Shag, I appreciate your sincerity and honesty. I will try and answer your first question in the same manor. First, I am in the same boat as you and apparently others on this board, I to have done this "Steelhead thing" for many,many a moons. I have caught more than my share with "yarn fly's" & nymphs under a corky. In fact I have been complemented on my effectiveness with the "rig" by many. I don't know if you get to "that point".............I think it just comes to you.
Every now and then I ...........maybe once or twice a year be it Steelhead or Trout, I set up the rig again and give it a go. With in a short time.............it's back, just like riding a bicycle and I start smack'in them pretty darn good. Only thing is, some time back..............something snapped and I get no feeling of accomplishment out of it anymore. The hardware comes out of the vest and sits in the corner for another year.
I think it has something to do with admiration for the Steelhead it's self. I put Steelhead up there with Atlantic Salmon. I rather have the beautiful sport fish move to the fly somewhat............rather than drift the fly to it's nose or through the pod. It's almost un-fair, I still wonder if the females don't take a egg so readily out of "survival of the fit...........less compitition of her own future par". Fly's- I am a avid tyer. Lets face it eggs are bastardized patterns from a tyers standpoint. Fly's & the fish - Steelhead deserve a better fly in my opinion. "Yarn fly's" are tied to the hook on stream and fished by centerpiners..........kind of takes the art out of tying. Casting- I have some pretty nice rods. I like to cast them, rather than flop them out there with hardware. Then there is the method its self.............obviously better suited to spin gear and really made for spin/float gear...............kind of "make shift" on a flyrod.
I don't blame the guides, the new to flyfishing, the anglers who only fish Steel now & then, the travelers.....................it just kind of broke for me a few years back....I went back to the "old way" before the indy nymphing wave.
My mother............bless her is still alive in her mid 70's. Mom was always a church goer............has a spiritual side to her. I always struggled going to church, always rather hunt,fish & trap as a kid on Sundays and did.................I rarely go these days either. I always told her........I get my spiritual fulfillment and cleansing from being outdoors.........and some days that's true. A few years back, mom said, "you think of what God has made while your out there son..............that's good". "O.K. mom I replied". I have tried to remember that...................not perfect, have tried, getting better now. I notice its much easier for me when I am swinging a nice tailout to remember mom's advice and look around a bit with appreciation........admire the fish that took, etc. ........than if I am drift fishing. When mom calls these days and I say "went fish'in today"............(something she has watched since I was about 8 heading to a farm pond, trapping & hunting by 12 etc..........another words a long time) she asks on a regular basis........."did you remember.........son" and I reply more than ever............."yea, mom I remembered.........thank you".............good, she replies...........that's good.
All of the above contribute to it "coming to that point".