Nymphs & Nymph Fishing

Skues’ development of unweighted nymphs from soft-hackled wet-flies may lead us to believe that nymphs have superseded wet-flies but that is not so.  They are complementary and each type of fly has its role to play, so there are times when I reach for a weighted nymph rather than a Hare’s Lug and Plover or Waterhen Bloa.  Here are some recommendations on nymphs and nymph fishing:

Kite, O., Nymph Fishing in Practice, Herbert Jenkins, 1963.  This is a very entertaining and instructive book and has recently been re-published.  As a TV presenter Oliver Kite was a bit of a showman, for example, displaying his skill by catching trout blindfolded or on a bare hook nymph, but he was certainly entertaining.  Why did Kite and Sawyer seemingly fall out?

Roberts, J., Trout on a Nymph, Crowood Press, 1991.  As good as John’s book on the dry-fly and as worthy of reprinting.

Schwiebert, E., Nymphs: a complete guide to naturals and their imitations, Winchester Press, 1973.  It may be that Ernie Schwiebert is more famous for Matching the Hatch yet Nymphs is a monumentally important book and one of my treasured possessions.  It is a wonderfully complete book and superbly illustrated by the author.  Although the naturals treated in depth within the book are native to the USA they have their counterparts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.  Buy a copy of this nymph fisher’s bible if you can get hold of one!

Sawyer, F., Nymphs and the Trout, A & C Black, 1958 (several reprints), Keeper of the Stream, A & C Black, 1952 (re-published by George Allen & Unwin in 1985 with illustrations by Charles Jardine).  The books have now been combined as the Frank Sawyer Omnibus (FFCL).  Frank Sawyer is rightly a legend and his Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Killer Bugs and Bow Tie Buzzers still grace many a fly box.  There is another good book for Sawyer enthusiasts – Frank Sawyer: Man of the Riverside, by Sidney Vines (George Allen & Unwin, 1984).  It contains a wealth of information on Sawyer and previously unpublished writings.  A thought: when Charles Ritz invited Sawyer to become a member of his exclusive fishing club, did Frank meet Ernest Hemingway?

Skues, G.E.M., Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream, A & C Black, 1910; The Way of a Trout with a Fly, A & C Black, 1921; Sidelines, Sidelights and Reflections, 1932 (re-published as The Chalk Stream Anglerby Barry Shurlock in 1976); Nymph Fishing for Chalk Stream Trout, A & C Black, 1939; Silk, Fur and Feather, 1950; Itchen Memories, 1951.  The above books were reprinted several times by the original publisher and most are now currently available via FFCL.  Andre Deutsch published a paperback edition of Itchen Memories in the 1980s.  Who has not heard of Skues and his challenge to the dry-fly only brigade on the chalk streams?  On the other hand, how many have actually read Skues?  For those who haven’t read his books yet I would recommend starting with The Way of a Trout with a Fly and Sidelines, Sidelights and Reflections.  The latter book is particularly interesting; it contains many magazine articles and occasional pieces and is extremely wide-ranging.  There is also much about soft-hackled wet-flies in the book.  Another good starting point for Skues is T. Donald Overfield’s G.E.M. Skues: the way of a man with a trout, Benn, 1977.  This book provides biographical material, interesting illustrations and a selection of writings by Skues.  It is now available again as The Way of a Man with a Nymph (FFCL).