New book simplifies the art of fly fishing
By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist
If there is one single theme that runs through Charles Meck’s latest book "The Hatches Made Simple," it is that memorizing hundreds of bugs is not the key to successful fly fishing; The key is using the right fly at the right time.
Meck, an experienced fly fisherman and author of five previous fishing books, focuses on the broad spectrum of patterns by which hatches happen; light-colored mayflies, for example, tend to hatch at certain times.
Trout are the species that receive the most attention, and seasonal hatches that affect their behavior are covered thoroughly, from early spring grays to an array of summer hatches, then back to the grays of late fall.
This is a book for fly fishing devotees; however, the information is presented in simple terms that even the novice can understand.
The text is interspersed with black and white and color photos and numerous charts.
"The Hatches Made Simple" is subtitled "A Universal Guide to Selecting the Proper Fly at the Right Time," and this pretty much sums up what Meck has set out to do.
"The Hatches" retails for $35 hardcover and can be ordered from local book stores, online, or directly from the publisher (Countryman Press at 1-800-245-4151).