elitism- 2. A sense of being part of a superior or privileged group.

First of all, for the record, I started out gear fishing and out of that grew a foundness for fly fishing. I still occasionally enjoy gear fishing for winter hatchery steelhead and sometimes drown a herring for salmon. Fly fishing has just come as a more enjoyable preference for me and I dig the challenge.

Now to get to your question- No I don't believe that fly fisherman are elitist, I think you can find elitism in every activity that can rub someone the wrong way and develop a prejudice.

Being able to view the issue from both sides I guess I have an opinion on the issue that in general fly fisherman seem to be a bit more proactive and conservation minded when it comes to looking out for the resource. And willing to step up to the plate more often when action needs to be taken especially when it comes to the wild fish. It seems to me they take the approach that if I look out for the wild fish it will increase opportunity in the future rather than just a concern for my opportunity.

Maybe that bothers some and think it is elitism? In recent followings of some the threads, whenever a conservation issue that some doesn't like comes up the finger gets pointed at flyfishermen, which is too bad. Why is that?

Now don't get me wrong I know many gear anglers and there are many visitors to this BB who look at it the same way and very conservation minded, but maybe not just the majority.