Essential Trout Flies $19.95

 Another Great Book by Hughes.  I know, on the cover, the first thing right after the title is the statement "Step-by-Step tying instructions for 31 indispensable pattern styles and their most useful variations" but don't let that fool you.  This isn't a book just about tying.  Each section has an explanation of why he selected those patterns and how to fish them.

So this is a book for tiers and just plain fly fishers alike.  If, like many, you are wrestling  with the age old question of "which flies should I carry to cover most of my fly fishing situations" I strongly recommend this book.  It not only tells you which ones, but how to tie them, fish them and why they work so well.

Here's an excerpt from Chapter One - Fly Pattern Simplicity:
"If you fill two boxes with a somewhat disciplined array of fly styles, chosen for their coverage of a wide range of trout food forms, you'll have a basic set of flies that prepare you to catch trout no matter where in the world you travel to fish.  The same two fly boxes also assure your success over the widest range of fishing conditions on your own home waters."

And another from Chapter Three - Dry Flies, Subsection, Traditional Dries
"Traditional dry float well if treated with dry-fly floatant, always best used before fishing the fly.  Whenever you encounter a hatch of mayflies on somewhat rough water - anything but a spring creek or tailwater flat - capture a natural and try the traditional dry that's closest to it ins size and color.  If no hatch is happening , try the Adams, Light Cahill, or even a Royal Coachman as a searching dressing - the drab Adams if you can see it a brighter fly if you cannot."

And a final excerpt from Chapter Three - Dry Flies, Subsection, Stonefly Drys
"Nearly all stonefly species crawl out of the water as nymphs, at dusk or after dark, before emerging into adults.  you do not fish over hatches. Instead, you fish along the banks when the adults fall to the water or over riffles and runs during a late-afternoon or evening egg-depositing flight.
Whenever you see stoneflies crawling around in streamside vegetation, cast to the edge currents, no more than 3 feet out from the bank, being sure to probe up under brush, trees, and overhanging grasses. If masses of stoneflies take to the air, capture one, match it, and fish your fly to the splashy rises of the naturals."

 The Dry Fly sections covers: Traditional Drys, Hairwing Duns, Sparkle Duns, Thorax Duns, Spentwing Spinners, Wulffs, Humpies, Parachute Dry Flies, Elk Hair Caddis, Quill-Wing Caddis, Stonefly Drys, Traditional Midge Drys and the Griffith's Gnat, Grasshopper and Cricket Drys, and finally CDC Dry Flys.  Then he goes on to Nymphs, Wet Flys and Streamers and covers them as thoroughly as the does Dry Flys.

Oh, did I mention he shows you Step-by-Step tying instructions also. 

A good book but right now our shopping cart is not working so if you would like to order a copy from us e-mail me at ffo@maineflyfishing.com or call us at (207) 453-6242