1001 Fly Fishing Tips - book review

1001 Fly Fishing Tips. Expert Advice, Hints and Shortcuts From the World’s Leading Fly Fishers to give the book its full title, is edited by Jay Nichols, the former managing editor of Fly Fisherman magazine in the USA. Anyone who is familiar with that magazine will recognise many of its contributors have provided much of the content of this book.

The book is divided into four parts, Technique and Presentation; Equipment; Hatches; and Seasons and Travel, Destinations, and Species Other Than Trout. There is also an index which is always useful in a book. Contributors, in alphabetical order, include George Anderson, John Barr, Barry and Cathy Beck, Bob Clouser, Simon Gawesworth, Lefty Kreh, Mike Lawson, Bob Popovics and Scott Sanchez.

One thing that had not occurred to me before is that cold water doesn’t get rid of salt from reels etc. Anyone who goes saltwater fly fishing regularly is advised to clean reels in hot soapy water in a spray bottle and then rinse the reel with hot, clean water.

Tying knots is a regular problem for some. One tip here is to use lip balm to lubricate knots: apply it to your lips first (prevents sunburnt lips) “and then lube the knot with your lips.” It is said to be particularly effective when knotting heavier tippets and the like.

One slight drawback is that some of the American products such as Mr Clean’s Magic Eraser (recommended for cleaning dirty cork rod handles) may not be known to non-American readers.

I think that this is a very useful book that you can read like a book, or use it to check-up on a specific area of interest or problem that you want to overcome. The book covers fishing for a wide range of fish and anyone going to fish in the USA for the first time will find plenty of helpful, practical information.

1001 Fly Fishing Tips. Expert Advice, Hints and Shortcuts From the World’s Leading Fly Fishers, edited by Jay Nichols and illustrated throughout by Dave Hall. Published by Headwater Books in paperback. 216 pages.