Blimey, I go away for a week and all hell breaks out on what was meant to be a genuine question, not the start of a fight.
However, to address some comments, I cannot class fishing as a sport. The is because there are way too many variables to allow a "fair" chance for all. Since golf has already been mentioned, golf has a "leveling" system whereby players that are not so good are given a higher handicap and can thus compete "fairly" with better players. With fishing, you can be on a bit of water with no fish infront of you, so you have no chance of catching. Anglers cannot compete on an even field, so to ME, it cannot be a sport. I know it is to others, but to me, its not.
Before anyone starts stamping their feet, I should point out that as a "yoof" I represented my country at national level in fishing (match) as well as representing the British army internationally, so I have fished regulated competitions.
However, classing casting as not a sport does not add up. Its is not just part of fishing, it is THE part of fly fishing that makes all the difference. Fishing is not about casting, you can catch fish by dangling a worm off a stick..but casting is a separate entity that can be governed by rules, can be made even for everyone and can be classed as a sport....it already is by a large number of professional sportsman who travel the world casting for money.