Troutnut Forum > Fly Fishing Discussion > college level science books for fly fishing course
| PCfishes | August 8th, 2008, 11:31 am | |
| John Carrier Posts: 3 | Greetings; I am looking for recommendations for books to include in bibliography and assigned readings for a college level science course on fly fishing. Topics of interest are: Entomology (of course) Ichthyology (of course) composites (especially graphite/fiberglass/boron) chemistry (especially adhesives, polymers - especially monofilament) ground water and surface water chemistry limnology stream habitat management Articles related to current environmental and fisheries management issues Also interested in fly fishing literature such as by Isaac Walton, and Norman Maclean. Videos on DVD also of interest. Please email me your suggestions: lccwin@hbci.com | |
| http://pcfishes.com/ - - I'm for hire! Fly fishing guiding, fly fishing lessons, fly tying. Email me, if you would like to set a date to go fishing sometime. pastor_carrier@mac.com | ||
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| Martinlf | August 8th, 2008, 12:27 pm | |
| Palmyra PA Posts: 978 | I had considered teaching a first-year course on the art and science of flyfishing at one time, but other things took precedence. For field entomology at a basic level the Caucci instant mayfly identification booklet might be helpful, though it would require some updating on reclassification of some bugs. If you are interested, you should contact Al directly, as I understand from contacts at the Delaware River Club he's the only person who might know how to get enough of these together for a class at this time. Knopp and Cormier's Mayflies is more detailed, though it too is not accurate in every small detail. I like Nick Lyons' Full Creel for an anthology of his works, which as a teacher of Literature, I think are very good. If this is a general education course, it may be helpful to limit topics some. As you know, there are so many aspects to the sport, and students may feel overwhelmed. But you know your students best. | |
| Louis Is it not an art to deceive a trout with an artificial fly? A trout! that is more sharp-sighted than any hawk . . . and more watchful and timorous than your high-mettled merlin is bold! --Izaak Walton The Compleat Angler | ||
| Taxon | August 8th, 2008, 12:30 pm | |
| Mercer Island, WA Posts: 525 | Pastor John Carrier- In my opinion, with regard to scientific approach to the entomology aspect of flyfishing, the book Aquatic Entomology by W. Patrick McCafferty has been (and continues to be) without equal. | |
| Roger Rohrbeck www.FlyfishingEntomology.com | ||
| Troutnut | August 8th, 2008, 4:41 pm | |
| Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1146 | I second Taxon's recommendation. I don't own that book but I've borrowed it from the library and it's a good one for a broad introduction to aquatic entomology with the right amount of detail to be a component of a college course. I would suggest dropping the composites/chemistry parts of the course, since understanding those isn't very important to fly anglers, and it's more a matter of personal curiosity for advanced anglers who want to pry into all the nitty gritty details. I can't see that being a really gripping part of an introductory class. Ground water and surface water chemistry could be that way, too. So could limnology, depending on how you interpret the term... some people take it to be heavily focused on lakes. I would suggest that you teach some stream hydrology (especially erosion/deposition, woody debris capture, and ground water) and ecology (on the food web level, perhaps including some chemistry relating to productivity). A related topic would be hydrology as it relates to trout habitat selection... their tendency to feed across velocity differentials, and the kind of places in the stream that those are found, and where drift is concentrated. (Basically, a scientific take on "reading the water.") The physics of fly casting might make for a nice part of the class, too. I like your idea of including some fly fishing literature. Some of Schwiebert's short stories would be a great introduction to the class, to put people in the right mindset for a scientific/analytical approach to the sport. Also, I can think of a website that might be useful to your students... ;) | |
| Jason Neuswanger The Troutnut | ||
| Flybyknight | August 8th, 2008, 8:01 pm | |
| Milton, DE Posts: 78 | Introduction History The Quarry:Evolution & Distribution; Trout Anatomy; Trout Senses; The The Trout's Environment; Conservation; northern European trout, North American trout; Grayling & char; The trout's diet Equipment: Introduction, rods & reels. Lines, knots & leaders.( Forget polymer chemistry) The Fly: Introduction, Steelhead, reservoir, small still water, chalk/ limestone,(Forget other countries) Casting Technique: Introduction, basic over hand cast, false cast, single & double haul, roll cast. Waters & Tactics: Introduction, Free stone, chalk stream, small still resevoir. How To: Nymphing, dry fly, streamers, wet fly, emergers. FLY FISHING LITERATURE This should be the focal point of all your presentations!! Forget fly tying. If you do a thorough job in the above, you will never have enough time to do tying justice. Tell them to buy flies that will catch fish first. I would be very interested in seeing your "final exam" Dick | |
| Lightly on the dimpling eddy fling; the hypocritic fly's unruffled wing. Thomas Scott | ||
| PCfishes | August 8th, 2008, 10:06 pm | |
| John Carrier Posts: 3 | You are all helping me out a great deal! Keep it coming! As for the subject choices, what we are trying to do is not only introduce them to a great pass time, but teach non-science majors as much science as we can cram into their 4 hour science credit requirement, using the "hook" (not barbless, I plan on catching and keeping them forever!) of fly fishing. The composites component is a unique opportunity for us at Winona State University, as this is the only college in America that offers a BSc. in composite engineering. Our goal in all this is appreciation of science in an enjoyable applied setting. Final: camping trip with the goal of catching trout on their own self-tied fly and on their own rod (made in class the first week). As above, though, keep it coming, please! | |
| http://pcfishes.com/ - - I'm for hire! Fly fishing guiding, fly fishing lessons, fly tying. Email me, if you would like to set a date to go fishing sometime. pastor_carrier@mac.com | ||
| Softhackle | August 9th, 2008, 9:49 am | |
| Wellsville, NY Posts: 164 | Hi, There is a great wealth of information, here, and the previous posts give a list of great suggestions and very highly technical list of books that go to the heart of the scientific aspects of this art/science/sport. In my opinion, fly fishing is a dynamic subject. Fly fishermen and tiers continue to evolve and learn, but they do so because it pertains to something they love and most of us love it because it's fun and we immerse ourselves in it. That aspect also needs cultivation. So I'm going to suggest books which will add to knowledge, pertain to the fly fishing and are also great to read and will spur the imagination. Caddisflies By Gary LaFontaine Selective Trout by Doug Swisher and Carl Richards The Complete Brown Trout by Cecil Heacox Trout Hunting by Bob Wyatt The Trout and The Fly by John Goddard and Brian Clarke Something to cover fly fishing historically, but the only book which comes to mind, at present, is John Mcdonald's "Quill Gordon". Perhaps someone can suggest something more recent Mark | |
| "I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders | ||
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