[Neusewader]

It really isn't about the catching and counting (unless you're a heron and it's dinner time). That's an external reference frame to be gauged against others. What is important IMHO is the personal satisfaction in enjoying the outdoors, the water, the companionship, improving one's technique, or maybe trying something new. We all keep coming back tomorrow regardless of whether today was filled with skunk or net.

[bugg]

While counting is not my main issue, my fishing buddies and I usually take turns after the other catches a fish (or in some cases three missed strikes and you're out, not that I ever have to "punt" ). So, if I have a fish on that I could sling to the bank if I wanted to just to say I "caught" it, but instead I play it and it happens to get off I will give up the reigns and let my buddy start fishing.

However, on a big fish that you have to fight real hard, if I don't get him to hand I usually don't count it as a catch.


BUGG

[blue ridge angler]

Originally Posted by kylemc

Fish counters, seriously?

counting only in the sense of wheather I consider myself to have "caught" that particular fish, but counting as in a numbers game where you make marks or keep a talley? no thanks...

[JOHNKIES]

When its rolled in cornmeal and headed to the skillet!

[BelAirSteve]

I usually keep a separate count of "brought to hand" and "LDRs." To answer your question specifically, caught is equal to touching the fish.

[gmreeves]

I'll kind of go along with everyone. I consider it caught if I am confident I could put it in the creel if I wanted too (or if I carried one). If I am just playing a fish for the heck of it and he gets off I'll count him as caught. If on the other hand I am still fighting the fish and he has the upper hand and gets off, I am not the victor in that battle. Now if I hook a finicky fish or an old brute with some trickery and he gets off the hook, I consider it a win and a loss on my part. I fooled him but failed to complete the job.

[A. Krueger]

Back when I was younger and fishing with my dad, I would want to count every fish that was ever on my line as a catch, to which my dad would respond, "Habeus Corpus" (you shall have the body).

[DixielandDelight]

To me, it is about achieving a skill level to feel a sense of accomplishment on each aspect of fly fishing (except tying, I still have purposely stayed away from that skillset to this point, because I think it would drive me bananas).
Back to the point, if I were to break down the different aspects of fly fishing that keep make me so passionate about it it would be something like this:

1) Reading water.
I want to be able to say that I have arrived to a point where I know how to read the water in order to locate where fish will hold.
2) Understanding the ecology.
I want to know that I have studied my entomology and fish feeding habits, have been observant to what the bugs are doing and what the fish are doing and be able to choose the right fly/flies for the current conditions/location.
3) Casting skills.
I want to be able to know that I have the ability to make the cast I need to get the fly to the fish.
4) Presentation.
I want to know that I know how the fly needs to look and act in order to fool a fish into taking it, and how different currents work, how to increase my strike rate by holding my line off of the water, adding mends, using the right tippett, etc.
5) Hook set.
I know it sounds kind of elementary, but I have found that I get way more hook-ups now than when I first started. I still have a long way to go, but I want to keep learning techniques about when to set it quick and hard, when to let the fish turn with the fly before setting the hook, knowing that when I have a lot of line out, I need a more sweeping hook set to remove slack/stretch in the line, making multiple hook sets to ensure penetration on big streamers with large hooks and big toothy trout, etc.

For some, I guess that is where it ends and fighting the fish and bringing it to hand are not important skills to hone, but I differ.

6) Fighting and Landing a fish. This is a skill and there are a lot of people that do not have the skills to play a large fish on small tippett. It really is an art and something that you can only learn through practice. You've got to know how to get the line on the reel quickly, using your drag/palming the reel, when to give the fish line, when to bear down and try to turn its head, when you need to move up or downstream with the fish, how to bow to a jumping fish, how to move it out of the current, etc.

For that reason, I don't feel like I have fully improved my overall fly fishing skills until I bring the fish to my side and at least touch the fly.

[flytire]

i dont think it really matters. just being able to be on a stream, river, lake or pond and having a good time does. counting fish isnt fly fishing to me.

[Upstream]

Originally Posted by JOHNKIES

When its rolled in cornmeal and headed to the skillet!

Or it was within your power to do so. Anything else, find another word.

I've heard people say they caught a trout at least two feet long, although they couldn't be precise since they didn't get it in.