a few questions about.......

[DOUG DUVALL]

Gentlemen,

I will try to be a little more brief this evening. By the way, it's going toward 10pm as I am writing this. And I understand that you fine folks in England are 5 hours ahead of us in the states. This is stated to give myself a little perspective in this shrinking world connected by the famous internet!

I have a question. It's about G.E.M. Skues. I just got done reading a book about him by Kenneth Robson entitled "The Essential G.E.M. Skues". To me the book is fascinating! I realize that Mr. Robson took the best writings & manuscripts from each of Skues books & alot of his personal letters & articles from various magazines that he (Skues) contributed. My question, is Skues still respected & read & appreciated by all in England? I am aware of the ill feelings between the followers of F.M. Halford & Skues himself (Halford dying many years before Skues) and the friction of nymph & wet fly fishing versus dryfly only fly fishing on certain waters especially in the south of England. Does anyone care to comment? How is it today? Are many waters (private or public) still dry fly only? Do most of the fly fishers in your part of the county favor (favour?) one fly (or method) over the other? I guess that's more than one question.

Also, I have a keen liking toward soft-hackled wet flies which are credited as being used more often by your neighbors in the north county. I hope by making this simple statement that I haven't offended anyone. What is the reality of fishing the north country? Do some of you fish there often? At all? Is it ok to do so?

Again, excuse me for being more than just a little stupid on most of these matters which transend the realm of flyfishing into social & potentially political issues.

Here in the states, we have alot of water. But the ways of men & how they fish differ greatly. It is not unusual to find flyfishers & spincasters pounding the same stretch of water for trout (especially) & it's tough sometimes to find a section of water that is somewhat private & peaceful. That's why pond & small stream fishing for other species appeals to me. Please let me know how it is in your "neck of the woods"!

With a question always at the ready,

Doug Duvall

[Umber]

Doug, I suspect Skues writings is respected by many of the older fly fishers in this country but not by all. With the advent of reservoir and still water fishing in general and its popularity he is probably unread by many. He was of course writing about the hallowed, manicured expensive and exclusive waters of the southern chalk streams. Some of these I believe are dry fly and nymph only, certainly during the trout season. As for myself I fish the border streams of the Welsh borders where I use any legal method pertaining to the conditions which can vary greatly. These include the soft sparsely hackled wet flies known in this country as North country spiders,of which I am a fan, as well as dry, wet and nymph patterns. The northern parts of the country has some fine rivers and great fishing, but perhaps the folks who live there are better qualified to tell you about them. Perhaps Duncan, an informed poster on this BB will answer your query much better than I can.Finally you will not offend anyone on here by asking questions in the search of knowledge. We enjoy trans Atlantic views and bandinage. We even have an American Moderator.

[Newt]

Umber:

.... Finally you will not offend anyone on here by asking questions in the search of knowledge. We enjoy trans Atlantic views and bandinage. We even have an American Moderator.  

 

And all US posters start out pretty ignorant of UK customs and such. I sure did. And still run into the occasional thing where I have to ask what in the world they are talking about.

 

The only time I've seen problems here is when a poster would make pronouncements - especially of the "well, you idiots, we certainly know better in the US how to do that". BTW - there aren't any of those folks on here now and if another does make an appearance, that sort of nonsense won't last long.

[OP-JB]

Newt,

 

Why did the Mod`s lock up `Benson Out Again`? I was enjoying that and there is surely nothing wrong with a brisk exchange. You can hold my coat though.

 

OP -JB

[Elton]

OP-JB:

 

 

Why did the Mod`s lock up `Benson Out Again`?

 

OP -JB

It's my policy not to discuss matters like this. The thread was locked for our own reasons.

 

All the best,

 

Elton

 

[ 14 March 2002, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: Elton ]

[OP-JB]

Elton

 

I suppose Steve suggested it to you (after he got in his little advert) I`m used to less censorship on fishandfly. Still none the wiser but your the boss..

 

OP-JB

 

"I may not agree with what you say but I will fight `till the death for your freedom to say it"

[Elton]

Yawn. I see another thread is being ruined by off-topic posting. There's a non-fishing thread for discussions not relating to fishing - feel free to use it.

 

All the best,

 

Elton

[OP-JB]

Sorry Elton, your Moderator took us off the track and I lead us off into the woods. May I repair?

 

Doug,

 

Have you tried The Way of a Trout with a Fly? or Nymph Fishing for Chalkstream Trout? In Frank Sawyers classic Keeper of a Stream and Nymphs and the Trout, G.E.M. is constantly referred to but the book is superb anyway (I have the Fly Fishers Classic Library leather edition)

As to your question of Dry Fly Only fishing the best is through the Peacock Hotel at Rowsley in Derbyshire. Ten miles away Isaac and Cotton fished the Dove on Dries in 1670 and the tradition is still maintained on the Derbyshire Wye. Some of your wild rainbows as well to make you feel at home(1890 inports) The Baetis and Danica are still alive in numbers in Derbyshire so it makes D.F.O. possible.(unlike the South:ref;Millennium Chalk Stream Fly Trends Study)

 

I share your interest in the great men of fly fishing. Real thinkers, watchers and innovators. Sorry to throw your thread and enjoy the reading.

 

OP -JB

[DOUG DUVALL]

Gentlemen,

Well, thank you for the replies! Far be it from me to act in any other way than...awe! I am really not a purest to any one particular fly or school or method. I like them all! But, I do have a particular pension for the wets, nymphs, & streamers of the past because they work so well on my local waters. Again, not for trout although not by choice but by geography. I would love to have the beautiful trouts a little closer to home. I fish for what I have locally i.e. bluegill, bass, crappies, etc. On my list of things to do someday is the line item "visit England & all the fine friends there abouts". You also have a large & diverse county with alot of large & diverse waters & methods to fish them.

Again, I stand in awe of the folks who ushered in the modern way of fishing with flies. Teach me what you know & how it is in your part of that greatest of countries, England! I will be listening from now on & not talking so much.

More later as you request it!

From this side of the Atlantic,

Doug Duvall

 

P.S. Many thanks to all of you for the kind responses to my many questions!

In the future, I would like to know about the "terminal tackle" of how you fish. The knots, leaders, rods, etc.

[DerwentBob]

I'd like to know all that stuff as well, how about expanding the fishing rigs section to a Techniques section and someone who knows this stuff bunging a few beginners articles in there. I'm hoping to start fluff-flinging this year after many seasons of coarse/lure/sea fishing and I'm finding it quite difficult to get to grips with some of the finer points. You know how to do something from a coarse POV but things are often done differently by the fly brigade.