Fly Fishing the Sierra Nevada

Rating:
Summary: Practical guide oriented towards major trans-sierra highways
Review: I have just finished reading the new guide entitled Fly Fishing the Sierra Nevada by Bill Sunderland, (Aguabonita Books, 1999). When I first heard about it I thought this was the last thing we needed, as Ralph Cutter has long had the definitive guide to the High Sierra, now in its second edition. However, upon reading the new work I see that the two are complementary. Basically Cutter's book assumed you would be backpacking in to high country lakes; Sunderland's book assumes you will making the initial approach by car, essentially along one of the many transsierra highways. Thus the new book takes you up Interstate 80, US 50 and California 4 and 108 and tells you where to get off. Having spend decades coming up these roads without a clue where to find good fishable streams makes the book worth its price immediately. Spending a lot of time in photography myself, I could not help comparing the photographic content of the two works. Both are of top quality. Here Sunderland had considerable help, but I tire a bit long exposures of slow film on rushing streams resulting in flowing milk rather than water. A little fill-flash would not have hurt on some of the images. All in all, I found Cutter's photos and illustrations a small cut above. Cutter also spends 21 pages with detailed illustrations on "Trout food" to 4 pages by Sunderland. On the other hand, where Sunderland shines is the clear maps. There are sufficiently detailed maps of all the major roads and access to the relevant waters. There were a couple I would have liked to learned even a bit more detail. Getting off on those Forest Service roads (where the locals seem to lisf the signs each season) is often an adventure without GPS. Yet, given the number of anglers currently in California, a little obscurity for some streams will not hurt. A nice touch by Sunderland is the extensive listings of resources such as fly shops, camp grounds ranger stations for each section. In sum, Cutter is basically High Mountains and foot travel with a lot on basic techniques. Sunderland is more stream-oriented and road travel, a bit like a AAA guide. All in all, both books are complementary and worth the price. Jerome Yesavage, author Desolation Wilderness Fishing Guide END

Rating:
Summary: Practical guide oriented towards major trans-sierra highways
Review: I have just finished reading the new guide entitled Fly Fishing the Sierra Nevada by Bill Sunderland, (Aguabonita Books, 1999). When I first heard about it I thought this was the last thing we needed, as Ralph Cutter has long had the definitive guide to the High Sierra, now in its second edition. However, upon reading the new work I see that the two are complementary. Basically Cutter's book assumed you would be backpacking in to high country lakes; Sunderland's book assumes you will making the initial approach by car, essentially along one of the many transsierra highways. Thus the new book takes you up Interstate 80, US 50 and California 4 and 108 and tells you where to get off. Having spend decades coming up these roads without a clue where to find good fishable streams makes the book worth its price immediately. Spending a lot of time in photography myself, I could not help comparing the photographic content of the two works. Both are of top quality. Here Sunderland had considerable help, but I tire a bit long exposures of slow film on rushing streams resulting in flowing milk rather than water. A little fill-flash would not have hurt on some of the images. All in all, I found Cutter's photos and illustrations a small cut above. Cutter also spends 21 pages with detailed illustrations on "Trout food" to 4 pages by Sunderland. On the other hand, where Sunderland shines is the clear maps. There are sufficiently detailed maps of all the major roads and access to the relevant waters. There were a couple I would have liked to learned even a bit more detail. Getting off on those Forest Service roads (where the locals seem to lisf the signs each season) is often an adventure without GPS. Yet, given the number of anglers currently in California, a little obscurity for some streams will not hurt. A nice touch by Sunderland is the extensive listings of resources such as fly shops, camp grounds ranger stations for each section. In sum, Cutter is basically High Mountains and foot travel with a lot on basic techniques. Sunderland is more stream-oriented and road travel, a bit like a AAA guide. All in all, both books are complementary and worth the price. Jerome Yesavage, author Desolation Wilderness Fishing Guide END