Mastery Film Series- Fly Fishing the English Way
Released in 1983 Fly Fishing the English Way was one of the earlier videos of the Scientific Anglers Mastery Series. For the American fly angler, it provides an interesting look at the English view of fly fishing. There are plenty of tweed jackets and funny-looking hats to fit the stereotype of a British angler. We have to wonder how accurate this still is today?
Appearances aside, a number of the basic principles covered are still valid today:
- Know the fish
- Know the water
- Know the food
- Know how to cast
These are all certainly the foundation of successful fly fishing, no matter where you fish.
We also see an explanation of the Hydrologic Cycle and pH scale that is rarely shown in any fly-fishing demos. The different types of rivers are also presented and being rain-fed or stream-fed. This transitions into a very basic description of how to find trout in rivers.
Entomology focuses on the mayfly life cycle, but overlooks any mention of caddis and stoneflies. Fly selection is based on trout aggression or appetite, with flies being imitations or attractors. Size, color, and movement are all key components in fly selection. This is all accurate but, again very basic.
There is an interesting presentation showing and describing the basic casting stroke, but then the description of the roll cast is quite vague. There is a demonstration of the wet fly swing in tight cover that is worth watching as we rarely see this technique presented anymore. The angler uses a double Spey cast with a single-hand rod in order to make a forward cast with no room for a regular back cast. It is just referred to as a “modified roll cast”, but shows the value of this style of casting in certain situations.
The description of “bulging” fish taking nymphs just below the surface and presenting the fly with an induced rise or induced take is well done. Fishing the dry fly is also good, but as mentioned earlier, only refers to mayflies, with no other insects mentioned.
There are few things that are not in step with today’s trout fishing. Showing how to quickly kill a trout to keep would not be shown today, especially a wild, native fish. Also seeing the day’s catch laid out on the grass after a session at a pay-to-fish location would not be included. We can give these things a pass as it was another time in a different place.
All things considered; this video is still worth viewing today. There are a number of useful techniques and concepts presented today’s angler should be aware of. We also see that while much in fly fishing has evolved over a span of 40 years, certain things will remain constant and can be applied no mater where we fish.
Scientific Anglers has partnered with the American Museum of Fly Fishing in the effort to digitize these classic film masters for future generations.
