by Marc Martyn, June 05, 2008

Many historians agree that the art of fly fishing began in the Late Middle Ages around 1496 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England about 22 miles north of London.

The first published text on the subject of fly fishing was in The Treatyse of Fysshynge (Fishing) With An Angle. It is the most complete early reference writing on the sport of fly fishing. Included are instructions on how to make a rod, line and hooks. The treatise (pronounced: tree-tes) also includes instruction on how to make 12 fly patterns, what months of the year the flies are most productive, where and how to fish them and what weather conditions are best to be successful.

Perhaps the most astounding concept in this Treatise is that the author charges the Noble and Gentle men to abide by the ethics he lays out in the last chapter of the book. In it, he requires the readers who take up this sport to follow strict guidelines. He discusses trespassing, damaging other persons property, limiting the catch and perhaps the first ever charge to preserve the species.

In the last paragraph of the treatise, the author clearly states who he is addressing. It is odd that the concept is still echoed in the minds of many individuals today:

“And so that this present treatise should not come into the hands of every idle person who would desire it if it were printed alone by itself and put in a little pamphlet, therefore I have compiled it in a greater volume of diverse books concerning gentle and noble men, to the end that the aforesaid idle persons which should have but little measure in the said sport of fishing should not by this means utterly destroy it.”


From that point on, it was the belief that fly fishing was for the noble and gentle men of England. In the Middle Ages there were two social classes, the rich and the poor. The poor were referred to as idle, or “of little worth”. With this in mind, it is clear now to see how fly fishing was originally meant to be enjoyed by the wealthy and the educated.

Education as we now know it, reading and writing, was limited to the wealthy in the upper class during these times. The common person did not have the ability to read or write nor was allowed to learn. Books were often written by scholars and many writings were confined to monasteries. How thoroughly mystical and confusing it must have been for a commoner to see a nobleman retrieving a fish from a stream with a rod, line and bait. The knowledge of the sport itself, was restricted to a select few, the elite. The world today is much different than in the time of Henry VII. Public education is readily available to most everyone in the developed world. It is rare to see someone who can neither read or write.

I have been fly fishing for about 40 years. Learning this sport would have been a monumental task had I not been able to read. I suppose that evenually I would have figured it out on my own by talking with people and observing.

So, is the sport of fly fishing for the elite, the noble or the rich? In one word, no. Yet today I still hear comments that the sport is for the rich. This may stem from a person curious about learning fly fishing and going into a fly fishing pro shop and immediately experiencing sticker shock. Many of the rods and reels first seen in a pro shop are engineered for the experienced fly caster with demanding casting techniques. Therefore, they are the high end rods and the cost is reflected. The beginning fly caster can learn the sport on much less expensive equipment. Many pro shops have entry level rods and reels for much less money. The pro shops also offer the knowledge of how to learn the sport. It is not neccessary to purchase expensive equipment to begin fly fishing.

It is my intent in writting this article and those following, to help educate those interested in learning the sport of fly fishing. It is also my aim to further the education of people who already are enjoying the sport. I am by no means a professional and I am always learning something new, even after all my years of experience.

I wholeheartedly invite all who are interested in fly fishing to learn the sport. Fly fishing is no longer reserved for the elite. Common people, like myself, can learn the sport freely without any restrictions. For me, fly fishing has enriched my life immensely. It will do the same for you also.

If you would like to read more of The Treatyse Of Fishing With An Angle, you can see it in full translated version on Dr. Andrew N. Herd’s website, http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/treatyse.htm.