George Harvey and Joe Humphreys

**Flyfisher** · 02-26-2009, 01:03 AM

Both Vladi and Humphreys came up with some great ideas. I am proudly from the Harvey and Humphreys mold. And this is why!

My point is comments saying that one state or one group of people are slow to change is total crap!! That type of talk has no place in this sport. You really have to look at any fisherman and gain knowledge from them. I really love this board and enjoy contributing it really is a great forum for the sport.

I am saying this in the open because it needs to be said I feel I deserve an apology and so do any other guys on this site that are from my state and see how much guys like Joe and George did for the sport. Harvey alone taught 35,000 students directly about fly fishing at Penn State through his classes. If you add in Joe you could easily make that number 50,000 and that is just directly. You look at the indirectly affected fisherman through books or second had knowledge that number may reach a million or more. Flat out the Euro techniques are very very good but to totally over look or to choose not to give Harvey and Humphreys credit where credit is due is not fair.

I understand that this site is geared towards Competition and Euro techniques and like that. Simply it is getting the message out about how deadly nymphing is when done properly. I am sure my ideas upset some people but guess what we are never all going to agree and that is a fact of life. I don't expect much to come out of my little rant but if you have a problem with me showing respect and sticking up for Joe and George than that is your problem. I will defend them to my grave and will always be passionate about there teachings and techniques because they were revolutionary.

That is my rant respond how you please or for those that choose to turn a cheek for whatever reason and refuse to see what they brought to the world of fly fishing that is your loss.

**AaronJasper** · 02-26-2009, 05:00 AM

I apologize if I offended you Mark. I never did say that Joe and George did not make serious contributions to fly fishing. I would say that George in fact was the most innovative American fly fishermen. I know that's going out on a limb. If you were to read my postings without getting upset, you would see that I simply stated that the European angler would beat someone fishing that same method.and for the record Joe is a good fisherman I am impressed with his skill level. What Torrey and I are saying is with some of the new things out there he would have been that much better. These things that we talk about only make a good angler even better.

About being slow to change thinking. There is nothing wrong with that. Joe and Geaorge taught 80,000 people how to fly fish at PSU according to what you posted. I am sure you can add tens of thousands nore just from classes, seminars and meeting people on the stream. I would bet that if they taught me directly, I would be skeptical of anyone elses thoughts, and you know what, that's ok and its loyalty at its best. I learned the same techniques when I was young from my grandpa, then I got into strike indicators, then I got into fishing weighted flies, and yes what Humphries does is very similar to the Czech/Polish method. That's why I was good at that one from the start.I am used to fishing with the Humphries technique and they are almost the same. The technique that I was most skeptical of were the European techniques believe it or not. I would call Torrey and Alain and say that's its crap and I am not going to bother with it. Then I tried it! That's all I am going to say about that! I think that you misunderstood my point here and I am sorry that you did so. By being slow to change, I did not mean less intelligent. I meant loyal to what they have been shown by to great anglers. I am sorry that you took it the wrong way and for offending some of you.

**mcarl** · 02-26-2009, 07:10 AM

Harvey fished the way he fished through years of trial and error on P.A. waters and figured out what works. Humphreys learned that way too from George plus a great deal of trial and error himself. Everyone believes that Harvey taught him everything but that is not true. Harvey held back a lot to let Joe learn the hard way. Eventually over the many many years that they were together Joe gleamed all the info he could from George. Even up until George's death, Joe would still learn something or get some advise. They had a sort of token father/son relationship. To this day Joe is learning something new and/or refining his techniques.

Joe has strong beliefs and opinions on what he has learned and teaches b/c they have worked for him for over 7 decades!! They also are undeniably ideally suited for the Central P.A. waters. They do work elsewhere but you have to be very skilled at it to apply it to less productive waters or waters not perfect for that kind of nymphing.

Nymphmeister commented earlier that Joe is diversified in his skills and that is true. He is not noted for Dry fly fishing but is just as good at it as well as wets and streamer. I've seen him work streamers and catch fish in amazing ways. You have to remember that he made his career and name on a certain style of nymphing which everyone wants him to teach and demonstrate at clinics and shows so it would be hard for him to come out and change the whole program.

As I have stated before Joe and his wife are friends of me and my wife so I have a very personal opinion and conviction towards him. I owe him alot of thanks and gratitude for it. I personally like to fish that way and fish waters that are suited for it but that's me. I do acknowledge that there are other ways and so does he. In the end we each fish our own ways and for or own reasons and that should be the focus--not who started what or so and so's style is better.

At any rate I don't think anyone on this board doesn't recognize the contributions of Harvey/Humphreys as well as other great P.A. fisherman of past and present.

**Flyfisher** · 02-26-2009, 08:51 AM

I appreciate the honesty Aaron. I look forward to using the Euro methods myself and i see them as a progression from the methods I am using now. I know you may not have intended to offend anyone but comments are easily taken the wrong way in a post of any message and an me taking offense is partially my own fault as well. No hard feelings.

alanb_ct · 02-26-2009, 01:48 PM

mcarl says it best:

TPO recognizes the contributions of Harvey/Humphreys as well as other great PA fisherman of past and present.

Perhaps now we can move on this topic.