The North Country Fly

Yorkshire's Soft Hackle Tradition

Robert L Smith

Robert L. Smith reveals the fascinating history of the traditional spider patterns of the North of England.

Soft-hackled flies are successful all over the flyfishing world, from the spider patterns of Yorkshire to the "flymphs" of Leisenring and Hidy.

Robert L. Smith's research has brought to light many rare and previously unknown documents, providing evidence for a tradition of imitatively dressing going back over 300 years. Beautifully illustrated with examples of actual flies and materials and with images from the original manuscripts, this book tells the definitive story of the North Country Fly.

Coch-y-Bonddu Books, Machynlleth UK 2015
Hardbound. 302 pages
10 x 7 3/4 in.

As new condition - no sign of wear.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Beginnings of the North Country School

Chapter 2 Entomology and Representation

Chapter 3 A Season of North Country Flies

Chapter 4 Dressing North Country Flies

Chapter 5 North Country Fishing Techniques

Afterword

Index

TenkaraBum Home > Used Fishing Books > The North Country Fly

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.

Warning:

The hooks are sharp.
The coffee's hot.
The fish are slippery when wet.

Beware of the Dogma

Seriously, all the hooks sold on TenkaraBum.com, whether packaged as loose hooks or incorporated into flies, are dangerously sharp. Some have barbs, which make removal from skin, eyes or clothing difficult. Wear eye protection. Wear a broad-brimmed hat. If you fish with or around children, bend down all hook barbs and make sure the children wear eye protection and broad-brimmed hats. Be aware of your back cast so no one gets hooked.

Also, all the rods sold on TenkaraBum.com will conduct electricity. Do not, under any circumstances, fish during a thunder storm. Consider any fishing rod to be a lightning rod! Fishing rods can and do get hit by lightning!