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Individual taste in books varies as much as the favorite rod or fly. With that in mind, we hope to review books and videos from the ever-growing fly fishing world, and share them with you. Books will be the best of all worlds, new and old. Many of the old books are now available in reprint, and the wisdom contained is timely today. Others can be found in second-hand book stores, or by mail order dealers. As we find videos we feel are outstanding they will be included. Be assured, reviews are based on what we have actually read or viewed, and due to that fact, may not appear weekly.
THE PRACTICAL ANGLER together with A CAUTION TO ANGLERS
The Practical Angler was first published in 1857. This edition was published in 2009 by The Fly Fishers Classic Library. A Caution to Anglers was first published in 1871. This edition is 301 pages. ISBN 978-1-904784020-3. The Fly Fisher’s Classic Library, and Imprint of Coch-y-Bonddu-Books LTD, Machynlleth, Powys SY20 8DG. 19.95 Pounds
For information on-line visit: www.ffcl.com or www.anglebooks.com
A Book Review By: Tom Travis
This book is truly one of the Classic volumes of historical fly fishing literature. The Practical Angler was to have a decided impact on fly fishing theory; this book was read by Halford, Skues, Mottram and many others. One of the great ideas of this volume was to fish ones flies up and across stream with attention to approach and angle of cast and drift that had not been discussed by previous authors.
This method of fishing to visible feeding trout was not developed for use with the Dry Flies (which was barely a blip on the radar at that time). This method was developed for fishing wet flies to visible feeding trout.
That is only part of what this wonderful volume has to offer the angler who decide to turn the pages and wander the streams of yesteryear with this innovative angler.
From a historical point of view, John Waller Hills, Arnold Gingrich, James Robb, Conrad Voss Bark, Ernest Schwiebert and Vince Marinaro all acknowledge the remarkable contribution of this outstanding volume to history and knowledge base of Fly Fishing.
Another remarkable fact is that Stewart wrote this enduring work when he was twenty four years old.
This book is filled with insight and practical knowledge which is as true today as the day it was written. What were Stewart theories on wet flies; were they drowned adults or what we now call emergers?
To find the answers, you will have to read this timeless Classic.
I have, many times.