Wednesday
Nov172010
An Oprah Runs Through It
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 12:03AM 
Matt Labash explains why Oprah must be stopped.
Good God in Heaven, is nothing sacred? I saw the same picture on Field & Stream’s Fly Talk blog. And not since they made us watch a slide show of partial-birth abortions at my Operation Rescue Father’s Day picnic have I been so disturbed by an image.
LINK (Via: The Daily Caller)
Jim Treacher responds to Labash's column.
Ask Matt Labash how he's going to sell any books now that he's alienated Oprah. If Oprah doesn't promote your book you might as well not have written one.
tagged fly fishing writing, legends of fly fishing, matt labash in Humor, Writing
fly fishing writing, legends of fly fishing, matt labash in Humor, Writing
Reader Comments (16)
I truly love what you guys do, and I read this site every morning. This post doesn't belong here.
You know, I was pretty ambivalent about the whole fly-fishing Oprah thing until I read Labash's line about how this will cause the rivers to be invaded by thousands of bored housewives.
Fish in a barrel, my friends, fish in a barrel.
I do hope the author of that comment is driven off the stream by hoards of Operas followers. What this sport doesn't need is more sanctimonious short sighted xenophobes who don't want any body else on their streams. Why promote the sport and get people interested. If you did get people more interested maybe more of the anti environment legislation can't get pushed through with ease. (The Caller is run by former Cheney aids).
I'd also like to see the sport grow to support the Fly Fishing Industry. The economic downturn has certainly had a negative effect on the businesses we patronize and the products available to anglers.
Go ahead and piss in Operas wading boot. Her millions of fans will never notice.
I noted an article about this about 2 weeks ago. It said that Oprah wasn't really impressed with the camping part of her experience and showed a pretty unglamorous Oprah in footy-style PJ's looking less than happy about sleeping in a tent on the ground. I wouldn't really mind if that was the picture that was presented to all of the folks wanting to see the world through Oprah's eyes.
I live somewhere that had been a fisherman's dream until all those dreamers showed up and wanted to fish my home river. As word got out about the kind of experience you could have, the amount of fishermen and in particular, guides, increased to a point where dealing with other people was the only experience you could have. It will never be the same again. All those people will continue to show up until the river I love becomes undesirable to these hoards because it is over-fished. And nobody can put the imps back in Pandora's box.
We can only hope that any new fishermen brought to us from whatever source will learn the etiquette involved in the sport. These manners can only be taught by people with good manners. You have to be a good sport.
I fly fished Yosemite 40 years ago when I went to college nearby. There was nobody else fishing. I hear that there are lots of fishermen now. I expect I could go there and still catch fish but the experience now would be more about fellowship than solitutde. With all due respect to my fellow fishermen, it's a poor substitute.
So what can you do? Go further afield, where the roads are bad and the amenities are few. And when you get there, fish like you are someone's guest. Show respect because you have just walked through someone else's dream.
Bored housewives out without their husbands? Sweet...I'm there.
As a young single guy I would have no problem if more women started fly fishing - it would increase the odds that I find a wife who fly fishes - right now those odds seem about as good as Danny Devito playing pro basketball.
Whatever... Unless Oprah decides to buy fly fishing gear and guided trips for all her adoring fans, there shouldnt be a problem. Besides, if miraculously by chance women become addicts of fishing because of one little segment Oprah put on television, I'm sure it wont do anything but enhance the economy in the sport and in turn create possitive regualtions for river ecosystems. Oprah kind of women I'm sure arn't down with killing fish.
I'm with you John... and Train wreck.. That stuff will knock you off your feet. Nice point too.
Opera/Oprah (!)
It's amazing how many books actually DO sell that haven't been endorsed (or even read) by Oprah. There's a whole other world out there...
There's a 'Fly Fishing Industry' ?! hmmm maybe they can get hold of some of that stimulating cash Oprah supported.... perhaps there'll be an amazing reduction in unemployment! Oprah's benevolence never ends !
Word is the show already aired. My shop buddies have not seen a massive influx of housewives.
to "fish in a barrel" LMAO
shut up. all of you. oprah is a large black woman fishing in waders that she will have to be cut out of. dont make this a political issue. its funny. and yes, no one wants more people on their streams. the sport has grown enough and there is plenty of money to be had, in fact the wealthiest people in the world do it. so shove it LeJeune
Response on my own site. http://skatethefly.squarespace.com/blog/2010/11/17/an-oprah-rant-get-over-it-dude.html
Pretty Funny. I think her waders are a little small.
better than dick chaney
My question is why she had a guide from montana on the merced river...
Simple solution-Move somewhere remote enough where Oprah's fans would never dream of venturing. (Just not northern Maine, the fishing up here sucks)
I don't hate Oprah because she went fly fishing, and I doubt any of her fans took that episode as a cue to hit the rivers and streams. I hate Oprah because she exists, so I typically try to pretend that she doesn't. If she doesn't exist, she never went fly fishing in the first place. Problem solved. See how easy that was?
damn tight waders......... maybe she shoulda ordered from the simms custom shop..... that there camel toe's a moose knuckle for sure ......... nasty.