I’m looking for a book aimed at the beginner which covers all the basics, equipment, techniques etc… and as there seems to be literally hundreds out there, is there one which you would strongly recommend as a good place to start?

Depending on whether you are more interested in stillwaters or rivers, either one of Peter Lapsley's books would get you off to a sound start. The stillwater one is dating just a little now but still good.

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

The Sothebys Guide to Fly Fishing for Trout by Charles Jardine.

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Duncan

I would second Peter Lapsley.''Trout from Stillwaters''

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Have a look at www.betterflyfishing.com. There's lots of info available for beginners

Welcome to the forum FF50.

jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Interesting how the application to gain access to the "insider secrets" to make you a "top fly fisherman" on the Better Fly Fishing page requests you check your spam folder you 10 mins after you apply

Stick to one of the tried and trusted books already mentioned.

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My spelling is wobbley.
Its good spelling but it wobbles
and letters get in the wrong places.

www.monnow.org

This is the book to get for a beginner. John Neville made a superb job of the fly fishing chapters. It's old now but still the best introductory book for the beginning fly fisher.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Bit modern for you isn't it richard? Mind you, I agree, its a steal for £1.50

When I was starting I found The Complete Fly Fisher (edited by Peter Lapsley) very helpful, also, even older, Still Water Fly-Fishing - a classic by T C Ivens

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1) The Essence of Flycasting by Mel Krieger
2)Stillwater Flies how and when to fish them by John Goddard
3)Mastering the Nymph by Gordon Fraser
4)Through the Fish's Eye by Mark Sosin & John Clark
5)Trout from a Boat by Dennis Moss
6)Trout Fly Fishing by Martin Cairncross & John Dawson
7)Small-River Fly Fishing for Trout & Grayling by James Evans
8)Flyfishing for Grayling by John Roberts
9) Czech Nymph and other related Fly Fishing Methods by Karel Krivanec

Boat fishing wise, go out with the best guide you can find. Make sure your sinking lines all have markers whipped on them,for the last part of the retrieve.Ask the guide to cover every retrieve style and line choice.
Once you're comfortable ask him if you can use the engine, and learn to fish from that end also.
One of the most important aspects of fishing the drift, is the correct usage of the drogue, and having the correct drogue in the first place.

Find the best shooting-head bank expert you can, and ask him/her to set up your shooting heads for your bank rod.Spend some time with this person..you'll learn loads.

Same goes for your river fishing.Find the best anglers you can, and pick their brains.


There is no single book.


www.thedeadskunk.com