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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.
LaFontaine's Legacy
Recently we spoke to Al and Gretchen Beatty about providing a fly pattern for the Fly of the Week. They graciously sent us “The House Fly” which we featured in our last issue. [May 31 – June 7] A few days later a package arrived in our mail box and it was copy of “LaFontaine’s Legacy” by Al and Gretchen Beatty. While not a new release [copyright 2008] it was new to me, and I thought it was possible that other fly fishers had missed this publication.
The book contains fly patterns developed by the late Gary LaFontaine. Gary died of Lou Gehrig’s in 2002, and although I lived in close proximity to him for many years I never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. However, I purchased and read his many books and articles that he published over the years, and used many of his innovative techniques in my own fly tying and pattern development. In this book Al and Gretchen present twenty-six patterns each liberally and clearly illustrated in a step-by-step manner.
This book is a fitting tribute to one of America’s great innovative fly-tiers, and deserves a place on the book shelf of every fly tier that wishes to improve and enhance their fly tying ability.
LaFontaines’ Legacy, The Last Flies From An American Master
Al and Gretchen Beatty
The Lyons Press, Fly Tyer Books
Copyright 2008
ISBN 978-1-59921-275-3
$29.95