Angling Books, Avoiding The Crowds By Booking A Trip And A Basic Emerger

"Fish sense, applied in the field, is what the old Zen masters would call enlightenment: simply the ability to see what's right in front of you without having to sift through a lot of thoughts and theories and, yes, expensive fishing tackle" - John Gierach

Fellow fly fisher Samuel from Amherst College gave me the information below concerning an exhibition of something that is dear to many of us and that is the world of angling literature. Remember, not all literature is best downloaded but held in your hands in front a fireplace on a cold winter night. I will find the time to view this exhibit especially the classic rods and reels.

Thanks Samuel!

"This summer Archives and Special Collections in the Robert Frost Library at Amherst College is presenting an exhibition of selections from the Lane Collection of angling books.  On view are some of the best-known books on fly fishing, both historical and contemporary, along with some classic rods and reels. 

For people interested in angling literature, the books in the collection are also available for use in library.

Archives and Special Collections is located on A level of Frost Library on the Amherst College campus and is open M-F from 9:00-4:00. 

The exhibition will be on view until mid-September."

I think I got too used to being alone on the lower Swift this Spring. Sure, the picking were slim but the solitude was almost like a security blanket. No lines of anglers looking for a position, no tangled lines and no rubbish to pick up. That ended with the stocking last Friday which means that I will fish the hidden places which are right in front of our noses. During the past week I guided two anglers on separate trips and showed them spots that are seldom fished and we caught trout. Most Fly fishers only fish the Y Pool and the Pipe area and ignore the rest. Book a trip with me and I'll show you the rest!

SNOWSHOE EMERGER

Author Bob Wyatt really turned my head around with his book What Trout Want: The Educated Trout And other Myths. His DHE Dry has nothing but the basic triggers that all natural material flies need and it absolutely works. It reminds me of The Swift's Dan Trela and the snowshoe emerger that he tied at a Western Ma Flyfishermens meeting a few years ago. I love this fly and use it on the Millers a lot.

Hook - size 14 through 18 standard dry

Tail (shuck) - gray z-lon

Body - I like olive

Wing - Snowshoe hare (don't overdo it)

Head - brown rabbit in gray or brown

Now, this fly is a good imitation of either a mayfly or a caddis in the same way that a soft hackle can represent both insects. In fact, I may tie this with a RED body, a WHITE wing and a BLUE head and call it the Forth of July Caddis!!! I bet it would still work. (that's what Wyatt has done to my head).