July: the way of the dragonfly

Dragonflies and damselflies exert a particular fascination due to their grace, their finesse and their unrivalled talent for acrobatic flight demonstrations. For a few years now, making headway on my fly fishing journey, I have been attempting to decipher some pieces of the mysterious puzzle of life to be found in wetland habitats.

a four-spotted chaser dragonfly resting on its perch

Simply because any knowledge gained is a precious tool to understand the biotopes populated by coarse fish and salmonids. This venture is unpretentious, no need to turn into an entomologist. The simple rewarding joy of observing and marvelling is sufficient in my eyes. Take it as far as you like! Most of you will only scratch the surface but it does not matter as long as you reach this goal: having fun by the water’s edge, learning and being stricken by the beauty of nature at each occasion. And why not start on the wing with dragonflies and damsels?

The most recent articles


The most recent articles


Poland: cold spell on the river San

13 July 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
Well seasoned fly fisherman or newcomer, we have all experienced far from perfect conditions when reaching the riverside. Tale of a spring trip to Poland under tricky circumstances ... > continue


Dry fly challenges: the Green Machine bomber

11 July 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
Spinning deer hair scares off many new comers in fly tying. Here is a first attempt at tying the very popular Green Machine dry fly: a colourful bomber to tempt salmon on the surface! > continue


Wake flies for arctic char

6 July 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
Salvelinus alpinus is said to respond well to wake or surface lures. Preparing for some arctic char adventures, the author gets busy at the vice. From pattern imitation to raw creation, the things you do with imagination ... > continue


On the wing with dragonflies and damsels

29 June 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
Fantastic, stunning, dazzling, staggering, words fall well short of describing the satisfaction that the author feels every spring when spying upon dragonflies and damselflies. At first sight, capturing in mid air brief moments of the life of odonata species looks rather difficult but in practise, even a newcomer can quickly enjoy it immensely. Don’t be shy, follow the guide! He too is on the learning path! > continue


May: wings gallore

8 May 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
As I write this month’s editorial, the sun is shining and temperatures are soaring. Spring is at last making a decisive appearance! Nature blesses the eye with sightings of abundance: a clutch of ten ducklings on my local lake, bushes full of hawthorn flies, the first daddy long legs and (...) > continue


The life of insects

28 April 2008 by Jérôme Philipon, Jim Williams
In a gallery of beautiful riverside photos, Jim Williams captures some exquisite moments of the life of insects on a leaf or on the wing. The witty gaze of a fly fisherman onto amazing may flies, damsels and daddy long legs. > continue


New Zealand: looking back on a successful 2007-08 season

19 April 2008 by Alban Boiton
Alban Boiton heads Fly Fishing Trips & Tourism Ltd, a French speaking guiding operation based in New Zealand. According to Alban, the 2007-08 season was an overwhelming success. He tells FlyFishingSpirit why. > continue


April: the sweet road to terminal tackle

1 April 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
Anglers love their tackle and can spend hours flipping through catalogue pages in search of that new rod & reel. But in truth, apart from a few exceptions, retailers offer much of the same brands and ranges. Alternative Tackle is one such company to claim that a product with a difference is (...) > continue


2008 Spring Fly Fishing Show Report

30 March 2008 by Jim Williams
Pre-empting the start of the 2008 season, the Spring Flyfishing Show took place in Newark on the 1st & 2nd March. Jim Williams of the Wiltshire Fly Fishing School was manning the Beulah Fly Rods stand. He sents us his report. > continue


Alternative Tackle Co: serving the world’s fly fishing eccentrics

29 March 2008 by Jérôme Philipon
FlyFishingSpirit interviews Mark Leggett, co-founder of Alternative Tackle and gets some insight into a dealer with a difference. > continue

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