T C Ivens

Thomas Coleman Ivens (1921–1988) was an English reservoir fly angler.

T C 'Tom' Ivens
BornThomas Coleman Ivens
(1921-05-22)22 May 1921
Northampton, England
Died1988 (1989) (aged 67)
Northampton, England
ResidenceNorthampton
NationalityBritish
GenreAngling
SubjectReservoir Fly Fishing
Notable worksStillwater Fly-Fishing: A modern guide to angling in reservoirs and lakes
SpouseRuth Ivens

Tom Ivens was born on 22 May 1921 in Northampton and studied at Northampton Grammar School and Seale-Hayne Agricultural College. Between 1944 and 1947 he was in command of naval minesweepers.[1] He was on the staff of the Fishing Gazette from 1953 to 1956.

Reservoir fly fishing

With the increased interest in reservoir fly fishing at the end of World War 2 Tom Ivens published Stillwater Fly-Fishing in 1952,[2] which ran to four editions, and he became one of the most influential fly anglers of the time.[3] In the first edition he introduced his original series of reservoir fly patterns that have since become standards.

Ivens stressed the importance of long distance casting and favoured the use of slowly recovered ‘deceiver’ nymph fly patterns whenever the conditions allowed.[4] His original series of flies included five nymph patterns,[5] the best known being his Black & Peacock Spider[6] which is still in common use today.

Reservoir Trout Fly Patterns designed by T C Ivens from his original series dated around mid-1960 [Top left to bottom right} Brown & Green Nymph, Brown Nymph, Black & Peacock Spider, Green & Yellow Nymph, Green Nymph, Jersey Herd, Alexandra, Pretty Pretty

For those occasions when nymphs were not suitable he used quickly-retrieved ‘attractor’ patterns[7] and his Jersey Herd[8] fly is again still widely used.

The opening of Grafham Water in 1966 brought about new problems for fly anglers due to its large size (and most importantly its depth) which resulted in stratification and trout which remained deep-down for much of the time. Ivens devised new methods to tackle these deep-lying fish and designed a supplementary series of flies to accompany the new techniques which were described in the third edition of his book in 1970.[9].

Contribution to innovations in fly fishing tackle

Davenport and Fordham Ltd of Ware, Hertfordshire produced a series of split-cane and later fibreglass fly rods designed by Tom Ivens bearing his name.[10] To match the rods Davenport and Fordham introduced a range of 'Superflyte' shooting heads that were developed in conjunction with Ivens.[11]

In order to facilitate his leaders to straighten correctly he developed and published a series of tapered and double-tapered nylon leaders,[12] although advances in fly line design have to some extent negated this requirement nowadays.

The 'Stillwater' angling boat manufactured by Thanetcraft of New Malden, Surrey which incorporated high seats for a better casting position that were well spaced apart, fixing rings for mooring ropes, anchors and drogues situated on the exterior of the hull, and a snag-free interior to avoid fly line tangles, was designed in collaboration with Ivens.[13]

Later years and death

Tom Ivens' legacy is best summed up in the words of Conrad Voss Bark in The New Encyclopaedia of Fly Fishing as follows: 'His aim was to put reservoir fishing on as scientific and simple a basis as possible, and his book and his whole philosophy had an instant appeal to large numbers of men who were being attracted to reservoir fishing for the first time since World War II, as well as those who had previously been fishing traditional wet flies without knowing quite why.'[14]

He died in Northampton in 1988, aged 67.[15]

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References
  1. Stillwater Fly-Fishing, by T C Ivens 4th edition Pan Books (1973).
  2. Stillwater Fly-Fishing by TC Ivens, Andre Deutsch (1952)
  3. Reservoir Trout Fishing with Tom Saville, by Tom Saville, H F & G Witherby (1991) page 21
  4. The New Encyclopaedia of Fly Fishing by Conrad Voss Bark & Eric Restall, Robert Hale Ltd (1992) page 124
  5. Tying and Fishing the Nymph by Taff Price, Blandford a Cassell imprint (1995) page193
  6. Flydressing by David J Collyer, David & Charles 1973 pages 143-144
  7. A History of Flyfishing by Conrad Voss Bark, Merlin Unwin Books (paperback edition 1994) page 125
  8. Flydressing II by David J Collyer, David & Charles 1981 pages 209-211
  9. Stillwater Fly-Fishing, by T C Ivens 3rd edition Andre Deutsch (1970) chapters 16 and 17
  10. Trout & Salmon magazine March 1968 issue page 45
  11. Trout & Salmon magazine March 1970 issue page 38
  12. Stillwater Fly-Fishing, by T C Ivens 3rd edition Andre Deutsch (1970) pages 45-47
  13. Trout & Salmon magazine April 1970 issue page 12
  14. The New Encyclopaedia of Fly Fishing by Conrad Voss Bark & Eric Restall, Robert Hale Ltd (1992) page 124
  15. Genes Reunited Record Transcription England & Wales deaths 1837-2007
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