The Founding Flies: 43 American Masters: Their Patterns and Influences

Mike Valla's, The Founding Flies is a book that seeks to venerate many of America's most influential fly tyers, their innovations and flies, in that purpose the author has succeeded superlatively. The books 230 pages and forty chapters shed light on the lives and accomplishments of 43 significant American fly tyers. Mike spans the fly tying generations from Gordon to Marinaro, Norris to Leiser and those in-between. These tyers and their flies have laid a foundation for what flies we use today and how we fish them. While some of these “founding flies” are still very much in use, others and their originators are all but forgotten, this book reminds us why they need to be remembered. The book contains numerous color photographs of the flies, some tied by their originators and other exquisitely tied examples from contemporary tyers such as John Bonasera, Lee Schechter, Ted Patlen, Dave Brandt and Mike Valla himself. An added plus to the photos, biographical and historical content are the recipes for close to 300 fly patterns. Anyone reading this book will appreciate Valla’s passion for preserving American fly fishing history and will take with them a sense of tradition that will afford them a richer angling experience. The Founding Flies is another great work from Mike Valla and a must have book for any serious angling library.

Large format volume printed in high quality . Bios are nicely done and interesting . Pictures of flies are very nice as well as the history of each one . A nice addition to my library .

This is a beautiful and well researched book full of great stories from Americas fishing past.Each chapter gives a short biography of a historically important American fly "master" with his (or her) most famous or influencial patterns.I'm sure that the second edition, once they have corrected all the mistakes, will be a great reference and a wonderful addition to your library. This edition however ....If I see another 1990 when it should read 1890 I'll scream (and I'm only on page 3!)

I thoroughly enjoyed Valla's fine book on the founding flies of America. The text is well put together and the illustrations are excellent. Anyone interested in the history of fly tying and innovation in the US will enjoy this book. The content focuses on Valla's personal selection of important flies and makers and the history stops short of the more recent innovative flies--thus the name "founding flies"; however, the range of coverage is very broad and informative. This is also a great resource for those wishing to tie some of the classic flies. A very good read.

Good book. Mike has done a great job. He's a good writer too. As a life-long tier I tend to be more interested in the latest and greatest rather than the old-timey Founding Flies. But this book is so well done I read the whole thing. And enjoyed it too.

This is an excellent reference book; however, I'm disappointed that at least 2 important figures were omitted >> James Henshall and Bill Edson. There maybe others because Valla points out that he was bias in his selection, in the introduction. More serious to me, is the omission of the "Woolly Bigger" by Russell Blessing in the late 60's and Valla states that the time period is from the mid-1880s to the late 1960s also in the introduction. I think almost every fly fishermen has a woolly bigger in their fly box. My source is page 150 of "The Orvis Guide To Essential American Flies".Ted Crona

This is a well written, in-depth but wide-ranging collection of pieces on famous American fishing flies and their originators. The photos are very well done, and this is as much of a historical book as it is a fly pattern book. It is really written for someone interested in the men and women behind many well-known flies. Great bibliography and index, pattern list at the end, it is another book from an author who exceeds expectations on all levels.

I was interested in the history of some of the people who I had heard about and even in some cases met when I was becoming interested in fly tying and fly fishing. This book answered that interest very well. I enjoyed this book very much and would recomend it to anyone interested in the history of Flyfishing.

This is a great book on the originators of some of the best know trout flies that have passed in to the history of fly fishing.There are some of the best fly dressers from the States and some of the clasic flies that we all now use.A great book with a section on the people who designed and tied the flies with full colour illustrations and recipes at the end of the book.If you like to read about flies and the people who designed them then this book is for you - a great read and one to dip in and out of.

Extremely informative and tho' I have not read it word for word yet, the fly patterns and their history, and the information on their originators was excellent.

The Founding Flies is an excellent book of the leading tyers of US - with nice pics of flies and their originators. A piece of history.

Un libro molto interessante alla scoperta dei dressing classici americani più famosi

Thank you