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Individual taste in books varies as much as the favorite rod or fly. With that in mind, we hope to review books and videos from the ever-growing fly fishing world, and share them with you. Books will be the best of all worlds, new and old. Many of the old books are now available in reprint, and the wisdom contained is timely today. Others can be found in second-hand book stores, or by mail order dealers. As we find videos we feel are outstanding they will be included. Be assured, reviews are based on what we have actually read or viewed, and due to that fact, may not appear weekly.
FLY FISHING THE MONTANA SPRING CREEKS
Fly Fishing the Montana Spring Creeks
A Book Review by Tom Travis
As the year 2009 was drawing to a close a new book was coming off the press. It is entitled Fly Fishing the Montana Springs Creeks, and the author is John Mingo.
John is irrepressibly passionate about fly fishing the spring creeks and this book is full of keen observations, practical insights, useful lessons and illustrations that will be useful on many waters besides the spring creeks. John gives full credit to those historic anglers of yesteryear who developed and pioneered the methods that we use today.
This book is refreshing in that over the years John has established his own Code of Conduct for fishing the spring creeks. However, he does not claim that his “code” or his methods are the only way to fish. As a matter of fact, he often states that the angler should keep an open mind.
John is primarily a nymphing angler, who has developed a system using two weight rods, long leaders and long 8X tippets. Yes, 8X - but let me tell you, I have known John for years, and have watched him hook and land trout on the spring creeks with deadly efficiency.
In this book, John fully and completely explains his nymphing methods, from fishing the weighted nymph to sight fishing, fishing the slightly sunken nymph to using the floating nymph. Furthermore, he explains in detail his reasons and rationale for what he is doing.
Do not think that this is just a book for the nymphing angler, for there is much information contained in these pages that will benefit the dry fly angler. He is constantly referring to observation, the angle of the cast and the angle of the drift to properly present the imitations to the trout. This book also contains a wealth of knowledge on insects the spring creek trout feed on. The information is both accurate and practical.
If you tie flies, this book and accompanying CD is a complete record of the patterns and tying methods used by John Mingo and Lee Kinsey will be especially useful. The tying instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow.John and Lee share their favorite nymphs, emergers and dry flies that have worked so successfully for them and their friends on the Spring Creeks.
In conclusion, I think that this book is a must read for any angler who is going to fish spring creeks, and especially the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks in Montana, regardless of how the angler prefers to fish, i.e. Nymphs or Dries.
Fly Fishing the Montana Spring Creeks
Author: John Mingo, 2009
178 pages, $26.95
ISBN 0-7414-5709-1
Infinity Publishing.Com
1094 New DeHaven Street
Suite 100
West Conshohocken, PA
19428-2713
Info@buybooksontheweb.com
www.buybooksontheweb.com
Toll-Free 877-BUY BOOK
Signed Copies are available at Amazon.Com/John Mingo
This book also contains a Fly Tying CD Entitled: Fly Tying for the Rainbows of Paradise By: Lee Kinsey & John Mingo