what is a good fly fishing book to read?

[GeneBeam]

Trout Magic by Robert Traver Love his "Testament of a Fisherman" at the beginning of that book. That alone is worth giving it a look and many people could learn much by reading it.

The Testament Of A Fisherman by Robert Traver - Pen name, (John Voelker 1903-1991)
Trout Madness by Robert Traver - Pen name, (John Voelker 1903-1991)
Yes I thought I would be the only one to suggest them as I read them back in the mid1970s when I was working at Ishpeming, MI and Marquette, MI.

 

[Clams]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned him but Peter Heller is an author who writes fiction and most of his books take place in or near rivers, streams and mountains and fly fishing is usually prominently featured. You can tell that Heller has a passion for fishing, trout and being on the water. I've read The Guide and The River and they were both pretty good.

 

[Acristickid]

Adventures in fly fishing for native trout. I have been inspired by this book and proud to say many of my own journeys resemble Mr Smiths.

 

[bdhoover77]

I’ve been reading Dave Hughes “Wet Flies”

 

[falcon]

I saw a almost new copy of Wet Flies in a fly shop for 5.00. Told my friend to grab it as I already have a copy. 5 bucks ... go figure.

 

[StreamBottom]

The River Why, by David James Ducan
Body of Water, Chris Dombrowski

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Cleaning out one of the kids' rooms and found Zipping My Fly (Moments in the Life of an American Sportsman) by Rich Tosches. It's not specific to PA, but it's definitely not a how-to book either. It's humorous enough for me to bump this thread and one can read it over a few evenings at camp.

 

[Acristickid]

Many Rivers to Cross by MR Montgomery
Dark Waters by Russell Chatham
Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan (if you like zany)

Plus most of the ones already mentioned. You have a lot of catching up to do.

Many Rivers to Cross- MR Montgomery. Tremendous!!!

Bravo.

 

[DomR]

Some really great books on this thread!

I'll add a few:

Zen of Home Water - Jerry Hamza (He was George Carlin's producer and also voiced Sir Topham Hat for those of you whose children watched Thomas the Tank Engine)

Fly Fishin Fool, River Music, Crosscurrents, Fish Won't Let Me Sleep - James R. Babb (Maine version of Gierach, they are distant cousins to boot)

 

[raftman]

Ryan Brod - Tributaries (essays, check his stuff out on The Drake & Fly Fish Journal)
Todd Davis - In the Kingdom of the Ditch (poetry, PA angler, not exclusively fly fishing, but if you fly fish you'll love his work)

 

[RivDiv521]

The Lure and Lore of Trout Fishing - Alvin R. Grove Jr.
Tie a Fly, Catch a Trout - S.R. Slaymaker II
Any Dana S. Lamb book

The last one isn't about the northeast but an interesting month by month account of fishing a chalkstream in England. Worth the read just to learn how to tie a funnel dun.

Chalkstream Chronical - Niel Patterson

 

[caddisflyer]

A few mentioned Limestone Legends which I thought was great too.

 

[salmo]

Both of my possible suggestions are not based in the Northeast.

For trout/bass - "The Earth is Enough : Growing Up in a World of Flyfishing, Trout and Old Men"

For real fish - "Lords of the Fly : The Quest for the World Record Tarpon".

For an autobiography - Lefty Kreh's (I can't remember the title) or Stu Apte's "Of Winds and Tides".

Something like “My Life Was So Big”

 

[BrookieChaser]

^ I think you're right. That rings a bell.

 

[gwold]

Tom Rosenbauer's podcast this week featured a list of "best" fly fishing writing (not specifically PA-related). Tom was interviewing Michael Checchio, who provided his list. Some have already appeared above; others are totally new.

Fiction

• A River Runs through It by Norman Maclean
• “Big Two-Hearted River” by Ernest Hemingway (short story)
• Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane
• The River Why by David James Duncan

Non-fiction

• The Longest Silence by Thomas McGuane
• The Angler’s Coast and Dark Waters by Russell Chatham
• The Curtis Creek Manifesto by Sheridan Anderson
• “Hat Creek” and “Deeds Among the Steelhead” by Bill Barich (magazine articles; may be tough to find)
• The Spawning Run by William Humphrey
• Trout Bum by John Gierach
• “The Same River Twice” by David Quammen (published in Outside Magazine)
• “A Sporting Life” by Jim Harrison (magazine article, may be tough to find)
• My Story as Told by Water by David James Duncan

Podcast: Must-Reads in Classic Fly-Fishing Literature, with Michael Checchio - Orvis News

I get frequent questions from listeners on what I would recommend they read in fly-fishing literature, as there is so much out there it’s tough to sort through it to find what’s worth reading. Michael Checchio is a retired journalist and investigative . . .

news.orvis.com