Best Fly Fishing Books to Scratch the Wintertime Itch
When it’s too cold to fish, reading books is a great way get your fly fishing fix. I learn a ton from them and when the weather is too cold, the river is frozen, and simply can’t wet a line, reading can help quench your fishing thirst.
While fly fishing is a small subset of the larger outdoor theme, there are a surprising number of books written about the niche, many of which are written by very talented writers. Maybe that speaks to the beautiful complexity and artistic nature of fly fishing. Or maybe writers just like to fish. Who knows, but either way, there are plenty of options out there for readers and books can be the ultimate cure for cold, dark, fish-less days.
Ranging from technical how-to books to contemplative thought-provokers, all these books can help expand fishing knowledge and can help you prepare for the fishing season ahead.
Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon by Monte Burke
First off, this is one of my favorite books and definitely the best fishing-related book I’ve ever read. This book can be enjoyed by anyone, even those not interested in fishing.
Lords of the Fly details the history of competitive tarpon fishing in Florida, specifically the obsessive anglers that pursue catching world-records on the fly rod. Burke’s captivating and humorous writing make the book hard to put down. From wild stories of the crazed men who sought these records to thoughtful prose on the past and current habitats of the fish, this book grips the reader from start to finish. Plus, it’s based in Florida and I like imagining myself in the warm sun during cold midwest winters.
I personally appreciated the depth in which Burke details the anglers and the history of tarpon fishing. The cast of characters and their stories are wildly entertaining.
Pick up a copy of Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon.
The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life by David Coggins
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Each chapter is broken down into separate fishing adventures, each with its own unique focus and subject.
Whether he talks about fishing his native waters for smallmouth bass or exotic ventures chasing bonefish or Atlantic Salmon, I found Coggins’ chronicles of his adventures in fly fishing honest, positive, and mostly relatable. While I personally don’t have the fly fishing resume that he possesses, I found his obsessive pursuit of fish and connection to the outdoors resembling my own excursions.
He doesn’t get too technical or overly dramatic, but he does make you think and ultimately appreciate all the things that a life in fly fishing has to offer. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a light read. Pick up your copy of The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life.
The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing by Thomas McGuane
Heralded as one of the best outdoor writers of all time, Thomas McGuane eloquently recounts his experiences in fly fishing in 40 short stories and essays in The Longest Silence. Similar to David Coggins’ The Optimist, each chapter describes a separate trip, skill, or thought-provoking essay about fly fishing and its connection to the human condition.
I enjoyed the majority of these essays and no one interested in fly fishing books should miss out on Thomas McGuane’s writing. However, McGuane is such a talented writer that his words sometimes went over my head with poetic metaphors and literary nuance. For a lot of this book, it felt like I was back in high school English class dissecting symbolism, motifs, and other fancy words I’ve since forgotten the meaning of.
That’s certainly not a knock on this book, rather a compliment on the quality of writing, though I will say this is not an easy or light read. This book will make you contemplate and day-dream, so long as you have 100% focus and a dictionary. While the layout and structure of the book is similar to the more light-hearted The Optimist, the content, imagery, and overall writing style are for the more sophisticated bibliophiles out there.
Check out The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing on Amazon.
Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout: New Techniques, Tactics, and Patterns by Bob Linsenman and Kelly Galloup
This is one of the most helpful books I’ve read in regards to improving fishing technique. This book helped modernize and popularize streamer fishing and ushered in a new wave of fly fisherman dedicated to throwing large flies for large trout.
I really appreciated the simplicity and thoughtfulness of this book, specifically detailing big trout’s behavior and feeding patterns. It’s a more technical read with instructions on how to improve your streamer game ranging from setups, flies, and retrieval techniques.
For a more “how-to” technical book, the writing is very clear and concise and doesn’t feel like a text book. I learned a ton from this book and use the methods described every time I go streamer fishing.
A River Runs through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean
No list of books about fly fishing would be complete without the one that started it all for a lot of anglers. A redesigned version of the book that inspired Robert Redford’s classic film of the same name, A River Runs Through It is a timeless exploration of the human condition through the lens of the Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, living in rural Montana.
Partly autobiographical, Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It is a contemplative read about relationships, family, and nature that happens to, in our interest, revolve around fly-fishing. I appreciated the vibrant depictions of the American West and connected with not only the fly fishing, but also the commentary on the sometimes difficult nature family relationships.
If you’re looking for an eloquently written novella that instantly ups your credibility as a fly angler, this book is a great read.
