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The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies

by Ian Whitelaw

A history told through fifty flies

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Regular price $37.77 USD Sale price $22.66 USD
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Hardcover New English

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Awards & Recognition

  • Bestseller

    A New York Times bestseller

AlbakiReads Editorial

A history told through fifty flies

Ian Whitelaw traces fly-fishing’s development through fifty selected patterns, from early feathered hooks to flies made with contemporary materials. The selection connects changes in fly design with the evolution of fishing techniques and equipment, including rods, lines, and reels. Its geographic scope runs from the chalk streams of Southern England and rivers of Scotland to the Catskills, the American West, and fishing destinations in other parts of the world. Profiles of key figures sit alongside tying tips, photographs, illustrations, and explanations of how the featured flies are fished, giving the history both a practical and a visual dimension.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Fly-fishers interested in the history of their sport and its tackle
  • Readers curious about how fly patterns and fishing techniques developed
  • Those who value illustrated books with practical tying and fishing details

Themes

History of fly-fishingFly patterns and their developmentFishing techniques and equipmentThe spread of fly-fishing across regions

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A New York Times bestseller, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies recounts the history of a sport that dates back 2,000 years, focusing on milestone flies from the first feathered hook to contemporary patterns using cutting-edge materials.

The evolution of this captivating sport is enjoyably captured in this book, making it a handsome gift, whether for yourself or the fly-fisher in your life. "This glorious book of lures will get you itching for a new toy, a new boat, a new rod--anything to experience the relaxation of this old hobby."*

From the Catskills, the birthplace of American fly-fishing, to the wide rivers of the American West, to overseas fishing hot spots like New Zealand and Iceland, Ian Whitelaw's fly-fishing history book features profiles of the key characters involved, tying tips, photographs and illustrations of the flies, and detailed explanations of the techniques used to fish them.

Among the countless fly patterns created over the centuries, these 50 have been carefully chosen to represent the development not only of the flies themselves but also of fly-fishing techniques--and of rods, lines, and reels. These iconic flies also chart the spread of this addictive sport from its modern origins on the chalk streams of Southern England and the rivers of Scotland to the US, Europe, South America, Australia, and now to nearly every country in the world.

Featured here are:

  • Stewart's Black Spider, Lady Caroline, Royal Coachman
  • Bass Popper, Adams, Gray Wulff, Muddler Minnow, Tom Thumb
  • Lefty's Deceiver, Dave's Hopper, Syl's Midge, Ice Cream Cone
  • Deer Hair Emerger, Bionic Bug, Takayama Sakasa Kebari
  • And dozens more!

*Foreword Reviews

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