Fly Fishing Books, XIV

For over a year and a half, I’ve been putting reviews of fly fishing books on YouTube. It has been a lot of fun to talk about new titles and share some of my favorite books from the history of angling. This has been a great way to augment the dozens of articles posted about fly fishing books from the past decade on this site.

But not everyone who looks at Casting Across clicks over to YouTube.  So while some of the books I’m sharing below have been the subjects of full length videos, they are good enough to share again. I’ve enjoyed all four of these titles, and all of them are worth seeking out.

As I’ve done for all of the entries in my “Fly Fishing Books” series, I’ve spread the selections over three rough categories:

  • Guide (regional, site specific)
  • Technical (methods, locations, fly tying)
  • Literature (novels, biographies, history)

Check out one kind of each book, why I suggest it, and a bonus read below. And follow the links in the headings to get a copy for yourself.

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Podcast Ep. 403: Why Fish Downstream?

Let me start off by saying that fly fishing downstream is not my method of choice. It is harder. It is a lower probability approach. It is less than ideal.

But sometimes it is necessary.

Today I talk through three situations that might demand a downstream presentation. Even though all those caveats are probably still in play, fishing from an upstream position might be the only play at a particular fish. And all that said, there are better ways to do it if you must.

*Note* My dislike of fly fishing downstream is pragmatic, not wrapped up in ethics or tradition.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: The Longest Fly Fishing Book

Coming in at over 1,700 pages, Ernest Schwiebert’s Trout is a massive marvel of angling literature. But don’t let the page count make you nervous… there are a few pictures here and there.

Genuinely, Trout is a very readable work. Taking it all in  cover-to-cover might be a bit much, but the six “books” within the book are each digestible. Schwiebert expertly writes about everything from history to biology to technique.

Although first editions come at a high cost, the work is worth seeking out in any way you can get ahold of it for its content and position in the library of fly fishing.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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Propellers & Light Angling Heresy

At first blush, it is a bit sacrilegious.  Nestled in between spoons and spinners in a brightly colored blister pack, it can’t be a fly. And it has propellers for goodness’ sake. Propellers! Rubber legs we can deal with. Gummy-bodied saltwater patterns produce fish. Mop flies have grown on us. But propellers? Are we not civilized? If you cut us, do we not bleed tweed?

Hi-Country Flies’ “Pistol Pete” forces fly fishers to contend with some of the arbitrariness of what separates a fly from a lure. And asking this question introduces a whole host of other queries regarding what is in and out of orthodoxy. But for most devotees of catching fish, pragmatism is a defining characteristic of their angling worldview.

Case in point: The first time I fished a fly it was  behind a clear plastic float.

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Podcast Ep. 402: The Tiniest Blue Lines

How small is too small? Well, there is certainly a line. But small almost always gets bigger.

When scouting for trout, that last sentiment is helpful to remember. Just because a blue line on your map doesn’t immediately yield fish, it isn’t automatic that you should abandon all hope. You might just need to go a little higher up. Or, to rule out a host of other potentially complicating factors it might be best to start at the top and work your way down.

I talk through this approach to tiny blue lines and more on this week’s episode.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Fly Fishing Book Q&A

I like your questions so much, I decided to share them again. This time, I’m addressing what you’ve asked as it pertains to fly fishing books. And it is, like most of my fly fishing book content these days, on YouTube.

After 70+ fly fishing book review videos, I’ve collected quite a few questions from readers. Everything I touch on in this video has been topics that multiple viewers have asked about. That said, I hope it is relevant and helpful for you.

Now a question for you:

What is your favorite fly fishing book?

Let me know in the comments below. While my “to read” pile isn’t getting any shorter, there is no reason I can’t add to it for a rainy day.

Watch my answers to your questions below:

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Fly Rod FAQs: Rod Reviews, Price Tags, & Nose Grease

Humility is important when it comes to any kind of instruction. To that end, it is best to remember that none of us came into this world expert in anything good or worthwhile. We had to learn. And we often learned by asking questions.

I was fortunate to have a well-stocked angling section in a public library at my disposal when I started fly fishing. Later, I was able to build relationships with patient fly shop employees and fellow anglers. I asked a lot of questions. These queries ranged from cost to maintenance to “what is the absolute perfect rod for this specific scenario?” And I’m thankful to have received pretty good answers.

Below are five more questions I’ve answered (and asked) about fly rods. They’re also tacked onto the ever-expanding running list of frequently asked questions here on Casting Across, which is linked to at the end of the article.

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Podcast Ep. 401: Fly Fishing Accusations, XL

XL as in 40. But, seeing as I nearly doubled the listener feedback I addressed in this episode, I suppose XL works on a couple of levels.

One of my favorite kinds of episode to record are these regular opportunities to respond to readers, listeners, and viewers of content on Casting Across. I feel privileged that you take the time to consume what I produce, and even more so when you reach out.

Today’s topics include:

  • Stream temperatures
  • Fly rod prices
  • Wader repair
  • Angling authors
  • & podcast audio!

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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VIDEO: Wonderful Water Lines

A good storyteller can talk about pretty much anything and enthrall his audience. How much better is it to have a good storyteller who freely shares tale after tale about the natural world and fly fishing?

Such is the case with Riverhorse Nakadate’s Water Lines. This 2026 publication from Patagonia is an absolute delight. Using his superb way with words, Riverhorse takes readers across the globe and back to his humble Texas bungalow. The destination is always fish. The journeys are as varied as they come, with his joyful perspective and canoe being the common threads.

I can’t recommend Water Lines highly enough. In a relatively crowded bookshelf it is truly a delight.

Watch what else I have to say about the book and find out where you can pick up your own copy below:

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You, Me, & 400 Fly Fishing Podcast Episodes

The most recent episode of the podcast was number 400. And while I acknowledge that putting it together has taken a commitment on my part, your buy-in and support has been the most impressive  facet of this whole enterprise.

So, what is the state of  things at this modest milestone? This is what I wrote  in December of 2018, when I launched the Casting Across Fly Fishing Podcast:

On the podcast, you’ll hear me discuss the people, places, and things that go into the pursuit of fish in my particular way. This medium gives me the opportunity to revisit  concepts that I’ve  previously written about, and also to touch on the quarry and culture of fly fishing in ways that the written word won’t allow. I get to use inflection. I get to use run-on sentences. I get to restate things I wish I would have said differently. Moreover, I get to potentially expose another audience to Casting Across.

I can say for certain that things have gone the way that I planned. Retracing ground I cover in my writing really rounds out how I think about and address topics. Inserting commentary and little asides allows for more of my personality to shine through. But again, the most significant element of the podcast is exposing more people to Casting Across and my take on fly fishing.

That said, may I ask a favor? Share the podcast with someone. Pass it along to a fly fishing friend.  Post it on the message board or angling channels to which you subscribe. Listen to it with your kids in the car. These are the ways that it has grown to this point, and it is how I anticipate it will keep growing.

Want a few episodes that would be good launching points into the back catalog? Below I have the top three episodes of all time and the top three from this last year. They really do a good job of covering the content waterfront from Casting Across:

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