Customer Reviews

Nymph-Fishing Rivers & Stream: A Biologist's View of Taking Trout Below the Surface

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Good photos and nice explanations of "how to" fish with nymphs using different nymphing techniques. Tackle suggestions are a nice touch. While the book is somewhat basic, the DVD is a real hoot to watch--some corny humor (that I appreciate) and some great demos of how to fish the nymphs.

I have read Rick Hafele's article in periodical for years and looked forward to his book and was not disappointed. He covers nymphing techniques as clearly as anyone I've read and as he works you thru nymphing with various nymph types gives you a recommended technique(s) for each. The identification descriptions and photographs are spendid and he makes a compelling case for the importance of simulating the identifying components of your fly. Particularly he urges the angler to pay attention to size, small nymphs work. He also stresses where to fish your particular nymph: depth, pools or shallows and water type,riffles, slow water etc. To veteran nymphers some of this may be a restatement of information found elsewhere but it is put together usefully and certainly gives the book the character of a complete text on nymphing. Novices will benefit from having a copy on their shelf.
The one weakness in the work is the omission of a list of materials and instructions for tying of the patterns recommended. Obviously some nymph patterns are familiar to all of us but there are many here that the average reader will not recognize.
All in all a recommended book for the begining to average nympher, perhaps less usefull beyond the entomology to the veteran.

This is one of the best organized, most comprehensive books on flying fishing that I have ever read. It rates
with the many books by Dave Huhes for clarity and depth of explanation.
The author's sections on each of the insects will remain as my primary reference sources for years to come.
I would be excited for a second volume devoted to dry fly fishing.

Great book with informative techniques and insight. Accompanying DVD is both entertaining and educational. Good reading for the winter months to get the juices flowing.

The author of this book is a professional entomologist and long-time fly fisherman. I can imagine that if you were to ask him to personally teach you the ins and outs of nymphing, what you would get would be the information found in this book.

How, why, when and where are all covered in sufficient detail to really get one started and then some. It's true that the video might be seen as "hokie", but it is instructive and is in DVD format, so if you don't like a section you can skip around. It is informative, especially for a "newbie" to nymphing.

The main selling point of this book is its fantastic introduction to the insects, including detailed information on collecting and identifying nymphs and then selecting an appropriate pattern and fishing it correctly, based on criteria such as abundance, distribution, availability and basic nymph biology. The color pictures are fantastic and the information, as might be expected from a fly fishing biologist, is correct and up to date.

Also of use are the pictures of the types of water where the nymphs are likely to be found and the pictures illustrating fishing techniques for the different types of water. In addition, the last part of the book gives information on specific insects by order, family and genus, with suggested patterns to match them.

This could be a much thicker book, if it went into more detail on specific species etc., but as a volume that is "one stop shopping", it can't be beat. I strongly recommend this book for the library of anyone interested in nymphs and trout fishing. If you start with this book and then build on its contents, you aren't likely to go wrong.

Pros: Organized well. Lots of excellent photographs. The section on insects was well done.

Cons: Nothing new. The section on techniques provided basic, but very limited, information. The video was very amateurish.

The book is well written and extremely informative. The CD is informative, but hokie. I would definitely recommend this product for anyone that is interested in learning to fish with nymphs. It is also worthwhile for those who are interested in improving their nymph fishing techniques.

Great book for a beginner nymph fisherman. Enjoy the large color pictures and illustrations. Rick tends to get bogged down with the specifics of aquatic insect entomology. I guess that's to be expected by an author that has a Masters in aquatic entomology. I wish the book would of had more information,pictures, and illustrations on what different patterns are used to imitate the aquatic insect trout regularly feed upon.

The book is awesome. Beautiful pictures. Very well explained. DVD is very good, even funny. Pay attention to what they say more than what they look like. Glad to have this !

one of the best books i've read on the subject, pictures are wonderful and help explain quite a bit, dvd included as well...Very easy to read and informative on techniques as well...