No..............I don't go that far. This is a post for the HEAVILY recommended book that I'm currently reading.
The picture says all: title, author, and the front cover, so I don't attach a link about the book or where to buy from. It's a widely published book so anyone can find it very easily (& with a very good price like I got👌).
So we all like fly-fishing = catching trout and tying flies. But have we thought about the history?
Where was it originated? - Macedonia? Roman Empire? China? Japan's Tenkara?
And how far back? - 3,000BC? 2,000BC? 200AD?
Who started? - Noble people? Peasants? Professional fishers?
How did it spread to Europe and Britain?
How did it expand in Britain and America?
What kind of fish were they catching? - Trout? Salmon?
Gears? - Rod?, Line?, Reel?
How did flies look like all those years? - Dry-flies? Wet-flies? Materials?
How did the gaudy Atlantic salmon flies evolve? - Apparently my top interest😏
This is a very well-written book that will explain and answer all of those topics by one of the most authoritative fly-fishing historians in the world👏 It's not overstating to say the BEST in this subject.
I can guarantee this book will help you be a better and knowledgeable angler. One may question and complain that this is not a practical fishing technique and how-to book, perhaps but it is. And I can tell you that I'm not reminiscing - the book wouldn't make you feel that way either.
Right now I'm reading chapters for the 19th century - Golden Age of Atlantic salmon flies is coming😁. There are so many things that I have learnt so far but going through all is beyond the scope & space of this blog post. So I'd like to mention only one, for now, that put me in an awe.
"In 17th century, they tied flies so they didn't have to look for and capture naturals (insects) as baits, or in case when they couldn't find or capture. And it's a part of fly-tying evolution" - this is my words, not a direct quote from the book. To me, this is quite a mind-boiling concept. Being told, quite making sense but have we thought about it?
February remain really cold - especially considering relatively easy-going December and January. I would wait for better conditions for fishing till later on - but not so long. So it's a great time to read and learn from books, teachers (such as this author), and our ancestors.
I may not be physically outdoors but seriously I'm fishing in my head😎❗❗
