Tying Euro Nymphs

Tim Cammisa is known in the United States as the man behind the website Trout and Feather, dedicated to fly fishing and fly tying. A dynamic communicator, he is also very active on YouTube and Instagram. Let me add to this short bio that he is a mathematics teacher, author of the book "Fly tying for everyone", he travels the United States as a guest professional in Fly Fishing Shows and organizations, he is an ambassador for Semperfli and he leads groups of fishermen in Ireland and Alaska every year.

I have already observed him in a Fly Fishing Show few years ago. I did not know him but noticed right away that this affable guy stops to chat with people and they appreciate his kindness and generosity. He shares his knowledge with a heartfelt and unrestrained pleasure. We didn't talk together, he was already well surrounded. I would have liked to chat.

One aspect of him that I particularly like, besides his positive energy, is that he is a husband and a father who shares his passion with his wife and children and he does not hesitate to talk about it. This is perhaps a way for him to ensure a certain balance between his professional and personal life and to remain firmly anchored in his deep values. This certainly contributes to making him a personality recognized as pleasant and available. Within my group of fishing friends, he is kindly nicknamed the "friendly tyer".

In January 2025, Tim Cammisa published a new book on the market entitled "Tying Euro Nymphs and other competition favorites" published by Stackpole Books. The book is sold for $44.95 USD and was already in reprint at the time of writing, only one week after its release!

We know how European Nymphing is quickly becoming popular in the New World and the success of this book is an eloquent demonstration of this. Is this the only reason why it is so successful in sales? Let's see.

First of all, the book, the object itself, is beautiful; hard cover, glossy paper, a very large number of quality color photos, many text boxes titled “Tips from a pro” or “Confidence flies”, a neat layout, a well-made table of contents ... 222 pages that whet your appetite before you even read the first line.

The writing ... I know, we're not criticizing a novel here ... but for someone whose mother tongue is not English (like me) or who is not a pro on the subject, the writing style can be an important factor. Cammisa writes with a simplicity and fluidity that enhances the content of his book. His texts are structured with that little something extra that makes them easier to understand and "absorb".

All you need to tie Euro nymphs - and some off the flies

Serge

It deals with the tying of about fifteen flies, most of them are already well-known and widely presented on social media and in other books. Even so, Tim Cammisa takes care to present in photos and in a meticulous way, all the stages of tying these flies. As a good teacher, he knows too well how important it is to present information well. The book has 8 chapters, 5 of which are on fly tying: Perdigons, nymphs with dubbing and soft hackle bodies, slow sinkers, streamers and dry flies. Slow Sinkers? It is under this original title that Cammisa has grouped flies like the Micro Mop, the Eggstasy Egg, the Chenille Worm …

So, not really new flies, no new techniques, no new gadgets, just flies that are tied step-by-step, easy to do and that have proven themselves. Nothing new and yet, it captivated me from one cover to the next. This fly tying book is readable … and it is read very well. At the end, I said to myself that there are still millions of fly tiers who have never tied a Perdigon or a Frenchie and who will start doing so thanks to Mr Cammisa.

15 flies and 36 contributors in this book … you won’t read it to discover new flies as I said, you’ll read it for pure pleasure. Because the short texts of his friends-contributors are factual and relevant. We can understand, these great contributors are all authors/guides/nymph fishing champions. Tim Cammisa is undoubtedly a unifier and a person appreciated by his peers because he has gathered around him the 36 influencers in the field of Euro Nymphing among the most credible and followed in the United States and Europe. Their advice and little secrets are highlighted in boxed texts that you will find throughout the book. These boxed texts add a lot of substance to the book without weighing it down.

Tying Euro Nymphs and other competition favorites is in my opinion the best initiation book available in the United States. A few pages on equipment, a few lines here and there on casting techniques, a few nymphs, a few tips, the book gives enough to create interest in Euro Nymph fishing. After preparing a few flies, reading a few pages, spending some time on the river, the future enthusiast will consult best-sellers like those of George Daniel, Josh Miller or Devin Olsen and will be able to grasp all the aspects and subtleties.

Beginners will buy the book to learn the basics of tying nymphs used in Euro Nymphing, initiates will want to have it in their library to refer to it from time to time. I had fun reading it.

You can buy signed copies directly from the author.