Good Flies: Favorite Trout Patterns and How They Got That Way

A great writer, some great flies--and more practical and amusing observations on flies and fly tying.

This intimate glimpse behind John Gierach's vise focuses on the trout flies he has found most successful and how he ties them. There are chapters on how he developed as a fly tyer - from being a hopeless tinkerer who tried every pattern there was to settling on a handful of favorites that now catch most of his trout. Gierach explores the tools he uses for tying and advocates those that are simple and basic and few, and he also makes his case for the use of natural materials. Then there are chapters on the flies themselves - small, medium, and large mayflies, spinners, midges, caddis, hoppers, nymphs, and streamers.