Beaucatcher Fly Fishing Guide Service Vancouver Washington Book Reviews Page 21

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.

Essential Knots book cover image

Essential Knots & Rigs for Trout
by Joe Mahler
Headwater Books/Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
92 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $14.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

This pocket sized volume contains a small but effective assortment of knots which will allow fly fishermen, particularly trout fishermen, to assemble and maintain a complete fly line system. The book is broken down into sections based on the use of the knots; including attaching the backing to the reel and the fly line, fly line to leader or leader butt, leader to tippet, and tippet to fly. Each section has about a half dozen appropriate knots including both classical knots and newer glued splices and connections for braided materials. There are also sections on making leaders, fishing rigs, and using indicators. The text is concise and easy to read and understand. The illustrations are extremely well done and very illustrative of the subject at hand. And it is one of the very few published works detailing the tying of fishing knots using a pair of forceps.
The quality of the work and production of this book is top notch. This is a volume most fly fishermen will find helpful. The price is quite low for the quality of the information and the production of the book.

Montana's Best Fly Fishing Book cover image

Montana’s Best Fly Fishing
by Ben Romans
Headwater Books/Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, PA 2010
283 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $29.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

A very well written, illustrated, and produced volume detailing fly fishing in some of Montana’s most popular waters. Eighteen of the most famous rivers are covered in this volume including; the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Gallatin, Madison, Jefferson, Beaverhead, Big Hole, Rock Creek, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Missouri, Smith, Kootenai, Flathead, South Fork Flathead, Middle Fork Flathead, and North Fork Flathead. Each river section includes a site map with state location map insert, a general description of the river and its fish, when and where to fish, hatches and productive flies and rigs, a graphical hatch chart, directions to fishing access points, and recipes and photographs of suitable fly patterns. The writing style is easy to read and comprehend. The graphics and photographs are very high quality. The photographs of the rivers are well done in that they give the reader a “sense of place”. If you are new to trout fly fishing in Montana this is a must have volume that will become a good friend. If you are a veteran of the Montana Rivers, this volume will very likely provide you with some new options and ideas. This is a beautiful volume providing the reader with good value.

Classical Controversies book cover image

Classical Controversies
by Lawrence Threadgold
Self Published via Lulu Books
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=7&fSearch=Classical+Controversies
116 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $31.72

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

A very interesting little volume directed to the age old fireside discussion (sometimes heated) regarding wet fly versus dry and upstream presentation versus down. This is a well written overview of the history of these differences of opinion by some of the most influential fly fishers of the past two centuries. The illustrations, especially the reproductions of old materials, are well done and very interesting in their own right. The list of references is important as it lists the published sources documenting these arguments which allow those interested a clear avenue to follow upon. The author ends the book with a suggested basis of consensus to rationalize the various views. Interesting food for thought is presented in the proposed Fly-fisherman’s Code, though fireside chats are going to be a lot less colorful if it is widely adopted. This is an excellent overview of some of the most controversial aspects in the history of fly fishing.

Babine
by Pierce Clegg & Peter McMullan
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2009
192 pages, hardbound
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $49.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

Fly fishing has always had the good fortune to be well documented. And while there has been much that has been lost due to failure to record events, even more has been saved. This book is one of those fortunate recording. Here is a glimpse into the very birth of the legend of a steelhead fly fishing river. The Babine River is truly one of the quintessential steelhead rivers. This book tells the story of the early years of trout fishing and steelhead fishing with a fly on the Babine. Not by third party research or by retelling of saga, but by the people who lived the legend and in fact made the legend by their very deeds and efforts. With a well designed mix of first person remembrance and saved documents we have a story spanning from “once upon a time”….up to present day. It is all here, the dreams and the dangerous events that have shaped a river over a half a century.

The writing is easy to read and interesting. The editing and book design are very well executed. The illustrations and photographs are outstanding. There are beautiful end papers, superb drawings, and lovely photographs. Just as importantly, there are “pictures” of the people and places that have become integral to the legend. The quality of the book far exceeds its price. And the proceeds go, in part, to the protection of the Babine River by donation to the Babine Watershed Monitoring Trust. A most worthwhile read.

The Source – New Zealand
by Nick Reygaert
Gin-Clear Media Productions
www.gin-clear.com, Te Anau, NZ, 2010
DVD, 61 minutes + 15 minutes Featurette & Trailer, color
suggested price $29.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

This DVD presents a fishing travelogue sampler of the tremendous variety of back country trout fishing in New Zealand. From remote tiny mountain creeks and alpine lakes the producer takes you across New Zealand following the water from mountain top to the surf. Highlighted in this second DVD of a series is remote hike-in mountain creek fishing for Brown trout, alpine lake fishing for Brown and Rainbow trout during aquatic insect hatches, and sight fishing for trophy sized trout of double digit weight. In following the water flow you are then taken to lowland placid rivers and finally to surf side. The diversity of the terrain and vegetation is beautifully captured. The underwater photography is absolutely stunning. The fishermen presenting each venue once again exhibit not only good fishing technique but a real love of the sport and the quarry. The videography and sound are excellent and the editing is superb. The mix of fishing, narrative, interview, and geography are very well designed and executed. The featurette on making the movie reveals the huge effort involved in making this DVD as well as introducing the prettiest key grip in New Zealand. The trailer is an excellent promo for the original DVD in this series. The music throughout the movie is well done and well chosen to compliment the movie. This is a wonderful fly fishing adventure where even watching simply for the beauty of the images is definitely worth the price.

St. Anthony’s Creek
by Mike Rahtz
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2010
99 pages, softbound
illustrated, B&W with some Color
suggested price $16.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

This is a small cartoon style volume for those interested in learning to fly fish reminiscent of Curtis Creek Manifesto (1978). The book contains eight chapters which provide a concise introductory course to small stream trout fly fishing. These eight chapters cover gearing up, rigging the gear, casting, fly selection, basic fly tying, stalking fish, angling techniques, and preparing trout you decide to keep. The prose is easy to read. The cartoon style is light hearted and helps a beginner through what can be a daunting learning curve. The light humor combined with a number of funny cartoon panels makes this a good way to get anyone of any age interested in fly fishing. At fewer than one hundred pages it is not too long to become tedious and not too short to provide a sound set of building blocks. This looks like a great teaching aid for children and spouses as it will even make an over critical fly fishing spouse or parent bearable.

Tenkara
by Kevin C. Kelleher, MD, with Misako Ishimura
Lyons Press
Guilford, CT, 2011
145 pages, softbound
illustrated, B&W
suggested price $19.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

             As cognac is the highly distilled essence of fermented white wine grapes from the Cognac region of France, so Tenkara is the highly distilled essence of fly fishing for trout from the small mountain streams of Japan. And in keeping with the idea of only the essentials this small volume provides the essence of Tenkara. The reader is presented with a short history and simple directions allowing the reader to begin fly fishing, or begin fly fishing more simply, while allowing self discovery. Within 146 pages is found what gear is needed, how to assembly it, and how to use it successfully. Originally developed for small stream fishing, the information within this volume also shares thoughts on using Tenkara for fishing larger waters including lakes. Included is the essence tying traditional Tenkara flies and furling traditional fly lines, along with how to use modern Western flies, modern entomology, fish other than trout with this very basic tackle and simple techniques. Also discussed are the ease backpacking with this simple system, and the ease of learning for both children and women.
            Here is a superb teaching tool to introduce anyone to fly fishing in a pressure free manner that will allow everyone to realize success in fly casting through self experimentation. There is an old saying, “tools do not make the craftsman”. Tenkara and this book prove this is also so for fly fishing. This small volume is a pleasure to read and an inspiration for all who wish to learn to cast a fly to a fish.
            The book is very well written in and easy to read style that simultaneously does a great job of transferring information. A well developed Index increases the usefulness of the book. The pencil illustrations are a wonderful compliment to the simplicity of the subject matter. The editing and design of the book further enhance the idea of simplicity.

Idaho River Maps cover photo Idaho River Maps & Fishing Guide

by Frank Amato Publications
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2010
47 pages, softbound
illustrated, color
suggested price $25.00

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

This is a beautifully illustrated large format fishing map book covering the major fishing rivers of Idaho. This book is the sixth in a series of such volumes covering a major portion of the far West. The book opens with an Idaho map showing the location and name of the thirty rivers presented. This is followed by a page of color illustrations of the Idaho sport fish you will find in these waters, a short introduction, and two pages of color popular trout flies. and another of popular lures, followed in turn by four pages of general fishing techniques, a page of popular fishing knots and finally a page containing a hatch chart and photos of a number of common aquatic insects. All of these pages are well illustrated in color. The balance of the book is full-page maps of a particular river or a section of a particular river as the length of the river dictates. Also included on each page is a fishing calendar giving the best times of year to fish, a list of services in the area, general river information, a map legend, and a short description of the river and the fishing and fish to be found.

Overall, this is a beautifully done fishing map book of Idaho. Like most maps though, you should double check particulars like currently open boat launches and park fees when you arrive or just before you head out.

Leaves from a Steelheader cover photo Leaves from a Steelheader’s Diary

by John Alevras
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2010
158 pages hardbound
illustrated, B&W
suggested price $34.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

The author presents a total of forty-six sketches from his years of keeping a fishing journal. Twenty-nine of these short sketches (as short as a paragraph to as long as several pages) are from his fishing on the Babine River and seventeen are from his fishing on the Kispiox River. These sketches contain events that include Steelhead, river scenes, wildlife, and people living on or visiting these rivers. Reading these sketches will trigger the fishing events and characters in the lives of the readers and make for a lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening when fishing is out of the question. The book is nicely written and well edited. The quality of the printing and materials is excellent. The pencil drawings by Eldridge Hardie are superb and are well matched to the content of the book. The addition of a ribbon book marker is a very nice touch. While this is a well written and produced volume, one should review its offering carefully before placing its hefty price on the barrel head.

Atlantic Salmon Magic
by Topher Browne
Wild River Press,
Mill Creek, WA, 2011
462 pages, hardbound + DVD “Home for Salmon”
illustrated, Color and B&W
suggested price $100.00

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

            On several levels this is the finest comprehensive modern volume on the subject of fly fishing for Atlantic salmon. The photography and artwork of Atlantic salmon and their environs is coffee table quality. Even the end papers are masterpieces. The design, editing and especially the writing are simply superb. The author’s writing style is easy to read and informative with a dry humor that keeps the technical sections light. Most importantly the author actually has something to say, and he says it well.
            The book opens with magnificent photographs and artwork of Atlantic salmon and their rivers starting with the cover end papers. The first chapter contains a short life history of the fish which gives a good overview of the Atlantic salmon and its travels from birth to spawning accompanied by great photography and well designed migration charts. The second chapter describes a common sense approach to increasing the odds of finding and hooking up with an Atlantic salmon. Following this is a discussion of reading Salmon water. This detailed discussion with well designed illustrations when learned will top great casting, large fly selection, and aggressive wading every time.
            Probably the best visual chapter is of the one hundred currently most popular Atlantic salmon flies. This chapter opens with a discussion of fly design as a function of water conditions, Atlantic salmon physiology, and presentation method. Next the fly patterns are broken down into sections for dry flies, hitched flies, and wet flies. Each pattern comprises a rather small image of the pattern, the name, tier, pattern, and a section containing fishing notes and history. The pattern images don’t do the photographer justice though they clearly illustrate the pattern. However, the full page and two page images of traditional Spey flies are truly outstanding.
            The next four chapters discuss actual fishing of dry flies, rifling hitched flies, wet flies, and sunk flies in a straight forward manner giving sound advice and practical techniques. The text is accompanied, in each chapter, by excellent photography, illustrations, and diagrams. The discussion of fishing the rifling hitch is particularly illuminating and also exceptionally well illustrated. Next is a chapter discussing suitable equipment including rods, reels, lines, leaders, and a minimalist approach to practical fishing knots, waders, and clothing. This is very good advice which is focused on performance not solely price. Following next is a well written chapter on necessary techniques for single hand and Spey casting, wading, playing, landing, and releasing a Salmon, and finally fishing fitness.
            The final two chapters provide a realistic overview of where to fish for Atlantic salmon the world over as well as provide a good entry point into arranging to fish a particular river or watershed. The volume finishes with a well designed appendix, bibliography, and very useable index. But don’t stop yet. Turn the last several pages for some absolutely stunning photographs and then look inside the back cover for a copy of the DVD of Atlantic salmon fishing and restoration in Russia.
            This is a magnificent volume well worth the price and one that will only increase in value over time. It is also a benchmark work which is a must have for any Atlantic salmon fly fisher as well as any hardcore Steelheader.

100 Best Flies for Atlantic Salmon
by Topher Browne
Wild River Press,
Mill Creek, WA, 2011
240 pages, flexible hardbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $25.00

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

If there was one shortcoming in the Atlantic Salmon Magic volume it was the size and quality of the fly pattern image reproductions. While they were clearly serviceable they were not up to the quality of the rest of the photographs and artwork in that magnificent volume. This 6” x 9” format companion volume certainly corrects that one shortcoming. On facing pages are the pattern name, tier, and recipe with a full page, full color image of the pattern. These photographs do full justice to not only the flies but also to the photographer. The book contains all 100 patterns in Atlantic Salmon Magic and also includes 10 more popular patterns. In its’ own right it is a superlative fly tying pattern book of the world’s best Atlantic salmon fly patterns. As a companion volume it completes a truly benchmark work. At the asking price it is a tremendous value and must have volume.

Hatch Guide for Upper Midwest Streams
by Ann R. Miller
Frank Amato Publications, Inc.
Portland, OR, 2011
348 pages, softbound
illustrated, Color
suggested price $29.95

reviewed by Bruce E. Harang

Don't let the small format size; of this fine book fool you. As you are well aware, the aquatic insects of the Upper Midwest have an honored place in American fly fishing as they live on some of the most historically important rivers and streams in the country including Hemmingway’s Big Two – Hearted River. The format size of approximately 4" by 6" only means you can carry this valuable resource in your jacket or vest pocket for use in the field. The first thing that grabs your attention when you peruse this book is the outstanding quality of the photography. Once you start reading this book in earnest, you find that the editing and layout are also of the highest caliber. The only other fly fishing publisher with the same high standard of editing is the Lyons Press. The layout is especially well suited to using this book for tying flies to match the hatch. Each left-hand page has a quality photo of the actual insect on the top third of the page. The bottom two thirds of each page contains information on the name of the insect or class of insects, physical description, as well as habitat and geographic preferences, habits and movement patterns. On the facing right-hand page is a photo depicting suitable imitations covering the top one third of the page. The bottom two thirds of the page continues the information from the left-hand page. All of the major aquatic insects important to trout are covered including Mayflies, Caddis flies, Stoneflies, True flies, Damsel & Dragon flies, true midges, terrestrials, and other food sources of value to the fly fisherman in the pursuit of trout with a fly. If that is not enough there s also a comprehensive list of fly patterns and a regional hatch chart. The book is completed by the reproductions of several wonderful paintings by Jonathan Higgins. At $50.00, this small format book would be a valuable resource. At $29.95, it is a valuable undervalued resource. If you fly fish for trout, or wish to, anywhere in the Upper Midwest, you must have this wonderful volume. It will soon become a good friend.

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