To catch a fish, all you need is a cane pole, some line, a hook, and a worm.
To cook meat, all you need is a pan and some heat.
Those approaches will get the respective jobs done. Fishing or cooking like that could be considered doing things the easy way. Straightforward methods work, but there isn’t the precision and care that takes things to the next level. It is pragmatic, it isn’t a craft.
Barbecue and fly fishing are crafts.
Personally, both barbecue and fly fishing trigger the same parts of my brain. The culture and the skill involved in each cause similar synapses to fire, resulting in euphoria… and a little bit of compulsive behavior. Basically, this is why I believe that fly fishing and barbecue are perfectly complementary.
Think about it this way:
Consider the dry fly. A traditional Catskill dry is tied under certain conventions that dictate materials, proportions, and angles. Once assembled, it is tied onto a leader that has been built in a manner that the corresponding rod and line will be able to manipulate so as to turn over said fly. A rod has been carefully selected for its delicate touch and lithe action. The cast itself isn’t roughshod. There is a focused effort to limit false casts, putting the fly, leader, and line in such a position to eliminate drag and maximize presentation time.
What is the result? If the trout takes, the reward is much greater than catching a fish.
Now, think of a good plate of pulled pork. Not only has the meat been procured from a quality source, but the wood that it will be smoked over has been sought with purpose. All of that will be placed into a cooker that has racks, vents, and trays which have each been placed exactly where they should be in relation to one another to achieve maximum thermal efficiency. Some seasoning is used. Some is dry – a rub; some is wet – a mop. Both are applied sparingly and at the right time. Time, after all, is the key. The smoke and the fire and the moisture and the time work together to turn a tough and fatty cut of shoulder or ham into barbecue. The outside is dark, salty, and crisp. The inside is rich, moist, and sweet.
The result is much greater than cooked meat.
Fly fishing and barbecue take humble activities and infuse each with tireless devotion and deliberate thought. Devotees attend seminars, read books, and obsess over minutiae. Money is spent and gear is finely tuned. Strong, lifelong relationships are formed around common interests and symbiotic opportunities. All of this occurs in the hope of improving by minor increments. Like any craft, the skilled search for any small measure of progress that they can find.
These fixations are unnecessary. Truthfully, they can be unhealthy. If the fascination is treated for what it is, channeled for good food or sport, barbecue and fly fishing can end in much more than just meat or fish. The drive to master one’s craft results in some tangible rewards, but the intrinsic pleasure of honing one’s skill can be even better.
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In contemplating the comparisons between barbecue and fly fishing, I’ve thought of three main areas I wanted to focus on. Read about the others, which include: