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, and due to that fact, may not appear weekly.
January 11th, 1999

Long Feathers - Long Flies
 By Ken Thayer
 Self Published
Ken Thayer, P.O. Box 9461, Niskayuna, New York 12309

We first met Ken Thayer when he signed in on our Guestbook. Subsequent emails revealed an intesting story. Ken was a non-fisherman who got into tying on a fluke. You can read the whole story yourself on Ken's website.

Ken ties one kind of fly - streamers. Some are flies designed by others, some of his own design. But all streamers for a particular use - fishing the Adirondacks.

I was delighted when a copy of his self-published book arrived. It really is nicely done, the 24 pages are printed on very heavy paper, and it is spiral bound, so it will lie flat on a tying bench.

The idea of a book of patterns for a specific region seems to me very smart. Especially if the book is in color and reasonably priced. This one is.

In all there are 70 patterns with recipes. Most are straightforward, so tying instructions really aren't needed.

A page from Long Feathers

These flies have some interesting variatons in materials, as well as how they go about imitating the bait they represent. Different uses of feathers in combination with other materials that should make the fish take notice. I found Ken's creativity facinating.

One recipe

Each book is signed and numbered and the edition is limited to 200. It sells for $10 per Copy + $3 S/H Per Copy (Continental U.S.), and is available from Ken's website or by mail.

I have seen some other regional specific books, but most are expensive and not all that well done. This is a neat way to get the information in the hands of the fly fisher! Nice going Ken! ~ DB

Previous Reviews