Flies For Atlantic Salmon & Steelhead
A History Of The World’s Most Elegant Fishing Flies
As Combs does so well, he has delved into history and given today’s anglers a broad, fascinating view of the long progression of how salmon and steelhead flies developed over hundreds of years. As with any evolution, there wasn’t always a clear, straight line. There were many zigzags and fads; sometimes the flies stayed essentially the same for long periods. Tradition is stubborn.
To tell this story of transformation, the narrative needs storytellers. Trey Combs has rounded up a “who’s who” of supremely gifted fly dressers from the salmon rivers of Scandinavia and Scotland to the steelhead rivers of the Pacific Northwest. In stunning closeup photography, not found anywhere else, these remarkable fly tying creations, old and new, informs this beautiful and inspirational tale of a timeless sport fishing craft.
Limited Edition / Large Oversized Art/Museum Format
Limited Edition - 1500 Copies Only
Limited Edition Dust Jacket
Cloth Hardcover w/Embossed Graphics
Oversized 12.5" x 10.25" x 1.5"
384 pages on heavy art-book matte stock
More than 1,000 photographs and illustrations (see sample image gallery at bottom of page)
ISBN 9781735541549
Chapter Descriptions
Part I - Origins: A Migration Of Classic Salmon Flies To The Steelhead Coast
A Speyside Soliloquy — Jock Scott Creates A Vision — The Golden Age Of Salmon Flies — John S. Benn And The Birth Of The Steelhead Fly — Greasing The Line — Zane Grey Spreads — The Gospel — Traditional Steelhead Flies — Syd Glasso’s Stylish Transformation Of The Wet Fly
Part II - Three Amigos: Tube Flies Take Over
Roland Holmberg — Håkan Norling — Mikael Frödin
Part III - Modern Salmon Flies
Pot-Bellied Pigs — Sunray Shadow-Øystein Aas — Flamethrowers — Ally Gowans
Part IV - Modern Steelhead Flies
A Dark Fly For Steelhead — New Takes On A Classic Style — Intruder-Jay Nicholas — Guide Flies — Rabbit Strips And More — SteelFlash
Part V - Arise
The Muddler — Bugs And Bombers-Steve Silverio — Wake Them Up!-Thomas R. Pero
Select Images Below From Flies For Atlantic Salmon & Steelhead - Click To Enlarge
Flies By Dave McNeese: top left to right: Martha, Silver Admiral. Center: Carson, Coachman, Van Zandt, Soule. Bottom: Railbird.
Jungle Don, created by John Popkin Traherne
Top row, left to right: Zebra Samurai, Rusty Samurai. Middle row, left to right: Em Z Spey, Olive Z Spey, Third row, left to right: G. P. Special, Spey Shrimpy.
Benn-era wet flies for steelhead tied by Dennis P. Lee. Clockwise from top: Parmacheene Belle, Royal Coachman, Benn’s Coachman, Scarlet Ibis.
A pair of Québécoise-style Bombers sit at the edge of a promising pool on the Bonaventure River, ready for flight.
Harry Lemire favorites - Clockwise from top left: Fall Caddis: fished best as a “damp waker,” Thompson River Caddis: fished dry, Grease Liner: fished best topwater on slow swing.
This mint-bright summer-run female steelhead from the Skeena River system in British Columba is the ideal vision of what devout anglers imagine when we think steelhead—sleek, fat, chrome, simply beautiful.
Ken Morrish fishing a favorite autumn run on the North Umpqua with big leaf maples ablaze.
The Pahtakorva is Mikael Frödin’s most well-known pattern; it has taken thousands of salmon. The Pahtakorva was voted by the ghillies best fly on the best river n the world: the Alta.