The Hatches Made Simple: A Universal Guide to Selecting the Proper Fly at the Right Time [Hardcover]

Charles R. Meck (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002

The essence of trout fishing with a fly is understanding hatches. That quest for understanding has spawned an entire literature of fly fishing. Meck's genius is to show the angler that the understanding we need to catch fish is not the memorization of hundreds of bugs and their Latin names. The key to successful fishing is using the right fly at the right time ("matching the hatch"). The Hatches Made Simple for the first time identifies the broad patterns by which hatches happen. For example, light tan colored mayflies tend to hatch at certain times, and drab gray mayflies hatch at other times. Instead of memorizing all the individual insects, the angler just needs to learn the timing of the patterns to these hatches. Armed with a knowledge of those patterns, matching the hatch becomes an entirely new game. More knowledge equals more fish.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Charlie Meck knows more about American hatches than any other writer. -- John Randolph, editor, Fly Fisherman magazine

About the Author

Charles R. Meck is the author of six successful books on fishing. His works include Arizona Trout Streams and their Hatches, Trout Streams and Hatches of Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic Trout Streams and Their Hatches, Fishing Small Streams with a Fly-Rod, and Meeting and Fishing the Hatches. He lives in Mesa, Arizona and Pennsylvania Furnace, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Countryman Press; 1 edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881505587
• ISBN-13: 978-0881505580
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic & Collectible - A must for all fly fishers., July 1, 2002

By 

Steve K. (Bridgewater, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hatches Made Simple: A Universal Guide to Selecting the Proper Fly at the Right Time (Hardcover)

In "How to Catch More Trout", Charlie Meck shared his secrets for catching trout when there's no hatch, under most conditions. In "The Hatches Made Simple", he de-mystifies the hatches and explains his system for catching trout during a hatch. Meck's latest effort is a collectible gem published in hardcover with detailed color pictures of some of the most important mayflies and patterns. The book is filled with charts, patterns, and graphs that help simply the identification and matching process. Meck's system helps eliminate the need to carry hundreds of patterns for precise matches, and explains how to successfully "anticipate" and "approximate" the hatch. Reading "The Hatches Made Simple" is a must for the angler who is tired of relying upon luck and wants to take the next step towards expertise. I can't put it down.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, Simple, easy to understand!, June 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hatches Made Simple: A Universal Guide to Selecting the Proper Fly at the Right Time (Hardcover)

Without a doubt this is THE book on hatches. Charles Meck has done it again with a simple way of understanding hatches, knowing what to have in your vest, when you go fly fishing each time. He has advice on famous hatches across the country and what to expect. The simple aspect that Meck uses in the book has made "matching the hatch" so easy for me. A absolute must have for ANY fly fisherman! The photos alone are worth the price of the book

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hatches? not that simple!, May 12, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hatches Made Simple: A Universal Guide to Selecting the Proper Fly at the Right Time (Hardcover)

If you want to be an expert in insects and hatches,this is the book for you.Now if you want to go fishing sometime,and have information on your local river,and a simple understanding of hatches,don't get into this book!Pretty complex and takes along time to read and understand,I was hopeing for a easy reading and simple cut and dry hatch streamside information type book,this is not it!Charles Meck in person and books are all A little too complex for me.Try the Orvis guide to insect,and carry it streamside I think it is more helpfull.