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Book and DVD Reviews
No sport or game has had as long, and as extensive, a literature history as has fly fishing and its companion craft fly tying. This large body of written and visual material creates one of the greatest joys to members of the brotherhood of the angle. This body of work is one of the truly unique attributes of fly fishing and one that every fly fisherman should indulge in.
Collected here are reviews of books and DVDs I have read or viewed concerning fly fishing, fly tying, and stories about both. No hype, no paid endorsements, only my opinion of each book. These reviews not only describe the contents but also how well the contents have been executed by both author and publisher.
Bass Bug Fishing
by William G. Tapply
The Lyons Press
New York, NY 1999
142 pages, hardbound
illustrated, color and B&W
suggested price $25.00
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
This small volume is a general overview of the bass bug fly-fishing. It contains sections on the history of bass bug fly-fishing, how bass bugs work, fly-fishing for top-water bass, fly-fishing gear needed, tactics for fly-fishing bass bugs, tying bass bugs, a collection of bass bug fly patterns, and a bass bug fly-fishing bibliography.
Most of the book's contents are a compilation of what others have recorded in the books listed in the bibliography. There is very, very little new material here. There certainly is nothing innovative to be found. If you are completely new to bass bug fishing this book will certainly put you on the correct path and furnish you with the tools necessary to be successful. If you are already, a bass bug fly fisherman you will not find anything new to add to your arsenal.
The four color plates shot by Dick Talleur are wonderfully done. The rest of the illustrations are in black and white, by the author, and they are of very poor quality. The quality of the black and white illustrations is so bad that they should never have been allowed by the editor. The writing is very good. Unfortunately, the author has very little to say that hasn't already been well said by others.
Overall, the highpoint of the book is the bibliography. If you are new to bass bug fly-fishing this book is worth checking out of your local library.
© 2000 Bruce E. Harang
Carrie Stevens
By Graydon R. Hilyard and Leslie K. Hilyard
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2000
162 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $39.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
There are certain objects, which evoke strong associations with a particular human endeavor. In the sport of fly-fishing the Gray Ghost streamer is one of these. In the English-speaking world, it is unlikely anyone who fly-fishes has not heard of the Gray Ghost. Most fly-fishermen even will know that it was created by a woman commercial fly tyer Carrie Stevens. Beyond these bare bone facts however, few know anything more about the person whose innovations brought feather wing streamers to the apex of their development and popularity. This book, by Hilyards father and son, does a great service by bringing to light a large volume of information, facts, and interesting stories about Carrie Stevens and the feather wing streamer style she was so pivotal in developing.
The book contains an excellent history of Carrie Stevens as a person, a fisherman, and a commercial fly tyer. The reader learns how Mrs. Steven got started in fly tying and why she tied feather wing streamers. You will also find out why coming in second in a national fishing contest was the event that catapulted her career into national and worldwide prominence. Equally interesting and well done is the history of the Rangeley Lakes region and the landlocked salmon and brook trout fishery there that provided the impetus for the development of trolling streamers and particularly the feather wing streamer design. All of this is done with good grammar, good editing, and first class illustration.
The photographs of Carrie Stevens streamer patterns are excellent and a welcome resource to every fly tyer and fly fisherman interested in streamers and streamer fishing. A style of fly and method of fly-fishing that are uniquely American. There are twelve color plates depicting ninety three patterns. There is also a catalog of Carrie Streamer related patterns comprising nineteen patterns inspired by Carrie Stevens and the wonderful feather wing streamers she so ably developed. Finally, the photographs and illustrations of Carrie Stevens, her family, her friends, and the places she is best connected with are a wonderful family-style album of one of fly fishing's brightest stars.
Overall, a wonderful volume covering one of the most historically significant members of the American history of fly-fishing. A book every fly tyer and fly fisherman should have in his library.
© 2000 Bruce E. Harang
Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout
by Bob Linsenman & Kelly Galloup
The Countryman Press
Woodstock, VT 1999
160 pages, hardbound
illustrated, B&W and Color
suggested price $34.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
The authors are two of the best fly fishing guides in the state of Michigan. That is saying a lot in a state where fly fishing guides have been creating legends for over a century. What the authors have done, in this book, is provide the fly-fishing public with a working handbook for catching the largest trout in a stream on streamers. The methods and fly patterns have been developed during years of pursuing and catching the largest trout on some of Michigan's, and fly-fishing's, most famous, and difficult, waters.
This is not pabulum from some big name selling yet another poor quality book based on nothing more than a desire to make money. This is a work based on years of experimentation and time on the water. This book gets straight to the matter at hand, in workmanlike fashion, providing the fly fisherman with the tools he requires to be successful at catching very large trout. Broken into six chapters the book provides the reader with a logical progression from beginnings of streamer fly-fishing to effective fly patterns and equipment. In-between, the reader is given instruction on the behavior of large trout, how to read the water to locate large trout, and a solid course in the techniques of fishing the streamer to attract the attention of large trout.
The patterns advocated by the authors are all illustrated in two color plates and the complete recipes for each pattern are also included. The line drawings of casting techniques, and river structure and how it relates to large trout, are excellent. The black and white photographs are well composed and excellently reproduced. They maintain their clarity and sharpness showing great attention to detail by both photographer and printer. The writing style is straightforward. The grammar is excellent and the editing is top notch, making this an easily read book. Overall, the authors and the publishers have every right to be very proud of this work. This work should be on every trout fisherman's bookshelf right next to the classic Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing, by Joseph Bates, Jr.
© 2000 Bruce E. Harang
Virginia Blue-Ribbon Streams
A Fly-Fishing Guide
by Harry W. Murray
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2000
96 pages, softbound
illustrated, color
suggested price $$24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Overall, I don't like where-to-fish guidebooks. Most of them are poorly researched, poorly written, and generally useless. This volume, however, proves the exception to the rule. This is a book you will enjoy reading as well as one that will inform the visitor to Virginia about the best fly-fishing opportunities. The text is well written and well edited. The color reproductions are very well done and pleasing to look at. In addition, they compliment the text very well. This is another indication of good editing.
The major reason I like this book is that it not only covers the best trout streams, it also covers the best Smallmouth Bass streams in Virginia. Moreover, as Virginia has some of the finest Smallmouth Bass stream fishing in the world this volume is a real boon to the warmwater fly fisherman. Since the streams holding the best Smallmouth Bass populations tend to be rather large, the best way to fish them is to float sections of the stream. Here the author has done a wonderful job of giving the angler the necessary information to allow him to choose a float that meets his time constraints. It also provides detailed instructions on put-ins and take-outs and the significant obstacles in-between. These instructions are aided by enlarged inset diagrams of the actual take-out and put-in sites.
The best part of the trout stream portion of the book is the information for fishing these smaller streams during the whole year including the winter months when fishing is still good but large numbers of people are not present.
Each stream description includes up-to-date information on lodging; fly shops, information centers, canoe rentals, campgrounds and more. Finally, each stream has several photographs of it to give the reader an idea of the type of water and shoreline he will encounter.
Overall, the best of the "where to go" books out and well worth the cost.
© 2000 Bruce E. Harang
Spey Flies & Dee Flies
Their History & Construction
by John Shewey
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2002
160 pages, softbound
illustrated, color
suggested price $$29.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Interestingly, Spey flies and Dee flies are two of very few styles of fishing flies that are named after the rivers where they were born. Just as interesting is the fact that how to tie these productive styles of flies, even now over a century later, is practically unknown. Considering their having been recorded as extremely productive flies for Atlantic salmon over a century ago and within the last half century as also productive for Steelhead, it is remarkable that so little is known about them and the tying methods for producing them.
John Shewey has taken an important major step in rectifying this situation with the publication of his book on the subject. John is probably best known worldwide for his impeccable selection and dyeing of fur and feather for the classic Atlantic salmon fly tyer. He is also very well known in his home region of the Pacific Northwest as a master fly tier, especially of Steelhead flies. Now John shares his years of experience by clearly and concisely explaining the history of these wonderful flies, material selection and preparation, tying techniques and strategies, as well as how to most effectively fish these styles of flies.
Frank Amato Publications has once again produced a fine quality book. The book is well laid out and edited which enhances the clear, crisp writing style of the author, making the book a real pleasure to read. In addition, the photo reproductions are crisp, sharp, and have good color saturation and hue. The only disappointment I had with the production of the book is that the images used to show how to reverse thread on the hook shank. The fine black thread used does not show up and leaves the reader completely at a loss as to what these photos are trying to show. Line drawings or oversized white or brightly colored thread or wire would have made the visual explanation so much more clear.
This is definitely a top quality publication at every level. A book that every serious fly tyer wanting to tie productive flies for Atlantic salmon and Steelhead needs to add to his library.
© 2002 Bruce E. Harang
The Hatches Made Simple
by Charles R. Meck
The Countryman Press
Woodstock, VT, 2002
261 pages, hardbound
illustrated, color and B&W
suggested price $35.00
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Charles R. Meck has written a number of books on fly fishing. This latest effort is no better than the previous attempts and worse in that there is very little worth struggling through the book to find. The book title suggests that the fly fisherman can simplify his fly selection. However, the simplified system put forth by the author requires over three hundred flies if the fisherman is only carrying one of each pattern and size.
The physical layout of the book clearly was never planned. There is no continuity and the reader is forever required to look somewhere else in the book for the completion of the current subject. The material is all available elsewhere, nothing new or innovative is offered. Thus, the book is extremely difficult to read and provides nothing for the reader's edification in the end.
The Countryman Press has done a great job as usual of physically producing the book. However, the editor of this manuscript should clearly be taken out behind the woodshed and soundly thrashed.
© 2002 Bruce E. Harang
Dogs That Point, Fish That Bite
by Jim Dean
The University of North Carolina Press
Chapel Hill, NC, 1995
154 pages, hardbound
not illustrated
suggested price, $24.95 and $10.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Jim Dean grew up in the North Carolina outdoors. For over twenty years now he has written about his hunting and fishing excursions. This book is a collection of short stories that have appeared in the award winning magazine North Carolina Outdoors.
The author writes with a wonderful sense of southern humor and insight that is rare in today's world of "how-to" tomes in the hook-and-bullet press. The joke is usually on the author, but the humor is shared by everyone who has been in the field or on the stream. He also writes with a style that is a pleasure to read. Jim clearly is a master at using the English language. He extracts the very marrow out of every word. Few can write like Jim Dean. Few can carry off the subtle humor required for truths with titles like "The Laws of Discontinued Perfection" and "Fishing and the Theory of Relativity".
This is one must have book for anyone wanting to have a great read about the forests, fields, and waters every outdoorsman dreams of.
© 2002 Bruce E. Harang
Nymphs for Streams &
Stillwaters
by Dave Hughes
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA, 2009
372 pages, Hardbound, illustrated Color
suggested price $59.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
The author presents a collection of effective nymphs for fishing
in both rivers and Stillwater in an interesting manner. Namely, he
suggests filling three fly boxes with three different sets of flies to
cover nymph fishing in most waters anywhere trout reside. The patterns
are well illustrated and accompanied by step-by-step tying sequences for
each fly presented. The patterns are also what might be called “guide
flies” in that they are relatively easy to tie, don’t require lots of
time per fly, nor use of exotic materials. That is, they are effective
and efficient. With these three boxes of nymphs in your travel bag or
vest you will always have some flies that will work on whatever trout
water and under whatever conditions your fishing takes you to. Along
with the excellent images of the flies and their tying stages are
presented beautiful photographs of the real bugs you are trying to
imitate or represent with your nymphs. The book contains thirty-six
chapters in four parts. The first part is a general overview of the
author’s nymph box strategy including the idea of separating the
patterns into “searching” and “imitative” patterns, tying tools and
materials, as well as basic tying techniques. The second part of the
book covers the patterns for moving water searching nymphs including
Czech nymphs and wire bodied nymphs such as the Copper John. The third
part of the book is directed to imitative nymphs for moving water and
covers all of the major and some minor groups of aquatic insects and
invertebrates that trout eat. These include the major aquatic insect
groups as well as sow bugs, scuds, hellgrammites, fishfly larvae and
aquatic worms. The fourth part of the book is directed to nymphs for
Stillwater fishing, including patterns for most types of organisms that
trout eat in this environment. The book ends with a short conclusion
regarding the three box nymph strategy, a good biography, and very
useable index.
The
book is very well designed and illustrated. The photograph reproduction
is first rate and the editing is pretty good for a book with so many
step-by-step instructions and accompanying photographs. This is a very
lovely and useful nymph fly tying book. It presents a well thought out
and practical method of selecting and tying nymph patterns that will
allow the angler to have a manageable number of nymphs that provide the
maximum effectiveness under any fishing conditions likely to be
encountered. The so called “common scientific knowledge” presented is
not so common, or scientific, in several instances. And a few “old wives
tales” have been included. But none of this reduces the usefulness of
the pattern and tying instruction presented. This book definitely will
allow the trout fly fisherman to go to any river or Stillwater with the
confidence that he has with him nymph patterns that will provide
success. There are a great many hints and tips for both tying and
fishing nymphs that increase the value of the book, making it well worth
the cost.
FlyFishing
Knots & Leader Systems
by Dave Chermanski
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2008
127 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $29.95
© 2009 Bruce E. Harang
Nymphs,
Vol. 1
by Ernest G. Schwiebert
The Lyons Press
Guilford, CT, 2007
628 pages, Hardbound, 15 color plates
suggested price $60.00
This is a new version of a Schwiebert classic. Unfortunately it does not have the wonderful color artwork of the nymphs that the original did. It is instead a collection of the major Mayfly nymphs with a single fly pattern for each and an extended collection of stories of a lifetime of fly fishing and living. There are 15 color plates included as a section of the book but they are but a dim reflection of the artwork of the original edition. If you are an Ernie Schwiebert fan you will enjoy the book. If you are looking for an insect key or guide, and a pattern guide you may wish to look elsewhere. At the price of this volume it is a very expensive book of fishing tales.
© 2009 Bruce E. Harang
Nymphs,
Vol. 2
by Ernest G. Schwiebert
The Lyons Press
Guilford, CT, 2007
787 pages, Hardbound, 16 color plates
suggested price $60.00
This is a companion volume to the Mayfly volume. The original book NYMPHS covered only the Mayflies so this is new ground. Unfortunately it does not have the wonderful color artwork of the nymphs covered. It is instead a collection of the major Stoneflies, Caddisflies, and other insects important to fly fishermen. As in Volume 1, there is presented a single fly pattern for each and an extended collection of stories of a lifetime of fly fishing and living. There are 16 color plates included as a section of the book but they are but a dim reflection of the artwork of the original edition. If you are an Ernie Schwiebert fan you will enjoy the book. If you are looking for an insect key or guide, and a pattern guide you may wish to look elsewhere. And like volume 1the price of this volume makes it a very expensive book of fishing tales.
© 2009 Bruce E. Harang