Book Review
Title
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Fly Patterns for Alaska
by Alaska Flyfishers
Who must have this book: Any avid fisherman
who is looking to fill his flybox for his first Alaskan flyfishing
trip.
Who should have this book: Anyone who fly fishes
in Alaska.
ISBN: 1878175319
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Again,
I have to state that I am not a flyfisherman. I am mostly a spin caster
but the more I read and learn about flyfishing the more I feel like
trying out my fly rod. And it is working, I am getting better at casting.
I got this book because I was getting frustrated every time I read
over the names of flies. They meant nothing to me. I had no idea what
a Mickey Finn was compared to a muddler. This book has become a very
valuable resource for me, if for no other reason than I can look up
a new fly when I hear its name somewhere.
Also, I got this book to see if I could start tying some of my own
flies. I have had very little experience tying, but flyfishing with
your own flies seems to have the same allure as hunting ducks over
the decoys you have carved - just a whole lot easier. It turned out
that this book is not a how to guide for fly tying. The experienced
tier can easily reproduce the patterns in the book but this is not
a book for beginners. If you would like detailed fly tying instructions,
check
out their web page.
This book is definitely most valuable to the
experienced tier who is looking to make an assortment for
an Alaskan Fishing trip or to a resident fisherman who is looking
for a few more flies to experiment with.
Overview
The book is very straight and to its point. It is a book full of fly
patterns for Alaska. There is just a couple of pages describing the
Alaska Flyfishers group and then it is right into the patterns. The
patterns are broken into six sections, Streamers and Bucktails; Steelhead,
Salmon, and Char Flies; Egg and Alevin Imitations; Nymphs and Wet
Flies; Dry Flies; and Saltwater Flies.
Each fly is presented with a high quality photograph and a brief text
description. For the tier, there is information on Hook, Thread, Body,
Ribbing and other parts of the fly. I am sure the experienced tier
can easily recreate the patterns in the book. The photos are a great
visual guide, but not enough for a beginner like myself.
Many of the flies also have a brief history of who developed the fly
or how it came to Alaska. There are many short but interesting stories
about how individual flies came to be or developed. Also, for some
of the flies, there are some tips on usage and what fish the fly is
intended for.
The book ends with a short list of suggestions to match flies to fish
species and a decent index. Throughout the book there are beautiful
images of flyfishing Alaska, including some great shots of caught
fish. It is very well designed and it has been a good reference for
me. I’m sure for the avid flyfisherman, it would be an even
greater tool.
Author
The Alaska Flyfishers is a group of
avid flyfisherman who meet regularly and help promote flyfishing in
Alaska. Like most flyfishermen, they are very aware of conservation
and promote ethical and sustainable fishing practices. Check out their
web
page for some great Alaska Flyfishing Information.
