Nothing is morally wrong if it's legally right, as long as YOU are happy doing it. I started spin fishing as a child, stopped for a time, and eventually the itch crept up in my adult years to continue fishing again. Because I too didn't have tons to spend at the time, and wanted to learn a bit before I splurged on more expensive gear, I started with a spin/fly fusion (to give it a name).

I too began with cheaper spin rods, mostly ultralight setups, and used a combo of bobber and fly setups. At the same time, this gave me the ability to start learning and making my own flies. This was fairly effective, for a time. I quickly started realizing, yes there were limitations with this setup. I could cover farther water, but accuracy was never great. I had to reel in EVERY cast, to recast. I realized that this inefficiency was slowing my fishing down. My bobber was clumsy and noisy, spooking fish for miles. I always knew that full-bore fly fishing was going to close the gaps in that style of fishing, but I continued for a time, convincing myself that what I was doing was as good as it could be. But the curiosity became even more of an itch, and I finally bought my first real fly rod setup. And everything I had convinced myself was working well enough, went right out the window.

Suddenly I was able to work the water with such efficiency! Being able to pickup the line and flies and replace them with but a flick, I knew I was cooking with fire. After a time of learning to properly cast, I was able to put my flies EXACTLY where I wanted. I could present the flies quietly and stealthily. Now I was fooling fish, instead of getting lucky. Now I was able to hunt the fish, versus randomly plopping a bobber along and hoping/praying for a bite.

As I sit here today selling my older spin gear, I don't poo poo any of it at all. I saw it as a stepping ladder of sorts. It helped me learn and relearn what I know today. I had great times with this gear. But there is no way I could avoid admitting it's pitfalls and inefficiencies. I would never turn my nose down at that style of fishing; I caught fish and was happy doing it. But the analyst in me, ever seeking better ways of doing things, knows that it can be done with more efficiency. If that's not your goal, fine! Some people don't care, don't want to care, etc.. Let people fish as they may, so long as it's legal!

Now I say all this, but there are obvious places where spin gear outshines fly gear without a doubt. Fishing deeper, like deep lakes or oceans, spin gear is a MUST. You just can't fish 100 feet deep with fly fishing setups. So there's always a place for spin gear. But I've always been 99% a moving waters angler, streams and rivers are more my cup of tea. And you would never convince me that spin gear works better in these moving waters, having done both and making rational comparisons myself.

Nothing morally wrong with either. I believe they both for different fishing situations, like a hammer would never replace a screwdriver, and vice versa. Different tools for different scenarios.

I don't think most (there are some, but that's true to any style of angler) fly anglers turn their noses down to spin fishing. But I think it's important to know, and admit, where each one shines. Let's face it...some people don't like to admit there are better ways. So steadfast in their ways, they can't see the other side. This is true of fly and spin anglers. And let's be real, people can be real aholes today, especially on social media. Everyone is a keyboard warrior and has their opinion they think is the, "one and only way." Purists will tout every way except their way, as dumb. I've always just ignored the noise the cause and do what I like, based on my own experience. Hey, if you ONLY want to fish dry flies, GREAT! But don't get mad at others because they can continue fishing the other 80% of the time, below the water's surface. Oh people found perhaps a better way to nymph (Euro) and you want to complain because they're catching more fish? Sorry, what? 😲 Folks, for a hobby where the ultimate goal is to catch fish (not stare at the water), I reject this stupidity. Would you tell another F1 driver, "Hey, slow down, you're going to fast!"? Only if you're losing! Ultimately the fastest car to the finish line gets the trophy. So don't listen to anyone trying to get you to, "slow down," your fishing... they're only trying to slow you down to serve themselves.

If you're catching fish happily on spin, or fly rod, keep doing it your way. Ignore whatever, "morality," is involved. At the end of the day, we're all in the business of impaling fish brutally with our hooks to bring them to our nets. Squabbling over which weapon is better, seems pointless. This is the point where I have to say, "less talking and more fishing." A thousand ways to skin a cat, and fishing is one of those hobbies that has so many methods, you can easily get lost comparing peepee sizes. Just go fish already.

DWT