Fishing
Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, where Whistlestop Bookshop is situated, is generously watered and drained by creeks renowned for their fishing. Conodoguinet Creek, which flows about 100 miles to the Susquehanna River and is nearest to Carlisle, is actually better known for the fishing in its two tributaries, Big Spring Creek out of the Newville area (only 5 miles) and Letort Spring Run, which arises south of Carlisle and flows north 9 miles to the Conodoguinet. The Yellow Breeches Creek, which flows along South Mountain for 56 miles to the Susquehanna, is internationally famous for its trout fishing.
Naturally, a trout-fishing and especially a fly-fishing culture has developed, sometimes thought to be mostly local, sometimes acknowledged to be of world interest — the world that loves the quiet and focus and solitary rewards of fly-fishing. Rarely, the local zen masters of fishing wrote books. Charlie Fox was once a customer of Whistlestop, and Joe Humphreys is still in print and in fact the subject of a documentary we carry. Fishing does inspire fine writing, after all — the names of Izaak Walton, Norman MacLean, Thomas McGuane, Patrick McManus, John Gierach suggest the range of approaches in writing about “standing in a river waving a stick,” to use Gierach’s famous descripton.
Dedicated to the memory of a great fisherman and an even better brother, Gordon Wood (1956-2020).
Dynamic Nymphing: Tactics, Techniques, and Flies from Around the World
Dynamic Nymphing: Tactics, Techniques, and Flies from Around the World
Advanced tight line nymphing tactics, including Czech, Polish, French, Spanish, and American techniques
Rigging and fishing dry and droppers, curly Qs, and conventional indicators
Fishing the extremes: shallow water, cold weather, high water, wind
Casting and technique sequences that include tuck cast, bow and arrow cast, as well as elevating and leading when tight line nymphing
62 nymph patterns
George Daniel is a former manager of TCO Fly Shop and the author of the bestselling Dynamic Nymphing (978-0-8117-0741-1). He is the owner and operator of Livin on the Fly, a fly-fishing educational/guide company based near his home in Lamar, Pennsylvania. George also conducts fly-fishing seminars and clinics across the country. He lives on the banks of his favorite trout stream with his wife and two children.