"is the deadstick chunker who catches the
occasional big fish a better fisherman than the flyguy who catches 30" fish. "
I would have to say that the dead stick chunker is not only a better fisherman but a hell of a lot smarter and the snobby fly fisherman who only catches shorts. Reasoning:
1) By dead stick chunking, you can multi-task by killing many beers and not shorts.
2) The kill rate of a fly-guy who catches and releases multiple shorts is significantly higher than the dead stick chunker who will catch 1 or 2 cows.
3) If it is better to catch 30" stripers, than why isn't a "trophy fish" a short.
I know that arrogant fly-fisherman think they own the sport (and the fish in the sea) but dead stick chunkers have rights too!