Re: [VFB] Favorite Pattern Book

[TSMD]

If you need step by step instructions its hard to beat Jack Dennis' books.  I think the most recent one is the best, "Tying Flies, with Jack Dennis and Friends"  Another good step by step book is Dave Hugh's "Essential Trout Flies"  which organizes flies by general pattern style, and gives you step by step instructions for an individual fly.... if you learn to do one you can do many others that follow a similar pattern.  This is a great way for beginners to wade through the thousands of flies that are actually based on a relativly few pattern styles.

But my current favorite is "Trout Flies of the West" by Jim Schollmeyer and Ted Leeson.  The flies were all contributed by guides working out of various flyshops around the west.  I love "Guide Flies" which usually tie quickly and work well, and this book is full of them (although I think some more difficult flies were contributed by guides wanting to show off their skill, rather than  the flies they knock out the night before a  trip.)

This is strictly a picture and recipe book, with a few comments by the guides.

Hope this helps,

Tom Davenport