Customer Reviews

Morris & Chan on Fly Fishing Trout Lakes

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book to be quite useful. It is indeed a beginning text on the subject but if you, like myself, have spent most of your time fishing on streams you will find this a good jumping off point for fishing small lakes. There is much useful information in this book covering the nature of small lakes and the trout that you will find there. Specific information is given on the insects found there and their imitations. Basic techniques are covered as well as fishing craft. I would recommend it for someone starting out with lake fishing.

Lately I've been having a ball going after native brookies and wild rainbows in remote Adirondack ponds. I've caught my share of both, mainly using # 10 freshwater clousers and other small streamers.

Approaching still water trout is a daunting experience for the stream fisher person. Where to begin? How to read a lake? How deep is deep with a fly rod and how to get down there?

I bought this book in the hopes of answering these and many other questions that had been keeping me awake at night (well not quite, but they did seem important).

There's a lot of information here so generally I'm not disappointed. However, the book is definitely skewed to western conditions, and completely ignores fly-fishing with imitations of baitfish, presumably a primary food source for large trout at least in eastern waters. In fact, in the chapter, Insects and Other Trout Foods, the only "other" foods touched on are scuds and leeches.

This major omission in an otherwise very good book results in the three star recommendation. But if you're OK with tossing all your streamers (with the exception of the odd Wooly Bugger to imitate a leech) then go ahead and give it a read just the same. The section on chironomid fishing may be worth it in and of itself.

As other reviewers have noted, the book is a primer for stillwater anglers, but surprisingly does not mention baitfish or streamers. It doesn't get into the details of how different trout species utilize different habitats or prey items in the same lake. And it doesn't discuss the different types of lakes and how best to approach each environment. Instead, there is a sometimes goofy, punchline-driven text that accompanies some good and not-so-good photos and color line drawings. Don't get me wrong, the information is solid and entertaining, but all of it has been covered before in much greater detail and with much better focus in Kauffman and Cordes's earlier work and Denny Rickards's more recent volume. If you're looking for a book on the basics of stillwater trout fishing, I would recommend either of those and Bernie Taylor's book on big trout fishing, as well as maybe Steve Probasco's book on high desert and alkaline lakes before you bought this one. Will this book help you catch more or bigger trout in a lake? Only if you've never read another book or magazine on the subject, or if you're brand new to lake fishing with a fly.

This book is short, to the point, and answered my questions about fly fishing in lakes (what are the different kinds of sinking lines and which one do I use? what kinds of flies/nymphs should I use? what are some techniques for fishing deep? etc.). The authors did not add "filler material" as many fly fishing authors do: there is no long chapter teaching you all the methods of fly casting nor narratives of the authors' own fly fishing adventures. I did enjoy the smattering of humor throughout (another reviewer didn't appreciate the bit about the Moors and Spain). My favorite was the tip on fishing with two in a boat: "If your partner calls out and you are already casting...inform him of the potential problem: 'Oh my God - No!' is popular."

If you are relatively new to fly fishing, particularily trout fishing this is a must have. I've been fishing for many years but just recently moved to an area that has primarely trout fishing lakes. Friends have explained certain things to me, but this book covers it all and more. It's more information at your finger tips than you can get from friends or a guy at your favourite tackle shop.

Nice illustarations of some knots that are useful as well.

"With just slightly less vigor than that of the Moors when they took Spain, the chironomid-pupa fly fished deep on a floating line took western lakes."

This is just a sample of the hair-pulling sentences that the reader must endure. While I give the book two stars for providing some useful content and a few inspiring photos, the nuggets of information are buried too deep in the poorly written chapters, superfluous paragraphs, wide text columns and amateur drawings. I have just one question: Where's the editor? I doubt that I'll purchase another book by Frank Amato Publications. It's just too frustrating a read.