flyandfloatfishing.com - Fly & Float Chronicles

Jim with a beautiful Grayling, but most importantly..... a nice hat Ever think about what it would be like to start a fantasy fly fishing league with your buddies? There are online fantasy leagues now for all of the professional sports, and golfers and bowlers have their weekly contests, so why not have a friendly forum for your favorite pastime of all? But wait a minute, you say; how would you rate anglers for drafting purposes? Unlike professional sports, where a single stat sheet tells you everything you need to know about a player, fly fishing has no performance rating system. There are no casting averages, no hook-up to landing ratios, no trophy percentages. Sure, we could start keeping track of all that stuff, but there’s one quality that’s far more telling about an angler’s prowess: His hat.

Fly fishing is a sport involving a great deal of folklore. Storytelling is a quintessential part of this special hobby, hence the fishermen’s propensity for fish tales, lie-&-tie’s, and fishing journalism. And what tells a particular individual’s story better than his hat? With one glance, you more or less know where he’s been, what he’s about, and how long he’s been at it. You might even be able to deduce who he works for, who he works with, or if he works at all. The Hat will also display a token sample of his favorite pattern, as well as a few less productive models to throw you off. In essence, The Fishing Hat is like a resume that you wear on your head.

Not every hat is worthy of being deemed The Fishing Hat. It must exhibit certain qualities; durability, breathability, protection from the sun and from errant casts, etc. Of course, different situations warrant different fishing hats. Regardless though, there are some qualities which The Fishing Hat must NOT have Local guide, Matt Hynes... showing off a nice hat. . For example, wide-brims and bucket hats have their place, but the neck-flap is an absolute no-no in my book. I don’t care if you are 100% Irish and you are fishing on the sun, find a way to ditch the flap.

The Fishing Hat is also the angler’s billboard, a medium for self-promotion. It can say things like “I am a guide and this is my river, so promptly find your own piece of water before I insert a 2/0 hook in your ear.” It could also say something along the lines of “I am a distinguished gentleman and aspiring Orvis model. If you see me on the river, please take my picture and submit it for next month’s catalogue to be placed next to the dog beds and leather-bound flasks.” As not to mislead, I have seen some pretty talented fishermen sporting some pretty dopey lids (exhibit A: Lefty Kreh). As far as image is concerned, I guess it’s up to you to make it work.

If you do decide to start a weekend fishing league, remember that The Hat is the ultimate stat. Let your buddy with that “cool” jungle safari hat know that it may be time for a new head cover. And choose wisely for yourself, because we all know that it’s not what you say, but how you say it.

Great view of a western hat

Jim Lampros

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