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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.
Atlantic Salmon Flies
Atlantic Salmon Flies – Book Review
Early Attempt:
With the newfound objectives, I was over-excited. Looking back, my head was not organized at all. Basically I hadn't learned any knowledge. Yet, I was thinking of something way ahead: "since there are many materials, can't I create my own original patterns?" I knew it wouldn't go so quickly, as the subject was different from trout flies, but I couldn't help it. Speaking of trout flies, I figured out I could do some practices and trials with materials for trout flies. Some hackles were common. Since I just wanted to get some feel, I could use red rayon floss that I would use for Royal Wulff. Also, coincidentally, all the outdoor department stores in Bozeman, Montana were having a sale to sell out all materials from one well-known vendor (I still don't understand their decision for this move but it worked for me very well!!). I was able to buy a whole skin on Golden Pheasant, goose shoulders in miscellaneous colors, and so on for very low prices. I had more than enough materials to get some feel of tying Atlantic Salmon Flies. At that time, all I learned was "it's hard!!" I have no pictures of my early attempts to show you…
Then I caught up with my mentor and outfitter Montana's Master Angler – Tom Travis before the guiding season started. I spoke to him about my newfound interest. He advised me it would be a good move of mine as learning Atlantic Salmon Flies would improve my entire fly tying skills and interpretation. Then he let me borrow this book.
Review: Building Classic Salmon Flies by Ron Alcott (2004)
This book (Frank Amato Publications, Inc. ISBN: 1-57188-339-8) is very reading for every newbies in this subject. Alcott reviews pretty much every category: history, materials, tools, and modern interpretations. Then he steps into step-by-step "building" instructions. As I learn more from other books and dress more flies, my preferred methods and styles differentiated from this book. Yet this is still a practical and concise book for certain. Though I wish the book could have used more photos of completed flies, Chapter 2, 3, & 4 are great references for materials and interpretations.
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Satoshi Yamamoto, www.leftyanglerandflies.com, is a guide and a fly-dresser in Livingston, MT.