Recommmended Reading

[gunrod]

I received a PM that requested a Sticky that Recommended Reading pertaining to Fly Fishing/Tying. It's a sound idea that is long over due.

With that said, please post any reading you recommend and a couple lines summarizing why you liked it. Did the book provide adequate instructions or illustrations? Was it just some good reading regarding classic tales? Maybe it had stream recommendations or was great reference material.

Also post any reading you do not recommend and why. Maybe someone else can save a few bucks.

[Bob T]

Well, I have been flyfishing and tying for many years and have purchased many books but far and away the best book around for tying is" The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference" by Leeson and Schollmeyer. Not a pattern book per say but if anyone is interested in starting to tie this is the book that I would purchase. Well illustrated with informative pictures detailing the steps involved in just about any tying procedure. A bit pricey but well worth the money for both the new and advanced tier.

The other books that I would recommend on the emtomology side of things is "Hatches" by Caucci/Nastasi and "Caddisflies" by Gary LaFontaine. You cannot go wrong with either of these great books for finding out about the life cycles of these insects. Both of these books include what stream conditions and how these insects hatch and offer patterns pertaining to their information.

Bob

[geojasstef]

best book on flyfishing there is........10 out of 10

Selective Trout
by Carl Richards and Doug Swisher


Great deal of step by step patterns and some really useful patterns...

Tying Emergers: A Complete Guide
by Ted Leeson and, Jim Schollmeyer

[axisgear]

I would have to add a few books for the avid fly fisherman/woman.Three are not directly related to tying or flyfishing information.Well,maybe a little.

Must read: "Trout Madness" and "Trout Magic" by Robert Traver (If you haven't already!) He has other titles pertaining to fishing.All are good.

Good information:"Trout and Salmon of North America" by Robert Behnke and "The Caddis and the Angler" by Larry Soloman and Eric Leiser.

Just a few of my favorites.

[mparks]

"Good Flies" John Gierach.

Some good insite it to the pattern selection and tying methods Gierach uses. If you like his writing style you'll like the book even if you don't tie. A picked up a lot of little tying tips as well as learned a few new patterns.

[hooknem]

"Reading the Water" and "Fly Fishing Basics" by Dave Hughes.

"Fly fishing Basics" is a good all around book for the beginner with lots of good information on equipment selection and doesn't seem overwhelming.

"Reading the Water" helps teach you just that. Clearly written with just the right amount of detail covering the basic elements of a stream where one could expect to find trout. Hughes also recommends basic flies and equipment for the various types of water.

All the John Gierach books are good. If you can't get out and fish, his books are a good substitute.

[BeanOFish]

"50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die" by Chris Santella- It is a great book about all different places and fish one can catch on a fly rod. It has about 2-3 pages dedicated per destination, and covers things from Permit in the Keys, Steelhead on the Deschutes, to Taimen in Mongolia. It definately gets the imagination going on places that I should visit sometime. He also wrote 50 Favorite Fly Fishing Tales that I am just getting into reading, so far I like what I've read.

"Best Streams for Great Lakes Steelhead" by Bob Linesman- I really like this book. All the streams are broken down by which lake it empties into. He does a great job of covering access points, and covering a basic assortment of flies that one should have in the box for each river. The book also lists all the ingredients for every pattern talked about. It really helped me on my trips to new rivers.

[CatchASteel]

I agree with the "50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die" -- I got this from my uncle this year for Christmas. Great book with amazing pictures. Only one reference to our immediate area, but still a definite book to buy.

Another one I like is "Steelhead Dreams" by Matt Supinski. Matt has a lodge and is a guide on the Muskegon I believe. The book is chock full of great photos and tons of info.

[mpatmcg]

The Art of Tying the Bass Fly by Skip Morris is a great book with lots of step by step pictures if you're just getting started spinning deer hair. The copy I have is spiral bound so it stays open on my tying bench too. Fly-tying Bass Flies with Dave Whitlock is a great video as well, although I have yet to find it on DVD, only have it on VHS.

I will second the Traver and Gierach books for entertaining reading. I also usually check Jim Bedford's book The Flyfisher's Guide to Michigan and the Tom Huggler's Fish Michigan series when planning trips to new locations.


Mike

[drgulian]

I have several fly tying books that I would be willing to donate to the right person... e.g. someone new to flytying and in need of instruction or pattern recipies. I'm pretty sure I have a bunch of Skip Morris books and The Umpqua patterns book and Randall Kaufman's Nymph book, ect. They helped me as a teenager but they have been collecting dust on my book shelf for years... Let me know if anyone could genuinely benefit from having some instructional books without turning around and selling them on eBay next week.

[CatchASteel]

drgulian - If you are serious I would love to have them for a while, I could either borrow them or I could use them and then do the same as you when I no longer need them. I am new (w/in 1 year) to tying and while I have a pretty good grasp on some basics, I would love to hone my other skills and really build up some more. Shoot me a pm if you like and I can send you some money for shipping charges.

Thanks - CatchASteel

[Beaglernr]

Ok..I second the Benchside reference book, that plus a book of patterns and you can tie just about anything out there.

For fishing side.

Joe Bates: Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing. This is an oldie but a solid read where Joe teaches us streamer tying and takes us along on how to use them. Joe writes like he is taking you along on some great fishing.

S.R Slaymaker II: Tie a fly, Catch a trout. this small book is again, written by your best friend introducing you to fly tying and fly fishing one fly at a time. He covers nymphs, drys, streamers, wet flies and terestials in the Penn limestone and catskills area. Hard to find but a wonderful book that will not confuse a beginner but will have some tidbits for even an oldtimer.

Bergmans: Trout...old, lots of info...still applies to todays fishing.

There are so many books, each with a voice waiting to share there ideas and help us stimulate our thoughts.

[Boardman Brookies]

Trout Streams of Michigan by Bob Linseman is the best book I have ever read. It not only tells about some great spots to fish, but what flies to try at certain times of the year. There is a spot that talks about the book can be found ripped and torn with coffee stain on it in peoples dashboards...this is exactly how mine is. I might buy a new copy, because mine is wore out. BUY THAT BOOK!

[steelhead-hunter]

i recomend the fly tyers benchside introduction by leeson and scholmyer it is similar to the benchside reference but geard for beginners the book is split into two the top section is patterns and the bottom section is techniques when using the patterns next to the material used it tells you the tech for putting that material in and the page on the bottom to find it on.. very helpfull

[Jackster1]

For starters and a good, overview of all sorts of fly fishing how-to's, it's hard to beat the Orvis Flyfishing Guide or Curtis Creek Manefesto.
For everything from basics to the extreme fly fishing, Presenting the Fly by Krey and Presentation by Borger are very good.