In the digital age, the written word still matters. As a big fan of print, I was happy to see several new books on varying subjects hit the shelves in 2017. The acquisition of angling knowledge can do more for your fly game than any new rod or reel. Here are a few new titles worth a read.
Atlantic Salmon Flies
Jacques Héroux’s new offering, Atlantic Salmon Flies, is a must-have for any serious Atlantic salmon angler or tier. In both English and French, Héroux, an accomplished fly tier in his own right, covers nearly 300 salmon patterns, and their tying recipes, with the help of renowned tiers like Allen Kay, Marc LeBlanc, Marc A. LeBlanc, Paul LeBlanc, Bob MacDonald, Steve Silverio, and Frank Walsh.
The book is comprised of an introduction that covers salmon fly tying from past to present; four sections on bombers and dry flies, bugs, streamers, and wet flies; and finishes with profiles on each of the tiers that are pivotal to the text.
Many of the patterns that Héroux highlights are classics, belonging in every angler’s box, and each of the tiers provides a look at regional patterns that are generally overlooked in other salmon-fly books.
Quality photos and layout bound with a spiral binding make it a perfect companion on any tying desk. I know it looks great on mine.
https://gooselane.com/collections/new/products/atlantic-salmon-flies-mouches-pour-le-saumon-atlantique-english-french-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-864929730
MSRP: $24.95
A Concise History of Fly Fishing
Is there anything better than understanding where this all came from? The origins and lineage of fly fishing might not be important to all who pick up a rod, but they are to me. I didn’t have time for a thorough perusal of author Glenn Law’s A Concise History of Fly Fishing, but a quick skim piqued my interest. Law covers the earliest Egyptian copper hooks dating to 2600 B.C. and the first recordings of catch-and-release fishing to its evolution in the Western world and the sport we enjoy today.
https://www.facebook.com/Rainstone-Press-154454434592939/
ISBN-13: 978-0-9857783-2-3
MSRP: $19.95 U.S.
Hunting Musky with a Fly
Rick Kustich might be better known for his angling books on steelhead tube flies and Great Lakes techniques, but in his latest offering, Hunting Musky with a Fly, he delves into subject matter that has fascinated him most of his life. The book is based on 25 years of experience chasing muskies with a fly.
He covers the full spectrum including fly patterns, techniques from top guides, and explanations of the roles of water temperature, moon phases, and other key elements.
http://www.rickkustich.com/weblog/hunting-musky-with-a-fly
ISBN: 978-0-8117-1357-3
MSRP: $39.95 U.S.
Megan Boyd The story of a Salmon Flydresser
Few people have ever “made it” as a professional classic salmon fly tier, and few have attracted more praise and curiosity than Megan Boyd. In 1935, Megan moved into a small cottage in the Highlands of Scotland where she lived without electricity or running water until the 1980s. Visiting anglers from all over the world would stop in to place orders and watch her tie flies. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to spend a few days with Megan, and those hours in her tying cottage listening to her advice on materials and patterns had a lasting impact on me.
Derek Mills and Jimmy Younger’s book Megan Boyd The story of a Salmon Flydresser looks at one of the world’s finest salmon fly tiers.
http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=184&categoryId=6
ISBN: 978-1-910723-24-1
MSRP: £20.00
Nymphing — The New Way
If you know nothing about French nymphing, or European nymphing as it is often known, Jonathan White’s Nymphing — the New Way, French leader fishing for trout is a book worth purchasing. Ultra-long tapered leaders are used to reduce drag and improve fly presentation. The book covers sight nymphing, short and long-range indicator nymphing, and tips for fishing in all types of rivers and stillwaters.
http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=173&categoryId=6
ISBN: 978-1-910723-22-7
MSRP: £20.00
The Tug Is the Drug
Author Chris Santella is best known for his book Fifty Places To Fly Fish Before You Die. But in his new publication The Tug Is the Drug, he offers over 30 essays on the addiction of fishing, from leaping makos to midnight Atlantic salmon, and even an unauthorized account of Bob Dylan’s 1970s obsession with fishing.
http://www.stackpolebooks.com/book/9780811719636
ISBN: 978-0-8117-1963-6
MSRP: $24.95 U.S.
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