Product Review

Avid sport fishermen will treasure this book€"which is nearly as beautiful as the objects it describes. Fly-tying is a highly prized fisherman€s craft, but it€s also an art form, wonderfully captured in this volume€s hundreds of color photos. Each of 100 fly patterns is presented in a two-page spread: an enlarged photo and textual description on the left-hand page, complemented with a set of step-by-step, clearly captioned photos on the facing page. In addition, fishing enthusiasts will find sections on fly-tying tools and materials plus general instructions for getting started. The author, a well-known fly-tier and sport fisherman gives instructions on making traditional trout and salmon flies€"all of them fish catchers of proven effectiveness in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Examples vary in complexity, with patterns to fit every skill level from novice to expert fly-tier. Here are dry flies, nymphs and bugs, wet flies, streamers, and hairwings€"a virtually complete selection of traditional and up-to-date examples of the art. The book€s hidden spiral binding keeps its pages opened flat, which makes it ideal for reference at the workbench. More than 600 color photos.