Fly-Fishing Stillwaters for Trophy Trout

By Denny Rickards

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0965645800
• ISBN13: 9780965645805
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Stillwater Productions
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.9" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

Helpful information, ground-breaking techniques!

Denny Rickards is to trophy trout fishing what Bill Murphy and Bill Siemantel are to trophy bass fishing. All these authors have the phenomenal ability to distill the myriad of techniques available to a few, highly productive, time-proven patterns. Rickards' approach is deceptively simple. First, he recognizes that the bulk of giant trout in lakes eat subaquatic foods. Big subaquatic foods. That means baitfish, leeches, damsel nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, and scuds. By focussing on these prey items, and heretically not focussing on dry fly action, you will immediately be targeting larger fish. Next, he points out that big fish move. They hunt. If you don't intercept them, you're fishing empty water. Finally, Rickards points out that stillwater techniques (especially choices of line, rod, and leader) are neglected by most anglers used to simply trolling a floating line with a wooly bugger attached. Indeed, this was eye-opening to me as I am guilty of having done just this for years...Of course, one of the most exciting parts of Denny's book is his discussion and illustration of his own fly patterns, devised after years of experimentation. At first glance, they appear similar to existing flies. But each one has been fine-tuned to capitalize on certain details of action, appearance, or presentation. I have tied up a variety of his patterns and hope to start flinging them at water just as soon as is possible. And that's one of the very best parts of this book. It gets you motivated and excited to blast out to your favorite stillwater and start fine-tuning your presentation to really target the trophy fish that most flyfishers are simply not catching. Highly recommended!!!

Innovative

This book offers some great tips on techniques and patterns for catching stillwater trout. Although the book is targeted towards catching "trophy" trout, I've found the techniques described work equally well for trout that are of less than trophy status. Most of my stillwater fishing is on hike-in lakes in the mountains and after reading this book I now almost exclusively fish clear intermediate lines with one of a handful of patterns. In terms of presentation, Rickards calls for experimentation with speed of retrieve on full sinking lines. In terms of flies, Rickards advocates suggestive patterns rather than any sort of 'match-the-hatch' philosophy. He argues that stillwater trout are attracted to the life-like movement of the fly rather than a specific match. Since reading this book I primarily use either the AP Emerger or Seal Bugger with a clear intermediate line and a variety of slow retrieves. The results have been fantastic!

Fly fishing Stillwaters

Excellent book! I also have the video. After reading the book I started practicing Denny's methods with the Seal Bugger. I couldn't believe it, I have been actually catching bigger trout than I did before. I know what to look for now. It just took some changes which are explained by Denny. I highly recommend this book.

Outstanding! A must read for flyfishermen.

Denny Rickards fished over 300 lakes before writing his book. He clearly lays out the differences between flyfishing streams vs. lakes. He then presents a thoroughly researched systematic approach that even those new to the sport can use. He has honed his list of must have flies down to 6 that produce all over the world. There are many new insights here that will help you get into a lot more fish. If you have not done well on lakes in the past, this is the book for you! A wonderful read.

Most complete book on trophy Stillwater flyfishing

Denny capitalizes on showing the reader how to quickly catch trophy trout in stillwaters. He cuts to the point quickly and delivers the qickest, most successful methods in catching trophy trout with a flyrod. Denny also explores the essentials for finding trophy waters and locating trophy fish. A must read book for this century's crowded water flyfisherman