Do you fly fish?
If you answered “no,” then the next question is “why not?”
If you answered “yes,” then there are about 100 questions to follow.
The reason being the remarkable amount of diversity within fly fishing. One angler might primarily pursue trout on spring creeks while another’s quarry is whatever happens to be running up the coast. In certain parts of the country, both of those people may very well live in the same town. Their target species, gear, and potentially even disposition may be radically different – but they’re both fly fishers.
The same sort of world within a world situation is present in barbecue.
Texas isn’t Tennessee, and neither of them are North Carolina. Even within a small state like South Carolina you have regional preferences for techniques, cuts of meat, and, what’s most noticeable, sauces. (If you haven’t tried South Carolina yellow mustard sauce on pulled pork, you haven’t scratched the surface of what barbecue can be.)
Although there might be border squabbles over ketchup vs. vinegar or beef vs. pork, it is all barbecue. It is just like the undeniable truth that the carp aficionado is part of the same culture as the cane casting dry fly onlyist. What unites us is a lot stronger than what separates us. A smoked brisket has way more in common with a smoked pork shoulder than it does a NY deli pastrami. Similarly, using flies to chase river smallmouth is more related to swinging for Atlantic salmon than it is to tournament bassing.
The contrasts within the microcosms of fly fishing and barbecue fuel creativity, diversity, and competition that ranges from good-natured to hostile. Understanding the subjective nature of either pursuit, within reasonable limits, fosters greater community. Someone from Memphis or Austin might not agree on much else, but they’ll both pipe up to decry the use of “BBQ” when describing hot dogs. And in fly fishing, something like live bait is blasphemous whether you’re in the salt or fresh or warm or cold.
What’s fortunate for fans of fly fishing or barbecue is that there isn’t a rule saying you must stake an exclusive claim within each culture. You can play the field.
Sure, you may have your comfort zone. Where you live, what you know, and what you like will probably determine how you spend the majority of your time. But itinerant travels allow for exploration, experimentation, and education. Fish here and eat there; eat here and fish there.
The contrasts within fly fishing and barbecue actually go a long way in engendering the richness of both pursuits. Understanding that your passion for how you do it carries the same intensity that others apply to doing it their way helps with the appreciation of the culture and the craft.
But in the end, it is just fishing and cooking.
Even if it’s the right way to fish and cook.
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Since at one point I thought I’d write about barbecue on a weekly basis, you better believe that I have a lot to say. In contemplating the comparisons between barbecue and fly fishing, I’ve thought of three main areas I wanted to focus on. They are: