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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.
The Creel: North Umpqua River Edition
by Bob Wethern, editor
Frank Amato Publications, Inc. US Publisher
Portland, OR, 2008
176 pages, Hard cover, illustrated Color and B&W
suggested price $59.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
The Creel is Oregon’s finest historical chronicle of fly fishing within Oregon. Now once again these wonderful writings are being made available to yet future generations of fly fishers within and without Oregon. This lovely volume is a 50th anniversary edition of The Creel the official newsletter of the Fly Fishers Club of Oregon directed to articles about the North Umpqua River. In addition, there is included history and color of the river and its “denizens” from interviews and local sources. The book is divided into ten chapters covering the rivers early times, the press members that publicized the river and its fishing, the locals that most directly became part of the river’s history, those that traveled to the river regularly and learned to love it, the challenges and solutions to wading one of the least forgiving rivers, river memories of Club members, the history of fishermen’s lodging on the river, and the impinging uses of timbering, hatcheries, and hydroelectric production. The final two chapters deal with two of the most remarkable families in the river’s history, heritage, and protection; the Col. Haydens and the Frank Moores. Anyone that has been to the North Umpqua, especially those that have waded and fished it, will absolutely love this book. Anyone that has not been to the river or doesn’t understand the passion for steelhead can find within these pages some small light of understanding. The photographs of the people and the river over the past century provide witness to both the river and those that have come to love it. The writing is well done and easy to read. The production of the book is top notch with excellent editing, and design. It is clear that everyone involved did this as an act of love. If you love rivers, have a passion about steelhead, love a good fishing story, or just want to read some extremely well written natural history this is a must have volume.
© 2008 Bruce E Harang
Til Death or Fly Fishing Do Us Partby Thomas R. Pero
Wild River Press Mill Creek, WA, 2009
168 pages, Hardcover, illustrated B&W
suggested price $24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
An interesting collection of stories by fly fishing spouses and fly fishers regarding personal relationships versus fly-fishing. These are nicely written essays. Several are at times humorous. The essays are a fun read on an evening during which there is no hatch, much like a storytelling session around the campfire after a day on the water.
© 2008 Bruce E Harang
100 Best Flies for Montana Trout
by Thomas R. Pero, editor
Wild River Press Mill Creek, WA, 2008
208 pages, heavy duty softcover, illustrated color
suggested price $24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
This small format (5” x 7” landscape) volume is a collection of 100 fly patterns that are popular trout patterns in Montana. Each pattern has the pattern name and recipe on the left page and a very nicely done photograph of the finished fly on the right facing page. The quality of the printing and binding are first rate. The quality of the images is well done. The fly patterns presented, with less than a handful of exceptions, is a collection of foam bodies, rubber legs, beads, and parachute hackle ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Hopefully, this collection is more fishing effective than it is inspiring and informative. This is one volume that is best perused at the local book shop.
© 2008 Bruce E Harang
The Double Haulby Rhea Topping
Living Arts Media and Mayfly Adventures
Upperville, VA, 2007
DVD, 50 minutes, Color
suggested price $24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
The goal of this DVD is twofold, to teach the fly casting double haul to students and to teach instructors how to more effectively teach the double haul to their students. It succeeds extremely well at both goals. The information is presented using the terms and techniques that have become common to the double haul so there is no need for student or instructor to learn new terms. The instruction for the student is presented in a well designed series of steps where each builds upon what has gone before. The student is given positive reinforcement to increase the speed of mastery of the double haul. The instructors information is likewise well thought out and presented. One of the best bits for instructors is the section showing how to analyze a student’s strengths and weaknesses and to adapt the teaching to the student. The inclusion of other instructors teaching the double haul using the same methods and the interviews with topnotch casters about the reasons for learning and using the double haul is a great teaching aid. The information on making a shooting head line system specifically to help teach or learn to double haul well is also a great addition to the program. The quality of the sound, videography, and script are excellent. The presentation by the author is beautifully and well done. And the music is simply some of the best ever put on a fly fishing program. Everyone that casts a single hand fly rod needs to learn and use the double haul. This DVD makes the learning very straight forward and interesting. A must have DVD for every fly fisher.
© 2008 Bruce E Harang
A Steelheader’s Wayby Lani Waller
Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg, PA, 2009
202 pages, Hardbound, illustrated Color
suggested price $39.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Lani Waller is without a doubt the G.E.M. Skues of the steelhead fraternity. That is, like Skues, he has important information and observations he is willing to share, and he transfers this knowledge well, using an excellent and very readable writing style. His observations have been acquired over decades of actual fishing. His results have been consistently excellent for both himself and those who have followed his published information. The book is a hymnal in fourteen parts dedicated to those who chose to cast flies to a near mythical fish in the cathedral of rivers. It opens with a very readable and interesting steelhead biology primer, moves to the magic of this great fish, and then to a hunting perspective developed to provide success for the steelhead fisherman. The book also covers why a steelhead takes a fly, the taking lie, elements of presentation, the downstream swing, indicators, fishing the dry fly, and casting. Next there is a chapter on trophies that is one of the best discussions of what a trophy really is ever written. The book concludes with chapters on practical gearing up information, flies and their evolution for steelheading, and conservation. The conservation chapter is excellent in that it is passionate, practical, and well reasoned. The book concludes with a top notch appendix and index. The importance of these last two is never really appreciated until you need to find a reference or item of information long after the first reading of a book. These will serve the reader very well. The color photographs and illustrations are very pertinent to the subject at hand, excellently done, and well designed into the book layout. The writing, editing, layout, and publishing are superb. Ken Morrish who did the photographs deserves as much credit as the author for the beauty of this volume. Now if the editors would kindly check their maps and confirm that Mt. St Helens is really in the state of Washington and not the state of Oregon, they would have gotten a gold star. When G.E.M. Skues wrote about fishing nymphs the world of trout fishing was forever changed and improved. With this book Lani Waller does the same thing for the world of steelhead fishing with a fly.
© 2009 Bruce E Harang
If Fish Could Screamby Paul Schullery
Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg, PA, 2008
196 pages, Hardbound, illustrated B&W
suggested price $24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
This is a book of historical footnotes on the public perspective regarding the treatment of caught fish and live bait. Originally a series of magazine articles this collection of essays presents vignettes of published discussions on the ethical treatment of fish. The book may provide food for thought and the impetus for further historical study. These historical footnotes will certainly increase the reader’s trivia database. This is a book to review before purchasing.
© 2009 Bruce E Harang
Fly-Fishing Guide to the Olympic Peninsula (revised edition)
by Doug Rose
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2008
135 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $29.95
And then there are all the extras that make this a whole lot more
than simply a guide book. There are the historical notes, historical
photographs, and histories of the people, fly patterns, and the rivers
themselves. This information is beautifully blended into the book making
for a great read. Finally, the lovely cover artwork by Jack Datisman
draws you into the book and into the fly fisherman’s world. The effort
and time the author took to develop and present this extra material
clearly shows his love of the Olympic Peninsula.
There are a few editing mistakes but nothing that takes away from
the information and enjoyment of the overall book. There is excellent
value in this volume. This is definitely a must have book for fly
fishing the Olympic Peninsula.
© 2009 Bruce E Harang
Tying Catskill – Style Dry Flies
by Mike Vallabr />
Headwater Books
New Cumberland, PA, 2009
(Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2009)
233 pages, hard bound
illustrated, color and B&W
suggested price $49.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
There is something magical and mythical about some portions of fly fishing and fly tying. The Catskills and the Catskill style dry flies are two of these. In America the history of trout fly fishing in the Catskill Rivers is the stuff of dreams and legends. For many in the fly fishing universe the Catskill style dry fly and tying them well is akin to the search for the Holy Grail. This lovely volume is the latest addition to the literature of the place, the flies, and the people that tied and tie them. It presents the tying instruction for the various types of dry flies falling within the Catskill style of course. Just as importantly, it presents another historical transcript of the tyers, and their contributions to these mythical rivers, the classic rough water dry fly style, and the materials and techniques developed to create the one to cast onto the other. Another interesting feature of this book is that is written by a person that grew up from boyhood to manhood as an observer within the story. The author came of age along side of two of the most legendary Catskill fly tyers. Within these pages you will learn of fly tying, dry fly hackle improvement, pre-waxed thread, tools, and techniques that either were originated by, or were drastically improved by, the efforts of the Catskill dry fly tyers. There is an Appendix covering the museums that are the major repositories of the history of the Catskills and its dry fly style. The second appendix is a very interesting collection of pattern variations as tied by some of the most famous Catskill fly tyers. The writing is well done and easy to read. The fly tying sequences are very well done. The layout, design, and editing of the book are top notch. Fly tyers and fly fishers both will love this book. A must have for everyone serious about the sport of fly fishing and the hobby of fly tying.
© 2009 Bruce E Harang
Modern Midges
by Rick Takahashi & Jerry Hubka
Headwater Books
New Cumberland, PA, 2009
(Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2009)
282 pages, hard spiral bound
illustrated, color and B&W
suggested price $39.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
This well written and illustrated book may be the most comprehensive “midge” book to date. The design and layout of the book are very fly tyer friendly. The book starts out with a introductory chapter giving a good overview of what midges are to the fly fisherman, why they are important to fly fishing, and an overview of the midge life cycle to give the fly fisherman a good basis for successfully tying and fishing midge patterns. The rest of the book is broken down into two major parts and concludes with a well presented fly pattern index.
The first major part of the book is directed to tying midge patterns for all of the life stages of this important fish food source. In each life stage; larva, pupa, emerger (not a scientific life stage but a stage important to fly fishermen), and adult the book is broken down into a lead chapter giving detailed step-by-step tying instructions for the major fly styles for each stage. For example in the Larva stage there is presented tying instructions for thread bodied larva, D rib larva, and latex larva patterns. This is followed by a comprehensive list of larva patterns from all over the world.
The second major part of the book comprises twenty three sections each written by very experienced midge pattern fly fishermen on various topics concerned with successfully fishing midge patterns in flowing and still waters all over the world.
The book is bound in a spiral bound hard cover which allows easy use on the tying bench as it lays open flat on the table. The writing is well done and easy to read and understand. The editing is excellent and the photography and illustrations is top notch. The value of this well done book to the fly fisherman is far higher than the purchase price.
© 2009 Bruce E Harang
Twenty
Salmon Flies
by Michael D. Radencich
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
214 pages, hardbound + DVD
illustrated, Color
suggested price $69.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Advanced
Streamer Fishing with Kelly Galloup
by Kelly Galloup
Cascade Media Works, Inc.
www.flyfishtv.com, 2010
DVD, 90 minutes
suggested price $29.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Kelly Galloup gives a master class in his method of streamer fishing for large trout. The DVD provides the viewer with a graduate course in fly selection and streamer fishing techniques by the acknowledged premier trophy trout fisherman. The discussion of the types of flies both old and new is truly outstanding and without peer in any format. The discussion and visual illustration of successful retrieves and casting presentation is unparalleled. The discussion covers both old and new fly styles, articulated and weighted flies, fly color sequencing to keep on top of what the fish is looking for, how to present all types of streamers for the optimum effect in every type of water. This is also the only presentation that covers fishing streamers both while floating and wading. The videography, sound, and editing are of highest quality such that you are never distracted by technical issues from watching and listening to the information being presented. The value of the instruction is very much enhanced by the very professional production. Everyone that wants to actually catch a world class trophy river trout this is a must have DVD.
by Mike Lawson & Todd Lanning
Cascade Media Works, Inc.
www.flyfishtv.com, 2010
DVD, 90 minutes
suggested price $24.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
The hosts present an excellent presentation of floating and fishing the South Fork of the Snake River. The program is broken into six river segments. Each segment is a logical day float with the exception of the multiday float through the wilderness section. The hosts cover the boat ramps, the types of water to be fished on each section, the types of gear and flies, as well as the best presentations for each area of each section of the river. Fishing strategies include those using dry flies, nymphs, streamers and terrestrials. The production including the videography, sound, and editing is superb and adds to the overall effectiveness of the presentation. For everyone that plans on fishing the South Fork of the Snake this is a must have DVD.
Fly-Fishing for
Alaska’s Arctic Grayling
(Sailfish of the North)
by Cecilia “Pudge” Kleinkauf
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2009
183 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $19.95
The
Southeast’s Best Fly Fishing
by James Buice
Headwater Books
New Cumberland, PA 2009
239 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $29.95
reviewed by Bruce E. Harang
Single
– Handed Spey Casting
by Simon Gawesworth
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
248 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $39.95
The
six sections began with basics of all fly casting using well designed
line drawings to clearly convey the universal physics of casting a line
with a fly rod. No matter what cast the reader prefers, these rules
apply. No matter your casting level you will find this short chapter a
store wealth of understanding of the dynamics of the cast. The second
chapter provides information on the “To – and – Fro” and the “Continuous
Motion” types of casts. The next chapter deals with the only the forward
stroke. This stroke being found in every cast of every type means that
it is something every caster must master to become proficient. Finally,
in chapter 4, teaches how to perform the “Catch Cast” for the amusement
and amazement of your friends and fishing buddies. It also has a useful
purpose beyond that, but the startled looks of your buddies is reason
enough to learn it. The second section of the book provides the reader
with casts that overcome problems behind the fly fisherman when he is
actually fishing. These include the Roll cast, Double roll cast, Switch
cast, Single Spey and Double Spey casts, the Snake Roll, the Snap T and
a very interesting Dry Fly Spey cast. The third section deals with
problems in front of the caster and include casts which can overcome the
problems and allow for successful presentation of the fly. These include
the Side cast, the Sheperd’s Crook cast, The Reach cast, the Aerial Mend
and Slack – Line casts. Section four presents three casts that can
overcome a combination of problems front and back. These casts are some
of the most creative casts one can add to their arsenal and include the
Roll cast with Side Cut, Spey casts with Side Cut, and Sneaky Spey
casts. Section five presents advanced information and ideas to lift your
casting to a higher plane including Hauling, Advanced D Loops, Slack
Casts (poking), and Turbo casts. Each cast has its own chapter that
includes a background introduction, a call-out describing the type of
cast and when to use it, followed by excellent textual description and
photographic illustration. Where it is helpful, well designed line
drawings are also used. The final section of the book deals with rod,
line, and leader selection for various casting styles, line profiles,
type of fly being cast.
This
is an excellently designed, well written, and beautifully illustrated
volume. The single – hand caster will learn many interesting and very
useful techniques to make presenting the fly in actual fishing
conditions more successful. Moreover the information presented here is
also of great benefit to any two – hand rod caster. For the fly
fisherman this book presents solutions to many everyday presentation
problems. For the fly fisherman that is also a casting “nut” there is
great food for thought and ideas to play with “just for the love of
casting”.
Purchase this book, read it, practice what it teaches, and have a heck
of a lot of fun along way.
Fly
Casting Scandinavian Style
by Henrik Mortensen
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010 (English Edition)
192 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $39.95 USD
This is an outstanding tutorial for learning to cast in what the author describes as the Scandinavian style. Henrik Mortensen is a practical fly fisherman and this book is like its author a practical work that provides everything the reader needs to learn to fish more effectively and efficiently with a two hand rod. The basic premise of this style of casting is that the “perfect cast” is one that catches a fish. It is also one that allows you to fish all day without undue stress and fatigue. Henrik is also an accomplished designer of rods, lines, and other fly fishing gear. With this extensive background the author is able to teach the reader exactly how to choose and set up a proper Scandinavian head system including the head, the leader, the running line and the type of rod most suited to this style of two hand casting. If you have ever seen Henrik Mortensen cast you know how amazingly simple and easy he makes it look. This book is what you need to allow you to cast as easily and effectively. This English language version of the book is extremely well written. The photography is also quite outstanding and augments the text very well. The author’s analysis of the dynamics of the cast is extremely well presented. The information on creating tuned leaders alone is worth the cost of the book. The discussion on using the Riffle Hitch for dry fly fishing is outstanding. The book is well written and illustrated. The design and publication is top notch. This no nonsense approach utilizes a simple gear system, and only a few casts done from both the left side and the right side of the body. The information on how to use this simple system to effectively fish from 30 feet to whatever distance you need will allow the reader to learn to fish all the water from both sides of the river. For those who love practical casting as much as the fishing the thoughtful discussions on what makes an effective cast will be most welcome. Henrik Mortensen provides exciting and provocative ideas, as well as an effective fishing system within this lovely book.
Trout Lessons
by Ed Engle
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
184 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $29.95
The
book opens with a chapter on nymphing techniques to allow the angler to
more clearly and often feel the strike. This is followed by a chapter on
fishing attractor flies and one on tight-line tactics. Ideas and methods
for fishing meadow streams, small streams and streams experiencing
high-water conditions are also discussed. There is also a chapter on
techniques for catching difficult trout. While the author doesn’t
present any new material it comprises ideas, strategies, and food for
thought which may well allow the reader to find more success or salvage
an otherwise difficult set of fishing conditions. This book is an easy
pleasant read which is well written and edited. It is accompanied by
excellent pictures and diagrams which illustrate the text very well.
Check
this volume out. If it addresses the kind of water you fish it may fill
a niche in your knowledge base and your library.
by René Harrop
Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
214 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $39.95
The
book presents no new patterns. The tried and true René Harrop designed
patterns of the past several decades are highlighted. The author’s
methods of presentation are fully described though they too are not new.
This is really the story of one man’s love of spring creek trout and
fishing. And while it is a good story it is not an easy read. The
chapters are written as if they were a collection of magazine articles
assembled into a single volume without editing. This presents the reader
with a massive amount of repetitive material. For those that enjoy
fishing the René Harrop CDC flies you will very much like this book.
Otherwise the book presents what can only be described as a tedious
read.
Tying
& Fishing Tailwater Flies
by Pat Dorsey
Headwater Books/Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
196 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B & W
suggested price $39.95