The Complete Book of Western Hatches: An Angler's Entomology and Fly Pattern Field Guide [Paperback]

Rick Hafele (Author), Dave Hughes (Author), Richard Bunse (Illustrator), Paul Mooney (Illustrator), Russ Davies (Photographer)

Product Details

• Paperback: 223 pages
• Publisher: Frank Amato Publications; 1st edition (May 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936608129
• ISBN-13: 978-0936608129
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Hughes is author of more than 20 books about fly fishing. They include the classic Western Hatches with Rick Hafele, American Fly Tying Manual, Handbook of Hatches, Reading Trout Water, Dry Fly Fishing, Nymph Fishing, and the massive referenceTrout Flies. His latest book, published in 2009, is Nymphs for Streams and Stillwaters. His next book is Pocketguide to Western Hatches, due out in fall of 2011.

Dave was founding president of Oregon Trout in 1983, and was awarded life membership in the Federation of Flyfishers in 1985. He was awarded the Pete Hidy honorary life membership in the Flyfishers Club of Oregon in 1992 for his literary accomplishments. Dave received the prestigious Letcher Lambuth Angler Craftsman Award in 2008 from the Washington Fly Fishing Club. He is also a life member of his home club, the Rainland Flycasters in Astoria, Oregon.

Born in Astoria, Oregon on the 4th of July, 1945, Dave worked his way through college at jobs specializing in the Three Ds--Dirty, Difficult, and Dangerous: mink ranches, tuna canneries, and shrimp boats. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1967, from Army Infantry Officer Candidate School in 1968. Dave served one-and-a-half years in Viet Nam, 6 months as a communications site commander in the Mekong Delta, and one year as liaison officer to the Commanding General of communications in the Southeast Asia theater.

Dave is an accomplished amateur aquatic entomologist. His hobbies include collecting, identifying, and photographing the aquatic insects that are fed upon by trout, as well as tying and fishing the flies that match those insects and fool those trout. His articles on fly fishing have appeared in Field & Stream, Gray's Sporting Journal, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, Fly Fisherman magazine, American Angler, and Fly Tyer. Dave served as editor of Flyfishing & Tying Journal for eight years, and is currently Elements of Success columnist for Fly Rod & Reel, essayist for Northwest, Southwest, and Eastern Flyfishing, and Minor Notes columnist for Flyfishing & Tying Journal.

Dave lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Japanese fly fishing writer Masako Tani, and their daughter Kosumo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for the flyfisher, December 23, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book of Western Hatches: An Angler's Entomology and Fly Pattern Field Guide (Paperback)

This softcover book not only matches fly patterns to the hatch but also educates the reader to the lifecycles, anatomy, and seasonal hatches of the insects. The illustrations are excellent and even are appealing to those with a biology background. This book single handedly enlightened me (at an age of thirteen) to the art and science of fly fishing. Hence a much greater and in depth appreciation for the craft. The book has sat on my shelf now for many years as a competent reference. I have personally had the opportunity to work with Rick Hafele (author) for a day on a small stream in souther Oregon. I was even more impressed with his keen knowledge and passion for entomology and the art of fly fishing. I highly recommend this book to any one just starting or even better as a a gift to an inquisitive child who will learn much much more than just how to match the hatch. This book will please all audiences though.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for anyone serious about flyfishing!, November 28, 1999

By 

Barry R. Urry - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book of Western Hatches: An Angler's Entomology and Fly Pattern Field Guide (Paperback)

I just bought this book, and read it straight through. I have also taken it with me--to the river--to use as it was written. The book is well written, and contains most of the general information that flyfishermen need to really enhance their experience. The only thing I would recommend in any subsequent revisions, is the use of color photographs of the insects. Tight Lines!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars pages missing, some copies, July 30, 2003

By 

Terry Joyce (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Book of Western Hatches: An Angler's Entomology and Fly Pattern Field Guide (Paperback)

Beware that some printed copies of this title are missing pages. Third-party seller "ghbooks" shipped me a copy with pages 17-32 missing. I've e-mailed both the publisher and "ghbooks" to try to get some explanation. Neither responded. I'd suggest buying a new copy direct from Amato publishers. The book itself looks very good, but 16 pages of "mayflies" missing is a very serious omission.