hans weilenmann

The average fly fisher spends just 15.6 days per year on the water. Of course, few of us are fortunate enough to spend every day of every month casting into riffles, pools, and undercut banks in search of those finicky browns, brooks, rainbows, and cutthroats. Luckily, the diverse collection of gear in 365 Trout Flies provides some measure of solace to those legions of desk-bound fly fishers.

Presenting enough flies to span the year, expert fly fisherman John van Vliet offers suggestions for the spectrum of salmonids fly fishers are most likely to encounter as well as the breadth of locations—from small, pastoral chalk streams to forested, free-stone rivers. Each spread depicts a group of three flies along with materials recipes, captions from the author detailing how and where to fish them, and interesting related historical facts. For ease of reference, the book is organized into five categories covering each of the major fly types—nymphs, dries, wets, streamers, and terrestrials—and is illustrated throughout with exclusive macrophotography of the flies themselves. The front matter and section openers are illustrated with gorgeous, scenic fly-fishing photos.

From traditional stalwarts like the Adams, Light Cahill, Royal Wulff, and Hare’s Ear Nymph to more modern twists like synthetic inchworms, sand-encased caddis emergers, and the Chernobyl ant, John van Vliet’s 365 Trout Flies functions as both a practical how-to guide for the fly enthusiast and a handsome collection highlighting the art of these faux-entomological wonders.