[Rob Brownfield]

Lots of discussion on this topic but I have always thought it was a stupid idea. A couple of reasons, firstly, hooking fish would question the ethics of fishing and it would be completely impossible for a pool to be created that gave each and every angler an identical chance of catching.

However, and I expect an MBE for this idea, there is no reason why casting could not be an event.

You also could then split it into several disciplines.

You could have various fly distance events
Lead distance events from say 2oz upto 5oz which would cover the coarse and sea casters.
Accuracy events, akin to archery/shooting, but a target at distance and you need to land a lead in the target.
You could even have a fly casting version of Dressage, where you perform different casts and are marked on accuracy, distance, style and ability.


Actually, lets have our own Casting Olympics!!

[Ben Dixon]

Hopefully, subject to getting approval from a suitable venue something like this maybe about to happen Rob 

Cheers

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

Woohoo!..But include all forms of casting, not just that crappy washing line throwing

[Loxiafan]

Lots of discussion on this topic but I have always thought it was a stupid idea.

Maybe, but there are already World Championship's for Fly Fishing where Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded. 

The ethic's would possibly be the main stumbling block as you say. FWIW re "equal conditions" - it isn't always a level playing field in Olympic sport; remember our men's rowers who had the fastest qualifying time in the heats being drawn in a crappy lane, same with track athelete's.

Don't see why there couldn't be "distance" or "accuracy" casting events but hardly a spectator sport eg.might be of interest to us but for Joseph Public the choice of ladies beach volleyball or watch a bunch of blokes (and women) Spey Cast ? No brainer

L

[Steven Kidd]

Fly casting in the Olympics is a fantastic idea.

lets start lobbying for this now!!

Ethics should not be an issue.  At the end of the day a Javelin was initially a hunting tool.

Cheers,

Steven

[Will Shaw]

Uh huh.

[Rob Brownfield]

Maybe, but there are already World Championship's for Fly Fishing where Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded. 

Equally there are the World Athletics Championships, The Commonwealth Games and so on...but they are not the Olympics.

The ethic's would possibly be the main stumbling block as you say. FWIW re "equal conditions" - it isn't always a level playing field in Olympic sport; remember our men's rowers who had the fastest qualifying time in the heats being drawn in a crappy lane, same with track athelete's.

But a poor draw in a race is very different to a poot draw when there are no fish infront of you and no matter what you do, you will never catch.

Don't see why there couldn't be "distance" or "accuracy" casting events but hardly a spectator sport eg.might be of interest to us but for Joseph Public the choice of ladies beach volleyball or watch a bunch of blokes (and women) Spey Cast ? No brainer

L

I would say Archery is not a spectator sport, or weight lifting, shooting, dressage, and a few others, but they are in there. I see no difference in distance casting to javalin, discuss or shot put.

We could have "beach casting..in bikinis

[Loxiafan]

Equally there are the World Athletics Championships, The Commonwealth Games and so on...but they are not the Olympics.

But a poor draw in a race is very different to a poot draw when there are no fish infront of you and no matter what you do, you will never catch...

I would say Archery is not a spectator sport, or weight lifting, shooting, dressage, and a few others, but they are in there. ....

Rob, I was actually inferring that because there are already World Championship Fly Fishing comps, then I couldn't see why there couldn't in theory be Olympic events. In these existing comps you may get a "shitty" peg, just luck of the draw. The Archery mens final between USA and Italy was exciting because it is "on the clock" and it came right diown to the last arrow.

The sort of peops I see "beachcasting" I definitely don't want to see them in bikini's...

L

[Loxiafan]

On the point of "level playing fields": if competition angling is apparently so random then how come in World River Championships it usually ends up being the same countries on the winners podium despite the "pegs" for beats being randomly drawn ? Someone like John Tyzack is 7 (?) times English River champion - lucky ? I don't think so ! So, there must surely be some element in reflection of consistency and skill to these events, perhaps assisted by the scoring system, different beats in the morning from afternoon etc. Sure, there will always be "wildcard" winners, but that happens quite frequently in things like the British Open (Golf).

Personally, fishing and competitions don't float my boat, that and the obvious ethical issue for something like the Olympics. Just playing Devil's advocate here.

L

[Rob Brownfield]

On the point of "level playing fields": if competition angling is apparently so random then how come in World River Championships it usually ends up being the same countries on the winners podium despite the "pegs" for beats being randomly drawn ?

I do not know enough about Trout comps, but I briefly fished for England as a "yoof" and also represented the British Army at Match fishing.

If we take the England Match team, they are normally winners, or in the top 3. Reason being, in coarse fishing, you have a chance of turning an average peg into a winner or a bad peg into an ok one by the way you feed the swim and draw the fish in. You can also fish close in, at distance (70 yards if yu want) and really search the area infront of you. The points system also means that in a section where catches are poor, you can still contribute to the overall score, even if you only catch a minnow.

I believe in fly fishing in a river, you swap "pegs" at regular intervals, thus giving everyone a chance?