One of the aspects of fly fishing that makes it such a challenging sport is that there is simply no substitute for “time on the water”, or more simply put, the hours and hours spent necessary for learning the craft, the quarry and the finer points that make up this magical pursuit of ours.
In a world of instant gratification and where the younger generation grows up expecting a quick fix, fly fishing calls for pause and a more sobering expectation of learning and acquiring the skills that set apart great anglers from mediocre ones. With all the information available today, easily accessible through the Web and other online portals, experts are seemingly born overnight, and chatrooms are filled with advice and lessons from those who deem themselves skilled in the craft. Sadly, in many instances it’s a case of the blind leading the blind, for real expertise comes only from experience, dedication and hard work. Throw in some natural talent, and you have the makings of a fly fisher that anybody could learn from. And should.
Tom Boyd is one such a guy. His credentials need no justification, for he is an accomplished fly fisher with vast experience who has fished the world over in places and at venues most of us can only dream about. A fly fisher for over 55 years and a professional for more than 30, he is also a well-known and respected fly fishing writer, having written for many magazines as well as being the author of Salt Water’s Greatest Gamefish (2015). Together with his son Jeff, his latest published work is a magnum opus: 300 pages presented in a hardcover, full-colour, coffee-table-style book. Team Boyd, as they refer to themselves, spent countless hours on the water researching first-hand the material necessary to put together a book of this magnitude, and, in the end, produced a work that every serious fly angler should have on their shelves, especially those who want to fast-track their skills in the pursuit of salmonids on fly.
This story is from the April/May 2019 edition of The Complete Fly Fisherman.
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This story is from the April/May 2019 edition of The Complete Fly Fisherman.
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