The Favorite Flyfishing Authors

[srock]

It’s winter, its cold, and I need something to think about to warm me up until the spring thaw arrives. Besides, ruminating about book authors is downright fun.
If I had to narrow my favorite flyfishing authors to a list of 3, and this in no way diminishes the value of many other great book authors I highly respect, I have the following list. The reason these authors get such high marks is based on the following srock rubric or srr.

1. Just enjoyable and fun to read.
2. Provides learning moments. Makes me a better
Flyfisher.
3. Timeless. I can read over and over again and gain new insights
4. Humble persons who do the right thing, never dogmatic, braggadocio, or condescending.
5.Authentic. Deal with the real world in the here and now as I experience it.

Here they are:

John Volker aka Robert Travers. Why, well all of the above in spades. Also from the Midwest same as I.
The best.

Ray Bergman. His fishing books are timeless and selfless. Willing to flyfish all species using just about any technique. Very humble but exceptionately wise.
Timeless. Very Authentic

Jerry Dennis. Poet Laurete of Michigan flyfishers he’s been called. Always fresh ideas. Makes a few words mean a lot. Very humble and authentic, willing to admit mistakes. Does the right thing, a role model. Takes us to new places that enriches our lives.

Who are your top 3?

 

[Redrock]

General:
John Gierach
Thomas McGuane
Harry Middleton

Technical:
A.K. Best
Gary LaFontaine
Caucci/Nastasi

Both:
Ernest Schwiebert
Lefty
Lee Wulff

Obviously I’ve listed more than three authors. So sue me, I read a lot!

 

[Rip Tide]

Rather than the usual stock answers, I'd like to recommend Bob Romano
If you get the weekly Midcurrent email, you've seen his short stories, and if you were at either of the most recent Fly Fishing Shows, you may have even gone to one of his seminars on fishing western Maine
I'll admit that I like Bob's novels mostly because he's writing about (fictional ) locations that I fish as well, but he does spin a good yarn.
Hell of a guy too. Even gave me his phone number so that when in the area we could maybe fish together.
The fact that there's no cell phone service any where there there is immaterial

 

[rangerrich99]

John Gierach.

 

[wthorpe]

An obvious easy answer for me is Gierach. I have all of his books and have read all of them more than once; fortunately, i have a short memory, which has allowe me to read some 3 or 4 times. A similar writer I like as much but who has many fewer books is Jim Babb: https://www.amazon.com/James-R.-Babb/e/B001K88XHS?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share It turns out that Gierach and Babb are somehow related.

 

[karstopo]

I’ve read a few John Gierach books and those were enjoyable. “The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies” by Ian Whitelaw was very enjoyable and informative. Hemingway’s “Big Two-Hearted River” I really enjoyed, but that might not qualify as a fly fishing story. “Summer of the Bass: My Love Affair With America’s Greatest Fish” by W.D. Wetherell was enjoyable. He might be a little too overtly political as I see it, but I could mostly get past that and enjoy his fishing stories.

I’ve not particularly enjoyed the few strictly how-to books I’ve read, ones more along the lines of a text book, authored by some well known fly fishing names. Those are a little too dry for my tastes.

 

[100954]

John Gierach
Jim Babb
Pat McManus

McManus is not necessarily a fly fishing writer, but his humor is very entertaining.

 

[scotty macfly]

I too have a few books from John Gierach, but I really like the classics.

W.C. Stewart
T.E. Pritt
F. M. Halford
Harfield H. Edmonds

 

[bill_s]

If you are interesting in the topic of fly design; I would suggest an older book, which is rather different from the typical fishing anecdotal book; it is interesting, detailed, well written and an enjoyable read.

https://www.amazon.com/What-Trout-S...548731069&sr=8-1&keywords=what+the+trout+said

Mr. Proper was an interesting man, served in the State Department and died doing what he loved...fishing.

Wildlife author dies doing what he loves | News | bozemandailychronicle.com

 

[Redrock]

If you are interesting in the topic of fly design; I would suggest an older book, which is rather different from the typical fishing anecdotal book; it is interesting, detailed, well written and an enjoyable read.

https://www.amazon.com/What-Trout-S...548731069&sr=8-1&keywords=what+the+trout+said

Mr. Proper was an interesting man, served in the State Department and died doing what he loved...fishing.

Wildlife author dies doing what he loves | News | bozemandailychronicle.com

I am ashamed to say I forgot about Datus. I did not know him, but we shared several friends. All our friends said he was a fine fellow. His book on pheasant hunting is an all time favorite. Guy De la Valdene is another author I recommend.

 

[JoJer]

Dave Ames.

 

[jajohn]

John Voelker, Leonard Wright Jr.

 

[skunkedalot]

James Baab
Bill Tapply JR.
Gene Hill
WD Wetherell
John Gierach.
Pat Mc Manus

 

[moucheur2003]

Lots of good names already, including some I would have chosen. Can't believe I'm the first to mention Norman Maclean, though.

 

[LePetomane]

Schweibert, Wulff and Marinaro

 

[dr d]

Swisher/richards,jaworowski,sutcliffe,marinaro,harrop...

 

[trev]

Novelists or technical writers?
I have a list of writers that do well with the how to, I rarely read a novel about fishing but forum member Randy Kadish tells a pretty good story. I never read anything by Ed Zern that I didn't enjoy.

 

[weiliwen]

Lots of great writers listed above; I have a decent-sized fly fishing library, so I have many examples of those authors. Here is my list:

In no particular order:
David James Duncan
Norman Maclean
John D. Voelker, AKA Robert Traver.
Roderick Haig-Brown

 

[falcon53]

Rather than the usual stock answers, I'd like to recommend Bob Romano
If you get the weekly Midcurrent email, you've seen his short stories, and if you were at either of the most recent Fly Fishing Shows, you may have even gone to one of his seminars on fishing western Maine
I'll admit that I like Bob's novels mostly because he's writing about (fictional ) locations that I fish as well, but he does spin a good yarn.
Hell of a guy too. Even gave me his phone number so that when in the area we could maybe fish together.
The fact that there's no cell phone service any where there there is immaterial

I know Bob. He spends the colder months in a nearby town. Good guy. I have a couple of his books. Sadly many are out of print and pricey in the secondary book stores. He knows Tom Ridout from his Bosebuck Camp. I fished out of Bosebuck and Tom and I became casual friends. I believe Tom retired recently. Bob gave a presentation at a local Tu Chapter and I have met him again several times at Fly Fishing Shows.

 

[falcon53]

I have many books on Fly Fishing / Tying. One of my favorites is "Tying and Fishing Small Flies" by Ed Engle. Thoughtful and informative. Another book I like is "Fly Fishing for Pressured Trout" by LLoyd Gonzales a PA guy. Oh yeah "The Trout and the Fly" by Brian Clarke and John Goddard. Just to name a few.