E.R. Hewitt

Edward Ringwood Hewitt (1866-1957)

(Copyright Ringwood Manor)

Ringwood Hewitt was born in Ringwood Manor (New Jersey, USA) in 1866. After studying at Princeton University, he worked in engine development (Hewitt Motor Company).

However, Edward's greatest passion was fly fishing.

By the age of 26, he had already fished throughout Europe, Canada and the American West.

Long before our time, he recognised the importance of river restoration and improving the habitat for trout.

Hewitt promoted the use of a small single-handed rod for salmon fishing, developed magnifying glasses, line greases, leader impregnations and tied successful flies such as the Neversink Skater and the Bi-Visible (Bivisible). He is also the original patent holder of wading boots with felt soles.

We owe him numerous groundbreaking books on fly fishing, such as Secrets of the Salmon (1922), Telling on the Trout (1926), Better Trout Streams (1931), Hewitt's Handbook of Fly Fishing (1933), Hewitt's Handbook of Stream Improvement (1934) and Hewitt's Nymph Fly Fishing (1934). Read more about E.R. Hewitt: Ringwood Manor

Bivisible (Bi- Visible)

Hewitt's most famous fly was probably the Bi-Visible (Bivisible).

Edward Ringwood Hewitt believed that dark flies were more visible to trout, but more difficult for anglers to see in poor light conditions.

By adding light cream or white hackles to the front of the darker brown or black Palmer hackles, the fly became more visible to both trout and anglers.

They offer a particular advantage when caddis flies (sedges) are hatching. Their strong hackles produce distinct ripples in the water when pulled, which attracts trout...!

Hewitt Brown Bivisible

Brown Bivisible

Well visible, good fly for fast parts of the rivers or creeks

Grösse/ hameçon/ size

10 2.80 CHF 12 2.80 CHF 14 2.90 CHF 16 3.10 CHF 18 3.20 CHF

Hewitt Black Bivisible

Black Bivisible

Good fly for Swiss alpine creeks

Grösse/ hameçon/ size

10 CHF 2.80 12 CHF 2.80 14 CHF 2.90 16 CHF 3.10 18 CHF 3.20

Bivisible variants

There are countless colour and tying variants for the Bivisible. These include variants in light and dark hackle proportions, as well as hackle types (e.g. badger or grizzly, etc.). Furthermore, the well-known French tricolour is also a variant of the Bivisible in the broader sense.

Swiss Gnat

Grizzly Palmer- easy to see, high floating- one of the best flies for Swiss alpine creeks (see reports)

SFr. 2.80/pcs

Grösse/ hameçon/ size

10 12 14 16

Swiss Bivisible

Swiss Bivisible

My absolute favourite fly in September. By using brown badger hackle, the centre is much darker than the standard Hewitt pattern, making it even better at imitating beetles.

My first choice on my leased waters, the Sihl, for example, but also excellent on all other waters with faster-flowing sections.

SFr. 3.50/pcs

Grösse/ hameçon/ size

12