Fishing Does Not Mean “Icky”
I have had several people refer recently to the fact that they don’t know how I can stand fishing because it is “icky” (substitute slimy, gross etc.). They don’t want to deal with bait and they don’t want to have to deal with the feel of the fish.
The beauty of fly fishing and modern technology is that you don’t have to do any of these things to go fly fishing if you have the right tools. First and most obvious is that you use flies and not real live bait (although you are trying to mimic the real bugs etc as much as possible). Second, if you have the right net, the fish and the barb will not get stuck in it. You need a net without the traditional netting, but with with wider pieces of what looks like rubber. The picture of me below with the net is as an example. The second tool you will need is the one to remove the barb itself after you land the fish. The Ketchum Realease is a tool allowing you to release fish safely, quickly, and easily without ever handling them. It keeps your hands from getting wet and is great for cold days. The removal tool slides down the tippet and pushes the hook up and out without you having to touch the fish and then you let the fish go after putting the net in the water to make sure it has enough oxygen.
And as easy as that, you can fly fish with none of the “ick” factor. ~Kristen