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Fly-Fish Better: Practical Advice on Tackle, Methods and Flies
Art Scheck
242pp.
Stackpole Books, 2005

There are many excellent fly-fishing books on either introductory or advanced specialized topics. In the preface to this book, the author immediately informs the reader that this is one of the unusual books that target the “intermediate” fly-fishers. I do not agree; the advice and information provided is equally beneficial to all fly-fishers, from the novice to the expert. The newcomer to the sport would certainly benefit from a number of topics discussed: knot tying, leader construction, equipment needs, reading the water, casting (including sinking lines), mending, stressing accuracy over distance, catch and release, simplicity in fly selection, dealing with fly buoyancy, and the importance of sharp hooks. The experts reading Scheck’s book will find themselves rethinking their knot selection, leader construction, and fish-fighting skills.

The author directs his book at fly fishing for trout and warm water species (e.g., bass and panfish); however, he’s based much of his insight for equipment and technique on his saltwater experience, bringing interesting perspectives that are typically out of the realm of freshwater anglers. The three chapters on rigging fly lines, leaders, tippets, and flies are mandatory reading for every fly-fisher, and are probably the most important data in the book. He bases his recommendations on experience, discussions with experts, and “over a thousand knot-versus-knot tests.” Did you know that the clinch knot is better than the improved clinch knot, but neither is really very good? The best knots for tying tippets to flies are the Orvis knot and the nonslip mono loop.

Scheck provides details of leader construction and the use of tippets, including valuable information on economizing the number and sizes of leaders one carries in the field. He does not recommend the use of fluorocarbon leaders because, he says, they take a very long time to decompose in nature and knot connections are significantly weaker. Despite the exaggerated high performance claims for fluorocarbon, its distinct advantage over nylon monofilament (and it is significant) is its high abrasion resistance. Therefore, it is useful in rocky, fast water and especially in saltwater with obstructions, barnacles, and oyster beds.

 

Importantly, he uses a Bimini twist knot for his tippet loop. If using a weaker tippet knot, especially with fluorocarbon, then a clinch knot at the fly is in order.  This is because the knot at the fly should be the weakest link in the leader rig to prevent long, broken-off  tippets from remaining behind and dangling out of fish’s mouths or littering habitat.

Another innovation, Scheck clearly justifies his recommendation for using all loop-to-loop connection for backing, fly-line, leader and tippet. He found that in line-to-line connections, blood knots and surgeon’s knots were poor with mono less than 0.011 inch (0X), and the best knot was the ligature knot. All of this is most intriguing and appears technically very sound.

Scheck provides very clear illustrations (some of the best I have seen) to tie the following knots: ligature knot, Orvis tippet (Christopher) knot, Bimini twist, Orvis knot, nonslip mono loop, and 16-20 knot.  To my knowledge, the instructions and illustrations for tying the critical Bimini twist are the best in existence. This knot is not particularly difficult to tie, but extremely complex to explain in writing.

Contrary to many fly fishing approaches, Scheck is not a “match the hatch” advocator. Instead, he stresses the use of dry flies that ride low in the surface film, because they more closely resemble actual insects and emergers.

Scheck apparently finds streamers successful for both trout and bass, classifying them effectively into three broad categories: dark uglies (like black or brown wooly buggers), baitfish imitations (muddler and clouser minnows), and gaudy flies (Mickey Finn, yellow marabou muddlers). His favorite streamer that he ties himself is the black or brown Jonah Fly (“junk on a hook”). His bias for streamers is undoubtedly influenced by his saltwater experience and the fact that minnows are an important component of fish diets. He also has a good chapter on practical nymphing techniques, including good advice on presentation and casting. His advice on productive nymph selection is simple: midges of various sizes and colors, small pheasant tails and olive nymphs, hare’s ear, copper johns or brassies for deeper faster water, and large black nymphs (stoneflies) for rocky tumbling streams.

Fly Fish Better is one of those books that provide new and imaginative insights, backed up with substantial experience and actual analytical experiments. For example, here are a few eye-opening factoids:

-What minimum tippet would you require to land a 160 lb Tarpon in 30 minutes?  This is assuming correct knots, new non-defective tippets, and careful work to preventing line-jerks.  Answer: 2X (10 lb).

-Using an 8-weight fly-rod in the typical vertical fighting position and using maximum force, what is the minimum tippet that you can accommodate without breaking?

Answer: 7X (2 lb).  This would be about the same for a 5-weight rod.

-Which fly-rod theoretically has greater fish-fighting power?

8-weight, fast action

6-weight, slow action

The 6-wt being lighter and more flexible along its shaft (slower) bends to a greater extent nearer the handle, and therefore possesses greater leverage in fighting fish.

I highly recommend Fly-Fish Better to anglers of all levels of fly-fishing experience. It will not only make you a better and more knowledgeable fly-fisher, but makes for informative reading.

Two books I recommend to compliment Scheck’s knot and rigging chapter are: Practical Fishing Knots , Mark Sosin and Lefty Kreh, 1991, Lyons Press, 139pp.; and The Orvis Streamside Guide To Leaders, Knots, and Tippets , Tom Rosenbauer, 2000, Lyons Press, 139pp. Another good book is No Hatch to Match: Aggressive Strategies for Fly-Fishing Between Hatches Rich Osthoff, 2001, Stackpole Books, 138pp. Art Scheck is also the author of Fly Rod Building Made Easy, 2002,Countryman Press, 190pp.

(Tony is a Ph.D. research and consultant ecologist and a member of Prescott Flycasters.)

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