This book is the definitive work for trout fishermen who tie flies, a step-by-step reference for tying over 500 patterns that will take trout everywhere, in all conditions.

Dave Hughes is an accomplished fly tier and student of entomology, but he is a fly fishermen first, and one with a gift: the ability to organize and explain in clear, readable language what can be a bewilderingly complex subject. It follows that his master work is aimed at fishermen who want their fly tying to support their fishing, and not the other way around. 

"That the trout flies in this book are tied to catch trout, not to place on display for awed trout fishermen, sets our thinking off in a certain set of directions. We're after beauty in the eye of the trout, not in the eye of the collector. Form follows function. The most beautiful flie is the one that catches trout, and not the visually most appealing. Our goal is a a fly that looks alive in the water, not while clamped to the fly tying vise. Your fly tying should be directed by what you learn while you are out fishing."

Hughes's systematic approach to tying evolved from a lifelong study of trout food forms and vast experience on the water. Dave Hughes understands trout and their prey. And that is the heart of the difference between his book and the countless others on fly tying. Trout Flies: The Tier's Reference is organized around a close look at food forms and the pattern styles that match them. 

"What's important is that you should have a sound understanding of the concepts of fly pattern styles.... If you think only in terms of individual fly patterns, your thinking and your fly boxes are both going to be tangled."

Tying instructions are divided into two main groups: searching flies, for those time when trout are feeding non-selectively, and imitative flies, when trout are taking a specific food form and nothing else. 

A concise guide to tying techniques, tools, and materials is presented in the opening section. along with Hughes's extraordinarily lucid "Unified Theory of Trout Flies"

About Dave Hughes
Dave Hughes is one of the most respected and widely published writers in fly fishing. He is the author of 20 books, including Wet Flies (Stackpole, 1995), which has become an acclaimed reference on the subject; the popular Fly Fishing Basics (Stackpole, 1994); as well as four books in Stackpole's  Dave Hughes Library: Handbook of Hatches, Reading the Water for Trout, and Tackle and Techniques for Trout. He contributes to the all the major fly-fishing magazines and is a regular columnist for Fly Rod & Reel. He was the founding president of  Oregon Trout and received the Lew Jewett Memorial Life Membership from the Federation of Fly Fishers. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

FMO Note: The pictures in Trout Flies: The Tier's Reference are superb. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and have excellent examples. If you are looking for a book to help you master tying effective trout flies then this should be a part of your library and have a permanent space next to or on your fly tying desk. Well worth the investment.

by: Dave Hughes
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Sales Rank: 16,039; Release Date: May, 1999; Media: Hardcover Similar Items: Featured Listmania! List The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference Essential Trout Flies A.K's Fly Box Advanced Fly Tying: The Proven Methods of a Master Professional Fly Tyer Reading the Water: A Fly Fisher's Handbook for Finding Trout in All Types of Water see more
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: Rating: - Dave Hughes' best book This is without question Dave Hughes' best book. It is beautifully produced, with -> exact <- tying instructions and the clearest photographs I have seen in a fly tying book. The title doesn't give a hint about the excellent first chapters of the book. Chapters 1-3 are entitled "Considering Trout Files", "A Unified Theory of Trout Flies", and "Tying Flies for Fishing"; they contain a vast amount of fish-catching wisdom, including why certain flies work and others don't. For example, Hughes describes his change of fly choice method from the standard size-form-color method to choosing by pattern style, which he claims works even if the size and color are somewhat off. Also, he asks the reader to tie flies to fill her/his personal fly boxes by meditation on her/his favorite fishing situation. You get a lot more from this book than the best tying instructions I have ever read. Do yourself a real favor and buy it, or add it to your wish list. You'll be a better fisher and tier after reading this book; I guarantee it. Rating: - Best fly tying book I've seen, best color pictures I've seen Extremely well done book. The explanations and pictures of the sample flies are the best I've seen to date. Mr. Hughes selections are extremely good choices for western trout waters. I can't put it down and look forward to tying selected flies from the book all winter. Rating: - The best ever written on fly-tying. Flies that catch trout! After having known Dave for more then 5 years up to date, I wasshocked when receiving from his hands this unique piece of art. Thereading is as always with Dave... astonishing and breathtaking. Thepictures are fantastic, and the step by step descriptions and details, not only helpful on tying, but also very entertaining, on the contrary of what we usually find in other fly-tying publications. Pictures are of high quality. As best as they can get, and flies are tied for fish... not for your eyes. Dave teaches how to tie them -- and use them too! -- in an easy way, focusing on trout... not on eyes of flyfishermen. The text is poetry! Easy to follow, even for non English native speakers, such as many of my fishing buddies here in Chile and in the Patagonia. Dave's years of knowledge throughout the world's trout streams, rivers, creeks, lakes and lagoons, are in this book. Not only a fly-tying book, but also a comprehensive guide as well as a delightful coffee table book. Oh yes! I bought a second one for tying. The one Dave gifted to me... sits in my coffee table, and it is the envy of all those who haven't bought it yet! Will you miss this great book? Oh no! Don't! Dave's poetry and humility flourishes in it. As always. As with great flyfishermen and writers. Dave's one of them. Thanks for this unique piece of art Dave! A BIG BRAVO FROM CHILE! Your second HOME WATERS.