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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 24 Greatest Flies
The 24 Greatest Flies
You Don’t Leave Home Without
(An Indispensable Guide)
By Robert J. Sousa, Ph.D.
Reviewed By Deanna Travis
The publishing world seems to be growing, a new book in from a previously unknown (to us) publisher, Husking Bee Books, Warren Rhode Island. We’ve had several books in this summer from other publishers we have rarely heard from, perhaps they are expanding their reviewers list - but some I know are just plain new. In the computer age I personally think that’s a good thing.
The author, Robert J. Sousa, widely acclaimed for initiating the Fly Fishing Merit Badge for the Boy Scouts of America, wrote his latest book by drawing on his deep understanding of fish behavior. He has a Ph.D. in fisheries sciences and worked for the U.S. Fishing and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years. Combining this knowledge with decades of old-time-testing techniques, Sousa understands fish habitat like few others.
Each of the 24 flies on the authors list has a description and history of the fly, for example the CDC emerger: “In my earlier book, Learn to Fly Fish in 24 Hours, I featured and showed how to tie the CDC emerger. I am not its originator and unfortunately I just can’t remember who taught it to me. Nevertheless, perhaps Gary LaFontaine’s Emergent Sparkle Pupa (size 16) served as the inspiration. Orvis and Dan Bailey’s (www.dan-bailey.com) offers the best commercially available imitations I can find. Orvis lists it as the Hare Emerger (J93PG). Bailey’s call it the CDC Sparkle Dun in dark and light olive, sizes 18 and 20. So when you see trout sipping something small off the surface and need a very small fly to match a tiny caddis or mayfly as it emerges from its nymphal shuck, dig into your fly box for the CDC Emerger. At the same time, be sure to reduce the size of your tippet to 6X or smaller so as not to influence unnaturally the fly’s drift downstream.”
And he even gives clear instructions on how to fish it: “This fly is effective in slow clear water on the dead drift. Also, I catch a lot of fish when I allow the fly to submerge at the end of the drift. As the fly moves back across to my side of the river, the CDC feathers become wet and flutter in the current. I believe that the flutter is more than most trout can handle and the chase is on! Since the fly line is already taut, hook setting is generally easier. Also, I like to strip the fly back upstream toward me, and the jerky swimming motion I create by making short strips is likely to provoke strikes as well.”
He has done something quite interesting in explaining which flies to use when.
Following the flow chart he lists which flies are appropriate for each situation. A nice way to illustrate putting together the right flies again, one of the major problems for the beginner.
You can hardly ask for more.
But, he does it. At the end of all the fly selections themselves, Robert also provides chapters on:
* Balanced Fly Tackle
* How To Deliver Your Fly To A Spot
* Where Are The Fish?
* Common Fish Behaviors
* Why A Fish May Take Your Fly
* Why a Fly Refuses Your Fly
Other ancillary information, includes a Glossary, Literature Reviewed and a Wrap Up and Index.
The book is well-written, especially the sections on finding the fish. It is good reading even to an old-timer. The beginner should be absolutely thrilled with the amount of good, plain information.
Highly recommended. ~dlt
The 24 Greatest Flies
You Don’t Leave Home Without
(An Indispensable Guide)
By Robert J. Sousa, Ph.D.
Husking Bee Books, Warren Rhode Island
189 pages, Softcover
Full color, illustrations, charts and photos
ISBN 978-0-615-32120-2
Price: $24.95