Fishing Sense

Philip Weigall

Philip Weigall is considered to be probably the best writer on flyfishing in Australia and has a large following. Flyfishing, and fishing in general, is one of Australia’s – and the world’s – most popular outdoor activities. It’s a sad fact of flyfishing that there is no prescriptive manual for ensuring success. It is an activity that defies simple evaluation, with enough variables to leave even the ‘experts’ scratching their heads from time to time. For example, why is it that a trout will respond to a certain fly one day, but ignore it entirely in identical conditions on another day? Acclaimed flyfishing author Philip Weigall attempts to answer this question and many more in this engaging book. In his words, it is a book of ‘flyfishing truths’, a collection of techniques, ideas, concepts, knowledge and equipment that, to the best of his objective observations over many decades spent with a rod in hand, honestly seem to matter when it comes to catching trout.

About the author

Philip Weigall lives with his partner and two young sons near Ballarat, Victoria. He is a flyfishing guide and instructor at Millbrook Lakes, and otherwise fishes and travels as often as he can. Philip has been writing regularly on all things flyfishing for twenty years and is presently a columnist and feature writer for Freshwater Fishing magazine, and editor of Flyfisher magazine. His previous book with Exisle Publishing was the acclaimed Fishing Season.

See what Phil has to say about his book..

Reviews

'As good as it gets. Throughout, Weigall's skill is to weave his knowledge into the casual, inconsequential yarns of a fisherman as he relates this trip to Lake Echo, or that time a 7-pounder "sauntered up through about three vertical metres of water to eat my Royal Wulff". It's an effortless read and will reward fly fishers of all stripes.' Sunday Star Times

'All trout fishermen could glean some valuable insights from this volume.' Nelson Mail

'Fishing Sense is the culmination of many, many dedicated years of fly-fishing, as well as a superb example of fine writing. Philip Weigall is indeed blessed with both fly-fishing and literary skills, and we are the ones who benefit..... Intelligent yet simply stylish - as befitting its overall appearance - Fishing Sense is bound to appeal on a number of levels, and will reward those who read it.'  NZ Fishing News

'Fishing Sense has the same pedigree as Philip Weigall’s previous book, Fishing Season, with the publishers cloning the production values of the older sibling to great effect. Hardback with embossed dust jacket illustrated with intricate paintings of flies, the book lacks affectation and yet its crisp simplicity gives it an aura of class. Weigall’s incisive writing mirrors these qualities, which combine to elevate the book to the status of contemporary classic.

'Exisle has again run with the theme of traditional old-fashioned book format, juxtaposed with Philip’s contemporary style and content to create a series that, I think, will become very collectible. An example of the stark contrast to other books in this genre is the absence of photographs, which are generally considered essential to the success of any trout book. Not only are they absent but also their absence is not missed and for good reason – Weigall’s skill with the pen.

'The guy is a superb writer; his style tight and technically correct, yet fluid and with a depth and clarity suggestive of the limpid mountain pools he often writes of. His work is to be savoured and I often found myself re-reading paragraphs or phrases for the pure pleasure of it. Weigall uses descriptive prose sparingly and when he does, is able to evoke incredible imagery with the same frugality. His work in short, is a delight to read.

'Philip Weigall has done an awful lot of trout fishing and in this volume lays out what he calls his flyfishing truths: a collection of techniques, ideas, concepts, knowledge and equipment that seem to matter when catching trout. It is not, however, a prescriptive manual but a delightful series of stories that illuminate the thoughts and reasoning behind Weigall’s philosophies and experiences. He writes with a deft hand and keeps the reader entertained and informed in equal measures, and at a pace commensurate with stalking trout along a willow-clad stream on a summer’s evening.

'Whilst Philip Weigall is Australian based, Fishing Sense is heavily peppered with New Zealand stories and references, with many rivers and lakes mentioned, including the Buller, Motueka, Inangahua, Maruia, Arnold and Karamea; Lake Taupo, Lake Rotoiti and Lake Brunner.

'For me, the only glitch, if you like, in otherwise a pretty flawless read, was the ending. In contrast to the rest of the text, it lacked imagination and didn’t deliver that final ‘high-note’ you would expect from a book and author of this calibre. That aside, Fishing Sense is a must read and will prove a much-loved and jealously guarded addition to any book connoisseur’s library.' Daryl Crimp, The Fishing Paper