Patent Patterns

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for fly-tyers and admirers everywhere
Review: It only took a minute of flipping through this book before I knew I was not leaving without it. This one will definitely join the small pile of well-read, somewhat dog-eared books I constantly find myself reaching for on my fly-tying bench--a plus is the convenient spiral-bound edition as it lays flat.

This fantastic collection of fly pattern recipes and photos includes endless variations and innovations on every bug, worm, baitfish and creepy-crawly one could ever conceive of taking fishing! There are also some patterns that are just too artful to even consider waving over the water, and I'm glad they are included as a reminder of what an art flytying is. By the time I leaf through and savor every page, I just have to go back and look at it again and again, each time seeing something I missed the previous trips through.

I often incorporate materials I have around the house into my flies (hey, sometimes the dryer lint has just that perfect dun shade) but even I learned a few new sources of materials from this book that I never would have come up with myself. Curses for tossing out those old ratty wine corks, rubberbands, dead house plants and worn out hair brushes--there's flies to be tied with that stuff! And of course being a Jim Schollmeyer book, the photography is superb.

Not to be mistaken with Mr. Schollmeyer's how-to books (the best investment I ever made: "The Fly Tyer's Benchside Reference Manual", co-authored with Ted Leeson), "Patent Patterns" is just a great book for anyone who ties flies for the plethora of ideas presented and for anyone who admires flies for the creativity and artistry represented.