Frederic Skues and the nymph

 

Something of a loner, George Skues was an exceptional man who made a discovery that had evaded fly fishermen for two thousand years - he realised that it was possible to be a much more effective fisherman by imitating the nymphs that trout feed on underwater. His briliiant insight made him a hero to some, but sparked a controversy that would dog him to the end of his days.

In this video, Andrew Herd takes one of Skues' nymphs for a field trial and finds that it is still works many decades after it was first tied.

G.E.M. Skues is also featured in Andrew's book The History of Fly Fishing, which is the most comprehensive history of fly fishing available today.You can order the book by visiting this link.

You can learn more about Skues in Angling Giants, another classic from the amusing and informative pen of this well-known author. You can read more about Angling Giants by clicking here and you can order a copy by following this link.