Greetings:
My son would like to give me a book for my b-day and I don’t have one in my collection that is specifically on tying and fishing soft hackles. Several have been published recently (Nemes 2nd ed, McGee, Hughes, Schollmeyer and likely others). Any recommendations?
Now if I could just get him to go fishing with me. 
Thanks.
Here is a link;http://www.flyanglersonline.com/review/082304.php
Doug
No doubt someone on the board has all the soft hackle books and can give you a better answer, as I only have a few. Of the few I have, however, my first choice would not be Nemes’ Two Centuries of Soft Hackled Flies, or The Soft Hackled Fly Addict or Hughes’ Wet Flies. I’d recommend A Handbook of North Country Trout Flies by Roger Fogg. It covers fishing soft hackles as well as tying them, and discusses many patterns listed by the type of bird - for example the flies that call for partridge, or snipe or hen pheasant, so you can get a good idea of what you can tie if you only want to buy one or two skins. It has no photos, but the 'net has lots of photos of various soft hackle patterns. Of the four books I have, I think it was the best. It is not available in the US, other than as outrageously expensive used books, but you can get a paperback from Amazon UK for about 12 Pounds (roughly $24, though shipping is more than you’d pay for a book you bought locally). Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=handbook+of+north+country+trout+flies
I will have to agree with CM on this one. I was fortunate enough to be able to obtain a copy and haven’t looked back.
I haven’t read the others, but I have the McGee book. I found it informative - though probably moreso on the tying front than the tactics. It also has a short history of the wet fly, which was interesting. It also had the added attractiveness of being the book the fly shop had on hand when I was looking for a book that day…
I just checked the link for the Roger Fogg book. Man, has it gone up in price. I think mine was around $18.
I have quite a number of wet fly books, Nemes, Leisenring, Hughes, Mcgee, and others. If I were to make a suggestiion it would be Dave Hughes’ Wet Flies. It has information contained in almost all the other books I have and is very well presented.
My second choice would be McGee’s book on soft hackle nymphs. I have a book review written, just not sent to FAOL yet.
REE
Alibris hasTwo Centuries of Soft Hackled Flies for $26.37, new, hardback.
Larry —sagefisher—
Ahhh, where’s Donald when we need him?
I love the Nemes books, and Fogg. You couldn’t/wouldn’t go wrong with any of them. How 'bout Reid?
I only have two, soft hackled addict by Nemes and Dave Hughes’ Wet Flies. I have to agree with REE, if your only going to have one Wet Flies covers everything in the Nemes book it is clear concise and gives info on other types of wets also.
I think it is a must have.
Eric
If you’re looking for a good book on tying techniques and patterns I would NOT recommend Fogg, nor Nemes. Both are good books for gaining a historical perspective but neither are particularly good pattern books with details and illustrattions on techniques, if that’s what you are looking for. They’re best for the scholarly types who greatly value historical context and tradition.
I have to agree with Ron, Dave Hughes’ Wet Flies would be my first choice and McGee Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs would be a very close second. Hughes has historical context, patterns, and techniques and McGee is more about patterns and techniques. If I were forced to pick only one book on soft-hackles, I’d pick McGee which is a much more modern treatise on the topic and has some very helpful illustrations for techinques that the older books lack. I guess it comes down to are you looking for “one” book on wet files or just your “first” book on wet flies…