that represented British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest, and the Great Lakes. With the topic of discussion focusing on steelhead science, Brian asked them "the question". All three experts immediately agreed that they were genetically the same and didn't even entertain any debate otherwise. 

In reality, the pursuit of these fish is the same game no matter the geography or origin. As an angler that has caught wild and hatchery steelhead across the west coast, a bounty of Great Lakes fish, and Atlantic Salmon in Canada, I can say without a doubt that there isn't much difference at all. It is the same exact endeavor across all three targets, regions, and waterways. Swinging flies is the same whether it is on the Skagit, the Matapedia, or the Salmon River in New York. It is difficult, a grind, numbers are low, and the weather typically sucks. To be honest, I haven't noticed a difference with the eat, grab, or pull of one of these fish eating my fly whether the swing is broadside with speed or if the fly is skated on the surface. When it comes to the fight, I think it depends more on the river's current speed and the freshness of the fish compared to any other factor. Any fish in fast current is going to punch above their weight. A fresh fish out of the Great Lakes fights like hell as does one on the North Umpqua. Hatchery fish fight like hatchery fish and there are probably more wild fish in the Great Lakes rivers than on the entire west coast. The reality is that if a PNW angler lived near the Great Lakes, they'd fish for lake run steelhead and vice versa. 

When I look at these arguments, my thoughts go towards conservation. Can you imagine the impact that we could have collectively if we put as much time and energy towards contacting politicians, protecting habitat, water, and wild fish as we do towards arguing over "no salt, no steel"? Instead of actively dividing ourselves into camps why not unite towards common goals? Instead of deriding Great Lakes fish and the anglers that pursue them, why not try to encourage them to get involved? In a world where public lands are being opened up to resource extraction, regulations to protect water and air are being stripped, and data centers are destroying aquifers, the fish need all the numbers and supports that they can get.

That's just my two cents...