How To Flyfish – from newcomer to improver
Author: John Symonds
I don’t often get fly fishing books written by British anglers to review and when the publishers offered me a chance to review this book I was intrigued by the idea. The author is well-known in British fly fishing circles and is a certified casting instructor and guide. He is a photographer and graphic designer and those skills are obvious in this book.
This is a great book for the person that knows practically nothing about fly fishing. The author illustrates basic skills; attaching backing to the reel, nail knots, threading the fly line through the guides and similar basic things that all experienced anglers do without much thought. From this starting point the author takes the reader through various types of fly fishing situations from stillwaters to moving water. There is a section dedicated to using a Tenkara rod.
The author includes a section on reservoir boat fishing which is a common practice in Britain. He gives some interesting information about tactics and how to control the drift of your boat using a paradrogue. There is also a section on salmon fishing and an interesting section on New Zealand style nymph fishing.
Some of the terminology may seem strange especially with the names of some of the knots. The Uni-knot is called the Grinner, the clinch knot is called a blood knot, but they are all well illustrated regardless of the name.
If you know someone that is thinking about taking up fly fishing and would like to read a real basic book on the subject I would highly recommend this book.
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books (September 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1906122636
ISBN-13: 978-1906122638
Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.5 x 9.8 inches
Available from Amazon and other book sellers
Price: 9.99₤₤ - [Approximately $16.00 dollars US]
Originally published June, 2015 on Fly Anglers Online by Reviewed By Neil M Travis.