All, I am looking at ordering some books via Amazon. Since they are from the UK, I want to ask our members for their opinions.
Wet Fly Fishing and Tying by Roger Fogg. This is a new book and I hope that it wouldbe worth the price to help improve my wet fly game.
Guide to Tying North Country Flies by Mike Harding. This looks like another book that might be helpful from the tying standpoint.
Brook and River Trouting by Edmonds and Lee is an older book. The doesn’t mean that it might not have a great deal of useful information. I would not expect many references to graphite or bead heads from this book, but I hope that it would be of value.
North country Flies by T.E. Pritt. I didn’t wait to make this post. Amazon will have this little gem headed my way soon.
I would appreciate any reviews from readers. Would two of these books cancel out another? Are all three worth my time and shelf space (both seemingly getting in shorter supply). I realize that there are judgement calls, but I am opinion to both opinions and actual discussion of the contents of these books.
Thanks, Ed
P.S. Donald, I meant to highlight this post originally but I forgot to. My apologies.
I have them all and each one is a gem of information. For the beginning tier of North Country Flies, Mike Harding’s book has the most patterns. For fishing info and patterns Roger Fogg’s book is hard to beat. For classic, but still relevant, information the last two are excellent. They are well worth the money I have spent on them.
I was going to comment on Pritt and Edmond’s and Lee, but basically the positives I was to produce have been said. I’ve not read any of the newer ones you’ve listed, but am now thinking about it.
[b]Hi Ed,
I have just received a copy of Mike Harding’s book and without reservationI can give it a five star commendation. The pictures of the individual flies are superb, as is their dressing. A great collection of patterns, old and new.
The book is of the ring-binder type, with a pattern a page.
The tying instructional section is excellent and the historical essays are very amusing and interesting. All-in-all, and my admiration for Roger Fogg’s books is well known, this is probably the best buy in UK wetflies in the last few years. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
It is 10.39 pounds British from Amazon, that is the total price I paid.
The extra for overseas posting will not be that much more, so a great bargain.
What more can I say?
ps This book came out during my worst cataract problems and I could not have read it then, Hoorah for modern eye surgery, and my thanks to my my lady doctor Styles and the National Health Service. Do not believe a word that the uninformed loonie denigrators say about the service.
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Donald, I am glad that you are able to read, tie, and post again. I hope that you are continuing to do so for a long time. (I like the idea that years from now you saunter into your sister’s kitchen, drop a brace of fresh trout in her sink, and say, “Cook them anyway you like. I’ll see you at supper.”)
The Roger Fogg book is 40.15 USD. That’s a touch steep, but if it is as good as I hope, it should be worth it. Is Mike Harding the same fellow with the amusing column in one of the glossy, UK fly fishing and tying magazines? Does he always comment about being short, rotund, and unatheletic and then goes on in his columns to make them too good to bypass? If so, I am looking forward to his book.
We had great BWO weather this morning, but the drizzle and most of the clouds are now gone. It’s almost a pity to see the sun out and shining. Fly anglers know what I mean.
Ed
P.S. Donald, are you saying that lady doctor caught your eye?
Yes, Mike Harding writes for ‘Fly Fishing & Fly Tyeing’. He is also a well known
stand-up comedian and folk singer. A very talented man.
Doctor Styles replaced the faulty cornea in my eye for a plastic one.
A fine job she did too. All on the National Health.
