The "Mozart" of Fly Casting

August 22, 2018 11:34 AM

Maxine McCormick is only 14 but she's scything the competition in this sport. Maxine McCormick began fly casting when she was 9 years old. At 14, she has back-to-back world titles.
posted by MovableBookLady (16 comments total)

Thanks, MovableBookLady!

MeTa.
If anyone's interested in Ms. McCormick but disinterested in a New York Times article, there's an abbreviated version at The Hamilton Spectator.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:11 PM on August 22, 2018

what an obscure thing to be a prodigy in!
posted by thelonius at 12:23 PM on August 22, 2018

Here's some video when she was 11 and already "the greatest female flycaster of all time".
posted by beagle at 12:28 PM on August 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

This is awesome. Kinda makes me wonder why they have gender-segregated divisions at all, though. It always strikes me as weird when they do that in sports where there's no clear advantage to male or female biomechanics (shooting and other accuracy sports in particular). I guess it potentially encourages participation by women?
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:30 PM on August 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

Hand-eye coordination can still be influenced by muscle, and thus testosterone, Kadin2048. I'm not sure how much it applies in fine-motor control things like aiming a rifle, but if your muscles are stronger then they can move your hand/body to the correct position faster.

And yeah, also it probably helps encourage female participation in traditionally male sports, it at least removes the first layer discouragement of having a bunch of guys stare at you like you don't belong.
posted by tavella at 1:35 PM on August 22, 2018

They do rank women in the "mens (overall)" division, she came in third.
posted by beagle at 2:17 PM on August 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

I worked for a non-profit for a bit that was mostly funded by wealthy fly fishermen (California Trout). Our work was to preserve rivers in California for fly fishing (while also preserving habitat for anadromous fish). I was encouraged to try fly fishing--I enjoyed the beautiful setting more than the actual fishing--it is a skill that takes a lot of patience and a light touch--trying to mimic an insect landing on the water--it didn't require a lot of strength.
posted by agatha_magatha at 3:05 PM on August 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

it didn't require a lot of strength

Well, maybe not the way you do it. When I've tried it, I didn't catch any fish but, dammit, they knew I was there. I look at it as the ultimate in catch-and-release.
posted by maxwelton at 3:15 PM on August 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

How many more kids like her could we have if we didn't force most of them into big sterile buildings where they spent their days shuffling from one sensory deprivation chamber to the next learning to sit quietly as one possible life after another germinated and then died from lack of sunshine and fertile soil?
posted by jamjam at 3:41 PM on August 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

Schubert. Schubert of fly-casting. See "Trout Quintet".
posted by Twang at 8:15 PM on August 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

OHH! This is what those computer games about fishing were about! Those confused me for so fucking long. and jamjam, yes. YES.
posted by yueliang at 11:36 PM on August 22, 2018

Making computer games about flyfishing is like trying to build a life size model of the parthenon with your own turds.
posted by alloneword at 11:55 PM on August 22, 2018

This is great. There are other women making waves in the sport. Women are seen as a growth market, but inevitably there are hurdles.

There have also been noted female masters in the highly skilled craft of salmon fly-making. Megan Boyd was world renowned and you can see Isabella Hermiston in action in this doc from 1955.
posted by freya_lamb at 2:40 AM on August 23, 2018

Kinda makes me wonder why they have gender-segregated divisions at all, though. It always strikes me as weird when they do that in sports where there's no clear advantage to male or female biomechanics (shooting and other accuracy sports in particular).

I always assumed it's because men don't want to lose to women. See, for instance, the story of the figure skater Madge Syers.
posted by JanetLand at 6:44 AM on August 23, 2018 [7 favorites]

There's a 500 foot long artificial lake dedicated to fly casting in the middle of Golden Gate Park? Really? I guess you don't notice it when they're not out there practicing. Or, perhaps, "let's go look at the bison" always won out.

Also, fun story.
posted by eotvos at 2:20 PM on August 23, 2018

Here's a short clip of her hitting targets, one after another. It's hard to see, but may be improved by viewing it full-screen.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:22 PM on August 26, 2018