Reddit mentions: The best fishing books

Honestly if you have zero experience I suggest getting one of those how to books.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Fishing-Basics-Edition/dp/0028638840

http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Dummies-Peter-Kaminsky-ebook/dp/B004X75OMA

They may seem silly, but they have all the information a beginner would need, like basic equipment information, fishing knots, and species specific info. Being from SF you will more than likely will have more saltwater opportunities than freshwater (I am from CA but not from SF so I am not 100% sure about that). This allows for some interesting opportunities. You go can use a charter service which often provide everything you need (so you are not stuck with a bunch of fishing tackle if this isn't the hobby for you) or you can use one of the many piers in CA. The cool thing about piers is that many of them have bait shops that rent out gear (again no permanent investment on your part) , they also usually do not require a fishing license which is a bonus. A regular fishing license currently runs $47.01.

If you are interested in buying you own gear and going the whole 9 yards there are a few things to keep in mind. One rod and reel set up will not covering everything. Set ups need to correspond with the types of fish you targeting. Things can get very expensive too. Rods and reels can easy cost $100s. However I believe that the cheap gear of today is generally much better than than it was 20 years ago. A casual fisherman can get good use out of 40/50 dollar setups. Now if I were starting out I would get something like a 6 1/2 to 7 foot medium action spinning rod. I like Berkley Cherrywood rods, they usually run just over 20 buck they seem to be available at any old walmart. For a reel I would get either a 2500 or 4000 Shimano. You can spend as little as $20 bucks to several $100 on Shimanos. The $20 to $40 ones should serve you just fine. Fill the spool with 8 to 10 lb test line and you got a budget light tackle set up. I should note that going after steelheads is not what I would consider casual fishing.

Now that set up I mention would serve you fine for casual fishing for trout, bass, even eating size catfish, but I had another purpose in mind. Out here on the west coast we have surf perch which offer year round fishing. The best part is that it is probably some of the easiest fishing there is. They hold on just about every beach and they do not require fancy techniques. Sandy beaches usually lack the kind of structure that would cause a fisherman to break off, so re tying your hooks becomes less of an issue. Its is probably a good place to learn how to cast as there is plenty of room for error. Small soft plastics are the preferred "bait" used for surf perch which is another bonus because it will not stink or be messing like natural bait. The "technique" is nothing more than casting out and reeling in slowly. You will have to learn how to set a hook, but using very sharp hooks can help with that as the fish can hook themselves. The only bad thing is the salt water and sand. Do you best to keep you reel out of both and rinse of the entire reel in fresh water when you get home. I love this kind of surf fishing because it is so simple. In the summer it can be fun just get in the water to your knees and have a nice day fishing. If you catch nothing then you still spent your day at the beach.

Sorry if I "talked your ear off". I really like fishing. Feel free to come over to r/fishing.

Hey just want to follow up since I'm not sure if anyone else has.

Before I dive into trout streams I'm gonna make a major recommendation. MSP probably has some of the best smallmouth and muskie water access in the world. The Mississippi and St Croix rivers are both incredible fisheries. There are also a number of lakes in the cities areas that are killers for largemouth and again muskie/pike. There's 3 lakes in particular that don't allow motor'ed boats and have pretty accessible shore fishing (Isles, Calhoun, Harriet, sorry to everyone else, but I don't think it's a secret anymore). I have seen 50"+ fish get pulled from them, and have had my my follows on these lakes. Side note, for sure gonna catch ones of those fuckers this year. If you don't have an 8wt, or a 10/11 for muskie, I'd highly recommend one. Primary reason being that most great trout streams (with easy access) will be 1-2 hours outside of the cities.

Second recommendation, get a Wisconsin fishing license. If you're a first time buyer they offer a discount. They know what they're doing, because guarantee you'll be back again next year. The Kinnickinnic is right over the border in River Falls WI and has great access and pretty good fishing. There is a metric fuck ton of water to cover though, but that's the closest.

Right in the cities area is the Vermillion, but access can be kind of funky, and it's not the most wade-able river so you end up somewhat limited to what water you can really fish. Down south a little further in MN is Whitewater, which has some pretty sizeable fish, but definitely sees more pressure. Farther south is the Root River and all it's branches (like 120 river miles worth). Sees a lot less pressure but is a solid 2 hour drive.

Pretty much all of MN and WI allow access to water at bridges. Many land owners have provided easement, but for the ones that don't keep your feet wet and you're in the clear.

If you're looking for some reading, I just picked up this book, which is a little outdated in terms of stocking and access information, but does a great job covering the various hatches and forage, and includes some strategies to try.

Lastly, both MN and WI have started a C&R "pre-season" so-to-speak. So basically the only time streams are closed is mid-October to the first Saturday in January. Whitewater is open year round even! Definitely check the specific water you're looking to fish though, dates and seasons vary from river to river.

Hope this helps and good luck! Check out the Great Waters Fly Expo in a couple months (http://greatwatersflyexpo.com/). Good place to connect with more locals and TU has a big presence there.

Feel free to reach out with any questions!

Sure those can help, nothing about casting has changed per se, but there you may find modern instruction to be a lot less rigid. There's been more of an awareness in recent years that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I used to dabble in competition distance fly casting, for example, and I was told on many occasions that an open stance cast (like Lefty teaches) could never deliver a fly more than one hundred feet. I would just strip off the line, lay the fly down at 105 feet or whatever, and ask them to explain again why it was impossible. They couldn't -- they were all operating on received wisdom.

The machine I described was invented by Bruce Richards, who ran the Scientific Anglers fly line lab for many years, and Dr. Noel Perkins of the University of Michigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Casting_Analyzer

That machine helped show that a good caster makes the fly rod behave in the same way, even if the caster himself may stand a little differently or drop his shoulder a bit more, etc. Humans have different physiques, so biomechanically there is more than one way to make the rod do what we need.

The best casters in the world are all built like fireplugs and tend to cast directly over their shoulders, so they can maximize the strength of their back and chest muscles. That is the traditional method of casting, but personally I question whether the way they do it is required to make those massive casts or if it is just confirmation bias. The only time I ever stood on a podium and made a distance cast in competition with those guys, I think my best shot was 108', and Steve Rajeff (the best caster ever) used the same set up to throw 112' and win the tournament. I am absolutely nowhere near as good a caster as Steve Rajeff, and what that suggests to me is that style doesn't matter; it's just discipline and experience that count. Rajeff happens to be in the over the shoulder school, and is also the best caster in the world, but there's no telling what he might have been if he had decided to cast the way Lefty teaches for his whole career instead.

I'm probably overkilling on the explanation for a guy like you who is just starting out, but the takeaway is that you can learn to cast in several different ways and all will work. I think Lefty's is the fastest pathway to success.

One more excellent book once you get going: "Troubleshooting the Cast" by Ed Jaworowski. I think every angler should own this book and I believe it to be the most effective written tool in existence once you take the first step past 'rank beginner'.

https://www.amazon.com/Troubleshooting-Cast-Ed-Jawrowski/dp/0811729427

Great book full of easy to understand diagrams.

Last thing, here is a piece on ten common mistakes and how to fix them:

http://www.itinerantangler.com/blog/podcasts/2016/01/13/ten-most-common-casting-errors-and-how-to-fix-them/

Welcome to a lifelong addiction! I agree with a lot of people on here that buying a good book will help you out a lot. Likewise, spending some time casting before you hit the water will make for a lot less frustration. A good book will help you know how to cast right and what it feels like. I don't own it myself, but I've heard good things personally about this book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592288189

Now as to your equipment, whatever works best for you is what you should fish with, regardless of how cheap it is. That being said, there is a big difference between a professionally designed rod and a generic fly rod. If you can possibly afford to step it up a bit in your price range, you will set yourself up with equipment that will easily keep you both happy and challenged for 5-10 years. Here's my recommendation (just a recommendation, nothing more, nothing less):

Temple Fork Outfitters make professionally designed rods that, like most major brands, have a lifetime guarantee and you can always return it (or a piece of it) for a repair. They are able to offer a seriously nice rod for less because the manufacturing is done in China. The company and design is in the US. Basically, it's a great rod for a lot less because of where it's made. http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/

Ross reels are like the GMC of fly reels. Nothing fancy, but super dependable and you get everything you need to do the job. My first reel was a Ross (anyone remember the Cimarron?) and I keep it around because it's every bit as usable as when I bought it 12 years ago. They're seriously good reels.
http://www.rossreels.com/

As to the length, I strongly suggest something near a 9'. It gives you enough flex to "feel" a backcast so that you can establish a good cast early on. This way, you won't have to break bad habits later in your life. The standard weight for a beginner is 5. However, don't feel intimidated by a 3 or 4. If you're fishing for trout, these are all acceptable.

This was a bit longer than I expected, but I hope it is useful. PM if you have any questions that I can help with.

EDIT: Sorry, one last thing!

The less fished the water, the more likely you are to be successful on it. Spend a bit of time looking around your area on google maps or topos and find water that may be smaller, but is further from a road. Any time water is visible from a road, you can almost guarantee it has been fished earlier in the day before you. Finding somewhere remote will give you some positive feedback on fishing and keep you from getting frustrated early on.

Ok, I'll shut up now.

Quoting myself, because we get this type of question all the time.

> * Avoid the starter kits. The vises are generally crap and the materials are usually only enough to make a handful of flies. A good vise is going to be somewhere between 100-200 dollars, but certainly worth the investment. See here. I use a Peak Rotary Vise, and it's built like a fucking tank. You could certainly buy a starter tool kit (bobbin, bodkin, scissors, whip finisher, hackle pliers) but I wouldn't spend much more than 20 or 30 bucks on it, because you'll be upgrading them all eventually. The bare minimum I would say to get is a bobbin and a pair of scissors.

• Start easy. You're not going to be tying fully dressed salmon flies from the start. Your first flies are going to look like shit, but trust me, they will still catch fish. My first fly was an ugly scud imitation with some dubbing and a bead taught to me by a local angler, and to this day, is still one of my most productive patterns. If you want a good book to start, I'd suggest Simple Flies by Morgan Lyle. Certainly not a complete guide to all flies, but it's a basic book and has some nice history on each of the flies.
  
  > Find out what patterns are hot/successful in your area, along with the standards (Wooly Buggers, San Juan worms, PT and Hare's Ear nymphs, etc.) and buy materials accordingly.
  
  > Buy materials in bulk once you've got a decent repertoire of flies. Hooks tend to be the most expensive part of most flies (generally 15-20 cents per for most dry, nymph, scud and streamer hooks) so buy them on sale if you see them. Daiichi, Tiemco, Gamakatsu are all fine hooks and run about $20 for 100 hooks. Dry fly hooks are more fragile/brittle, so I don't cheap out on those, but for other styles, the quality may not be as important and you could buy other brands. Also, don't be offset by the price of Capes. $40-60 dollars for a bunch of feathers seems expensive at first, but you should be able to tie 100s of flies off one good cape. The Whiting Hackle Starter Pack is a good start for about $65 if you want to start tying dry flies. In the end, you're using maybe 50 cents worth of material (at most), for a fly that you would by from the shop for 2 or 3 bucks. The real cost is in time, but there is nothing more satisfying than catching a fish on your own fly.
  
  > Look to see if your local outfitter or TU Chapter has any Fly Tying nights. It's a good way to meet local anglers and you can learn quite a bit from them.
  
  > Crimp your barbs or buy barbless. When, not if, you hook yourself with a barbed hook, it sucks.
  
  > Buy 2 pairs of scissors, one fine tip/razor for small work and a heavier duty pair for cutting hairs, yarns, etc. Don't ever use your scissors on any wire. Learn how to tie with the scissors in your hand, it will save you a ton of time.
  
  > Youtube is a fantastic resource for video and instructions. I find it much easier to learn than trying to copy recipes from a book. Search for InTheRiffle, Davie McPhail and Jim Misiura. Thousands of high quality videos with just about every fly pattern you will ever tie. Don't be afraid to do something different either. Use whatever tricks and techniques work best for you.
  
  Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

I can't speak for the CZN, but I've fished the Cortland Competition 10'6" 3wt for the past two years and love it. Your added length is crucial for reaching spots while still tight lining (and staying in direct contact with your fly(s) at all times as best you can), and also tippet protection (looking at you Syndicate w your glorious rods).

As /u/pwigglez mentioned, also very important in the game is your leader set up. Done properly, this will play a huge role in your presentation and success.
(Hint-your reel and fly line (outside of euro-specific lines, which are awesome) don't mean much in this game)

And IMHO, if you're serious about going after some successful nymphing, Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniels is an absolute must read. I'm prob on my 4th time through (currently re-reading it) and should be your starting point for your approach and rig set up.

Best of luck and keep asking questions--there are a ton of awesome nymphing guys on here that I've learned a ton from on this sub!

If you haven't fished with a fly rod before then going with a guide is a good idea, especially if you've got a buddy who wants to go and you can split the cost. It is not cheap but the guide will save you the headache of trying to find a place to get in and out of the water, can give you enough ideas to make your next few trips, and will save you the frustration of going out hoping to have a good time and not having any idea what the hell you are doing.

Especially fishing these little spring creeks you may wind up having to roll cast a lot (otherwise you will spend a lot of time trying to get your precious new flies out of the tree branches behind you), and that is one of those things that is a lot easier to do when you can watch somebody who knows what he or she is doing.

Finally, when I first started fishing with flies, I made the mistake of setting out on my own seeking out beautiful pristine new england creeks and ponds with native brook trout, and I didn't catch a god damned thing. Later I made a few outings with my uncle on a little pond full of bluegill. On the still water I could actually see what my casts were doing, and I was fishing little dries like red quills, so I got to have the whole experience of presenting the fly and seeing the fish come up and take it on top. I think it is much more gratifying to bring in a few really dopey fish with hapless technique than to go out and fail to catch any trout. Also a 1/2lb bluegill on a 3wt fly rod feels about like catching a 10lb striper.

After a few of those trips I was having fun again, I made some guided trips out west and didn't make an ass of myself.

Here are my two books I like:

http://www.amazon.com/Flyfishers-Guide-Virginia-Including-Virginias/dp/1932098399/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334973191&sr=8-1


and

http://www.amazon.com/Simplified-Fly-Fishing-S-Slaymaker/dp/0811722791/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334973229&sr=1-2

good luck and report back!

Where do you live? CT?


Fly fishing has a pretty serious learning curve, from my experience. I assume being avid fisherman, you are pretty comfortable working a lure such as a Rapala? The very fist type of fly I would suggest you try is streamers. It's very straight forward and you can work the streamer like a standard lure. Buy some wooly buggers in various colors and stick to them for a while.


Secondly, catching fish in february isn't easy. If we're simply discussing chance of success, I would suggest you focus your fishing efforts in April/May/June when the water temps help fish activity.


After catching some things on buggers, I would try nymphing and dry flies. A great book on nymphing is Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniel


Lastly, if you are still struggling, find someone to bring you out and work with you. I'm too far from CT to assist, but you can hire a guide or maybe someone on this board lives up there and would take you out and help.


Best of luck! Would love to see an update to this when you finally do land some fish!

I don't have any recommenation on guides, but I was in Yellowstone in August of 2017. I had never fly fished before and had 1.5 months before the trip to teach myself.

Some pointers in case you want to venture out on your own and fish.

• Any spot 5-10+ minutes walk away from parking or roads = drastic reduction in crowd. You'll be there during one of the busiest months.
  
  
• This book was super helpful: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599211424/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  Figure out where you will be in the park, buy the appropriate flies, profit.
  
  
• Practice cast for sure. You don't need to learn any crazy teqniques. Just be able to make an acurate 30-40 foot cast. No hauling. Check out some Orvis casting lesson videos on YouTube.
  
  
• GO TO SLOUGH CREEK! I don't know if your an avid/hardcore angler or outdoorsman, but even if you just appreciate the beauty of nature away from roads, crowds, the modern world, etc, this place is magical.
  
  A few pictures from my day there:
  https://imgur.com/a/3Xte1?
  
  Happy to share more details if you are interested.

I have a book called Trout Streams of Wisconsin and Minnesota that I look into occasionally, but you can also look on the DNR website for streams that hold trout.

When nymphing my presentation is almost always the same -- get the fly to the bottom and have a drag-free drift. I'm hoping to do a video on beginner nymphing tactics within the next couple weeks too.

When fish are rising I'll try to catch a fly in my hat to better identify it and it's size. Insect hatches change throughout the season. A drag free drift is probably even more important when dry fly fishing.

I have a blog that I update after pretty much every outing. I discuss stream conditions, hatches, flies used, etc. It's also beneficial to visit your local fly shop to get good intel on the area streams.

Hope this helps!

Packing light + fly fishing....hah, that's a fine joke.

Two fly boxes = either a newbie, a true veteran, or somebody with waaaay more discipline than I have.

Yeah, I see those E12 caddis-ish things now. Those will probably work, but you'll probably want some EHCs too. It's a ridiculously productive pattern.

Thought of one other thing: you may want some hoppers. You could grease up those muddlers and fool some fish, but they won't float for long. Hucking big hoppers along a grassy shoreline is one of summer's finest pleasures in the Western US.

Nymphing....yup, that's a big subject. Yes, it can be VERY productive, particularly on the crowded tailwaters (aka tailraces, the stretches of water beneath a dam with controlled flows; many of them function like spring creeks in terms of producing bugs - and therefore large quantities of large fish). It also gets very technical, even down to specialized rods and lines, plus a variety of rigs and techniques and, of course, fly patterns.

There are multiple styles of nymphing ranging from simple to uber-techy. Here's a quick-and-dirty intro that'll probably start a war...

• Hopper-dropper: simply dropping a weighted nymph on a short line below a floating fly (not always a hopper). It's simple, but it can also be extremely fun and effective - particularly in small streams and creeks that don't get hammered by so many people. Not really 'nymphing' per se, but the dropper is usually called a nymph, and it works.
  
  
• Indicator Nymphing: broadly-speaking, any rig that includes a strike indicator. Some people totally geek out on it; other people disdain it. These groups can generally be differentiated by their speech patterns: the people who approve call it "indicator nymphing", whereas the folks who look down on them call it "bobber fishing". Personally, I think the folks who do nothing else might be missing the broader forest for the sake of a few interesting trees, but the people who think it's simple and unsophisticated probably haven't taken it seriously enough to appreciate the intricacies.
  
  
• Euro/Czech/Straightline/Shortline Nymphing: many of us use these terms almost interchangeably as shorthand for indicator-less nymphing, whether upstream or downstream. The folks who take these things seriously probably won't appreciate having all the distinct techniques lumped together, but tough cookies.
  
  
• Swinging: this covers the downstream swinging of wet flies, soft hackles, and streamers - so long as you ignore St. Galloup's streamer methods.
  
  Broadly speaking, the indicator techniques are probably better for deeper water and long-line situations, and the shorter line flavours can be deadly effective in shallower rivers. Streamer fishing can be effective in more situations than most people think, and the hopper-dropper thing is mostly for pocket water.
  
  From there...well, just read Dynamic Nymphing and choose how down this slippery slope you want to slide.
  
  Yes, you need to start tying. And when you do, kiss your minimalistic habits good-bye....

Basically a larger fly that you strip (fly fishing you don't reel line in you strip it in with your hands, basically the reel's only used in fighting fish and holding your line,) typically some kind of minnow pattern. A lot of people would say you don't need an 8 wt for streamer fishing for bass but its a whole hell of a lot easier to cast streamers with an 8wt. Plus I never target panfish, I find panfish fishing to be pretty boring, when I bass fish, I mainly just huck streamers at largemouths. Also with an 8wt you can fish for larger species like pike. Good luck! Oh I would pick up Fly Fishers Guide to Virginia There is one for pretty much every state and the book outlines anything you need to know for locating fisheries for all species across your state. So when the time comes that you want to hunt some trout down you can find rivers in your area. Also stop into a fly shop, not Orvis or anything but a more mom and pop type shop, they will always offer information on where to fish freely and happily.

There are a few books out there for an "everything" guide to fishing. I know that BASS and the North American Fishing Club both had books out, and I have seen some other ones at outdoors stores. I did a quick search on Amazon and found "The Complete Guide to Freshwater Fishing. Know though that all of these books are pretty much the same. Most go through the types of baits, reels, rods, knots, and fish (including their range, how to fish for them during different times of the year, etc.). There may even be one at your local library. You can also find old versions of books on Amazon as well- this is an old edition from the NAFC.
As for a rod/reel, I would go to a store and ask someone. When I first started out I would ask what they would recommend and have never been disappointed (just know what fish you want to go after and a price range).


EDIT: I just found one of the books that I own, which in my opinion is the best beginner's book out there (it helped me out when I started). It's by the NAFC and it's called "Catch fish anywhere, anytime". You may be able to find it on other websites besides Amazon as well.

There are two books I highly recommend to you. The first being The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing by Kirk Deeter and Charlie Myers. I keep it in my tackle box. This book was invaluable to my self development as a fly thrower.

Next I recommend Colorado's Best Fly Fishing. This book gives you need to know information on the most popular places to catch fish. It might not have the hidden and secret spots but it has gotten me to places with some great trout.

With that said, the only time I ever caught fish on Clear Creek was when I was 12 using a gold blue fox lure in September along I-70 just south of Idaho Springs. That doesn't mean they aren't there, I just haven't tried on a fly.

“Fishing for Dummies”

It seems silly, but it’s a great basic overview with good illustrations and diagrams. Used copies are pretty cheap online. I started fishing in a vacuum and this book got me started.

I'd recommend getting a copy of Fishing Hawaii Style.. You should be able to get a copy at Walmart.

The book was originally published 34 years ago, but still exceedingly relevant. It's the first in a series of three volumes. Fascinating reading if you're into fishing.

If you live here, it's a good reference. If you're a visitor, it's a good souvenir to take home.

You don't need much gear to get started. I'd suggest starting with whipping or dunking.

I have Trout and Their Food by Dave Whitlock and Colorado's Best Fly Fishing by Landon Mayer. Both books are nearly brand new. I received a duplicate as a gift and I re-bought the Whitlock book at last year's Fly Fishing Show in Winston-Salem to have Dave sign a copy.

I'm looking to trade pretty much anything fly fishing related--tying materials or tools, other books, etc.

Thanks for lookin'!

No, I'm not from there, but it is literally the home of surf fishing. Almost any surf fishing book out there is going to say, "This is how we do it in Long Island, and it might work where you fish too."

Here's two books I enjoyed:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811732835

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ZHTRK2

Any of John Skinner's videos. I would assume that his books are great as well, and I plan on buy one some day:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=john+skinner+surf

So, I travel to NW Arkansas for work quite a bit and just got into fly fishing recently. There's a great fly shop in Fayetteville called McLellan's and they pointed me to the Beaver Lake tail waters. I also bought this book off them and I would definitely recommend it. Hope this helps!

I think the best instructional books for a beginner are either the Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide or the LL Bean Ultimate Book of Fly-Fishing. For fun reads, you can't go wrong with any of John Gierach's books. Trout Bum would be a good starting point.

It's all a process, and we cant answer everything for you.

Try a free class on the basics. Bring your rod and reel to the class, ask them questions about it. They'll help you out.
http://www.orvis.com/flyfishing101

Try watching some videos to shed some light on how best to approach things. http://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/video-lessons

Try asking a flyshop near that river what to throw. They'll know whats working so you can stop asking yourself if the flies are correct. They'll be able to answer a lot of things.

Try a book or two about everything else.

Easy reading: https://amzn.com/0936608064

Detailed reading: https://amzn.com/0385308167

This is a good book that i started with. I found it dealt a lot with trying to get the "big" catches, bluefish, red drum, and sharks. You will have a lot of variety to catch from the surf in your area. You could def pull in some nice flounder on your 7' rod. I agree that theres nothing better than talking to someone at a local bait shop. Try to go on a weekday when they arent too busy and they will help a ton. They usually have books that they can direct you to as well.

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

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I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

Handbook of Hatches by Dave Hughes is a good introduction to identifying trout prey and does a great job of recommending flies to use once you've determined what you're trying to mimic.

Check out the books Fishing Hawaii Style. I think there are four in the series. Start there and then try to find someone who fishes regularly and hang out with them. Chat up the fishermen you see and offer them a beer or a bowl. You should know how to tie your own lines and you should have your own basic gear before asking for help. Good luck.

I was just there last week and had some decent fishing. While I can't speak to the patterns specifically, I can say from my limited experience, try to avoid crowds as much as possible. That stretch of river through the meadow right next to the road. Looks beautiful, right? Well every other idiot with a fly rod all summer thought the same thing and fished the living daylights out of that section. I found that even walking 1/2 mile away from the road the fishing was better than the obvious spots. If I had the time I would do some serious back country hiking to some underfished stretches of the Yellowstone itself. Or hike up the Lamar upstream from the confluence of Soda Butte creek. If you haven't bought the book, buy the book and be sure to stop in a [Park's Fly Shop] (http://www.parksflyshop.com/index.html) in Gardiner, MT mere yards from the North Entrance. These guys literally wrote said book, and put me on fish both times I went in for advice last week. Good luck.

Yes! Check out Dave Hughes' book Reading Trout Waters or a similar book/resource about how to read trout waters.

If you know where the fish will be holding, you'll have a much better idea of how to approach fly fishing and you'll increase your hookup rate.

I learned a lot from this: http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Trout-Water-Dave-Hughes/dp/081173644X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458838109&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=reading+terout+waters

"Reading Trout Water" by Dave Hughes.

Not sure if you are a trout fisherman, but I thought it was filled with great info.

If you're in the St. Louis area, the Meramec river is where it's at. A great book that you might look into is the Flyfisher's Guide to Missouri and Arkansas it has a lot of great detail broken into zones within Missouri.

I see what you mean. There are two ways lakes like that are fished for pike. First is ice fishing and the second is trolling which, is setting up a rig off the back of the boat and towing slowing at various depths. You might not have a boat in which case it is a lot of walking the edge. If you do not have a boat yet it might be something to save up for. I once saw a guy on Lake Champlain fishing from a raft he made out of drums and plastic bottles with a electric motor on the back. It is easier to cast to the shore than out into the lake. Remember this: fish are only using 10% of the water. Bigger fish are not out in the middle of that lake. Fish follow food. Plankton/ zooplankton is pushed by the wind and smaller fish follow and so on. Though fish do move and change depth according to temperature and dissolved oxygen and at times light penetration in general they are to be found on the edges. If you are really interested here is a great book. I would scan the pages and email you the section but it is 20 pages on pike alone.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589230094/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1589233212&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1M84A1BZ5AVRRSWN0C1K

Learn to read water. It's the most critical, fundamental skill in trout fishing. If you don't know how to find trout, you won't catch them. My favorite book on the topic; there is also tons of solid free material online. https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Trout-Water-Dave-Hughes/dp/081173644X

This book is amazing for someone learning to flyfish. http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishing-Completely-Revised-Updated-Illustrations/dp/1592288189

Free right now for Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Fish-Like-Mean-David-Zoby-ebook/dp/B07BHMJMSF/ref=pd_rhf_eeolp_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=973E6TWHG4Q0TCMDYNKC

This book helped me out a lot when I first started. Covers a broad range of topics, a good primer.

https://www.amazon.com/L-L-Bean-Ultimate-Book-Fishing/dp/159228891X

I have the Handbook of Hatches, but I did not like the way it was organized. I'm not sure if subsequent editions are better.

It seriously takes a lot of tying practice to make them not bulky - Use smaller thread, less thread wraps and all together, less material.

You'll see your patterns get simpler and simpler, tapers getting better, taking less time, etc.

If you're in the mood for some deep research and stuff, get George Daniels "Dynamic Nymphing" book - It's not all about that euro, it covers everything. Especially weight.

Buy this book, it's worth every penny.

http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Nymphing-Tactics-Techniques-Around/dp/0811707415

Fishing For Dummies

Very well written, funny, and most of all incredibly informative about all things fishing. It was kind of a gag gift but I learned a lot, and it's fifteen bucks.

I've got all sorts, as I tie my own. I do use a 11' 3-wt., but you can "high stick" nymph with any length of rod. I know there have been posts in the past on Euro-nymphing, and so, just search.

If you really want to know more, this book by George Daniel is a classic. He also has some videos on YouTube.