There are some tremendous resources on the history of fly fishing out there. There are also lots and lots of subpar books and blog articles out there, many which repeat the same ideas and (sometimes) myths. Usually the latter are accessible and the former are daunting. Ian Whitelaw’s The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies …
Why buy a cumbersome fly fishing guidebook when all that information is on the internet? Why purchase something that is just going to be out of date in a few seasons anyway? Today I share why fly fishing guidebooks are not only helpful, but important to anglers. There is indeed a wealth of access and …
There are plenty of “how-to” fly fishing books out there for beginners. Nearly all of them are informative. Many of them are a bit dry, which isn’t a surprise given the fact that they are essentially textbooks. Michael Klimkos’ Introduction to Fly Fishing is hardly tedious. It is written in an engaging style, lending itself …
Once more, we are turning to a title that finds its origin in Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley. While not his seminal fly fishing work, Rising Trout by Charles Fox is a fantastic addition to any angler’s library. This is also an interesting example of where a reprint is of different value than a first edition. The …
Used bookstores are treasure troves for readers of fly fishing content. I don’t think I’ve ever been in an establishment that deals in previously owned books where there hasn’t been at least a row devoted to fly fishing. It is great for discovering hidden gems or taking a chance on a random title. But if …
Stories of the hunt have been told as long as we’ve been eating meat. Whether it be woolly mammoth or rainbow trout, everyone loves a good story. Because they’re on the water so much, guides usually have a pretty robust back catalog of tales to tell. In Reelly and Reel Salty, Ryan Johnston compiles more …
I am well aware that a lot of people have strong feelings about giant corporations. And it is not lost on me that among readers, Amazon gets mixed reviews. While I advocate for patronizing local bookstores and fly shops that carry books, hopping online and getting two day delivery not only meets a lot of …
Anthologies of fly fishing writing are not uncommon. With enough time, the public domain presents a vast array of content to choose from. Consequently, there is a variety of quality on bookshelves. One example of a great collection of fly fishing writing, however, comes in the form of Tight Lines: Ten Years of the Yale …
Recently I hit the “50” mark on my fly fishing book review series on YouTube. I’ve filmed myself doing “show and tell” with over 60 books, and it has been a lot of fun. Today on the podcast, I talk about some thoughts (five, to be precise) I have on reading fly fishing books. There …
There are a handful of very valid reasons why you wouldn’t use this book. At the same time, if you did happen to have it on your shelf it could be valuable to you. How could both be true? Well, Mark Williams’ Trout Fishing Sourcebook is absolutely chock-full of information. In fact, it might be …
