Fly-fishing for Pike – by Michael Jensen

I was given Fly-fishing for Pike – by Michael Jensen a few years back and although I was happy to receive it I’ve always felt that its a book of two halves, with the 1st half of this book totally un-necessary. I’m not sure whether he was targeting the none pike fly-fishing fraternity or for those already well established in it?

If it was marketed with beginners in mind, then maybe he could have spent more time elaborating on the differences in the tackle used, shooting heads, lines, rods, reels wire or heavy mono traces a little more (Which to be truthful has been written about by so many other pike fly-fishermen), yet if it was written for those already targeting pike on the fly, why spend half the book explaining to us what we already know. Instead he would have been far better off devoting the whole book about pike flies, especially with regards to their history, the different materials used in them, techniques to fish them as well as improve slightly on the sometimes shortened tutorials.

Don’t Get me wrong this is a wonderfully visual book, crammed packed with stunning photography with over 21 tying tutorials to choose from….I just feel there has been a fantastic opportunity lost here along the way. If you have this book already, then maybe you will know what I am talking about.

I’ve heard through the grapevine though, that a book on Pike flies is in the offing & being penned by a well known Pike fly-fisherman as you read this. If it will be anything like his first book then were in for a treat. I just hope he takes all that’s good about the second half of this book and improves on it with some history about pike flies, Why they are made the way they are? & why we use the different materials in them? etc etc.