Customer Reviews

Shrimp & Spey Flies for Salmon & Steelhead

5 star:		(4)
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Many people argue the flies look "too good" in this book to be real. But I have to say if you want a book that not only gives _the_ most complete history of the flies within, but a book that gives a _clear_ picture of what the fly should look like, then look no further. I had the opportunity to meet with author/illustrator Chris Mann in Cheltenham, England March 2002. I sat with him as he illustrated a fly for one of his upcoming books. The flies are illustrated with every detail involved and constructed on screen as you would tie them: every hair, every thread wrap, every fiber, every shadow and every hue is represented just as Chris sees the fly in his studio. And, I have to say the flies he received are just as perfect as his drawings, no kidding. So, if you start with perfect flies, you get perfect drawings. To top it off, an evening's dinner with Chris reveals that he clearly has more historical fly fishing and fly tying knowledge in his head than he could ever write; what you get in the book is just the tip of the iceberg. The book's four-color printing and richness in history and fishing style recommendations make this an invaluable source for the global salmon and steelhead angler. I certainly look forward to his future three books in this four book series.

This book gives us the complete, world-wide and historical shrimp and spey patterns and a lot of information about the origin of the patterns. It provides us with hundreds of useful patterns that can be used not only in the U.K. and Ireland but will seduce salmon and steelhead on many rivers elsewhere. One small remark would be that the computer drawn flies look a bit to correct and are hopefully not the standard in the average fly - box.

A wonderful history of the major patterns. Colour plates with most of the patterns as well. If you want to fish the traditional spey, this si a book to have!!

Many people argue the flies look "too good" in this book to be real. But I have to say if you want a book that not only gives _the_ most complete history of the flies within, but a book that gives a _clear_ picture of what the fly should look like, then look no further. I had the opportunity to meet with author/illustrator Chris Mann in Cheltenham, England March 2002. I sat with him as he illustrated a fly for one of his upcoming books. The flies are illustrated with every detail involved and constructed on screen as you would tie them: every hair, every thread wrap, every fiber, every shadow and every hue is represented just as Chris sees the fly in his studio. And, I have to say the flies he received are just as perfect as his drawings, no kidding. So, if you start with perfect flies, you get perfect drawings. To top it off, an evening's dinner with Chris reveals that he clearly has more historical fly fishing and fly tying knowledge in his head than he could ever write; what you get in the book is just the tip of the iceberg. The book's four-color printing and richness in history and fishing style recommendations make this an invaluable source for the global salmon and steelhead angler. I certainly look forward to his future three books in this four book series.