Comparison: Comp. Scene, Europe vs US

[Eugene Shuler]

Dejon,

Thanks for asking us on board with the Coop and giving us our own space here. We appreciate that. I like the idea and concept of it. Hats off to you my friend!
This has been much needed in the states for years now. Its one of the only ways competitive fly fishing is going to grow and the only way the US is going to be able to compete with the foriegn teams.
In Eurpoean countries, they have numerous FF teams in each town, even pubs have a FF team. They all work together and have town comps, regional comps, regional qualifiers, and finally their Nationals.  By the time a National Champioship or a World Championship comes around these guys may have fished in 40+ comps for that year. We need that type of infrastructure in the US. The coop may pioneer the way for this to happen.

[Dejon Hamann]

In Eurpoean countries, they have numerous FF teams in each town, even pubs have a FF team. They all work together and have town comps, regional comps, regional qualifiers, and finally their Nationals.  By the time a National Champioship or a World Championship comes around these guys may have fished in 40+ comps for that year. We need that type of infrastructure in the US. The coop may pioneer the way for this to happen.

That really paints the stark picture of why we north americans are always lagging behind our European brethren! And it's a cold hard fact isn't it E.S?  The root structure this side of the pond is just so infantile and no one has taken the time to add any nutrients.

Having the NC Fly Fishing Team and your support as a "founding father" of that group is so clutch!  The Coop certainly wouldn't have the same weight without it!

So, where do we head next?  The sky is the limit. 

[Eugene Shuler]

Dejon,
Your correct, and it's a sad fact also. That as great as our current US team is, and you guys Rock, the European Countries always seem to have a little something left in the tank. We have one of the strongest US teams ever and still we don't medal. There's no shame in that either, it just has to be frustrating for those who are there trying.

I think that looking into what separates the European competitors from the US competitors isn't a fruitless discusion. In fact, by looking at those differences, we may learn some valuable lessons. I'll list a few of them that I see, and if you guys want please build upon them

1. The fishing is much harder in European countries. Public rivers in the UK, France, etc. are scarce, most rivers there are owned by Royal Families and aren't open to the general public. With what little public water there is, it is fished to death by meat fisherman looking for tablefare. You then have the option of paying to fish privately owned water, which often means booking river time months in advance, only to have them blown out by the time your day has arrived. Which raises the question: What do you do? In America, we would most likely say, screw it, I'll fish a diffrent stream down the road. In other countries they don't have that luxury, they might say, I paid and I'm here, I'm fishing anyway.

2. As I stated earlier in this post, they have multiple fly fishing teams in each town and may have competed in many sanctioned comps in a single year.

[Eugene Shuler]

3. More emphasis placed on techniques, flies and presentations.
When you pick up a Euro fly fishing rag. What's the first thing you notice? They are sticklers for fishing a particular technique, or fly, exactly as prescribed. Over here in the states , if your close, it counts. And I think the reason for that is our fishing is much easier and in most instances you don't have to be that precise,(yes of course there are rivers that are exceptions to this) but for the most part you will be successful without having to be perfect. Hardly the case with our friends across the big pond.

Dejon,
you may want to move this to it's own topic, I didn't mean to hijack a thread with my rambling.