gmrpeabody wrote:
Not to get too far off topic.., does anyone know of a book or mag that identifies flies, both wet and dry, with good quality color photos? Maybe even a spiral bound, since we're at it. A lot of guys have no clue, like myself, when all these names of flies are being tossed around. Easy enough to Google them, but My PC is not always with me.
gmrpeabody:
While not an absolute, there are books with pictures of FLIES with recipes on how to tie the flies and there are books with pictures of BUGS to help you to identify the bug, along with suggested patterns to imitate them. As suggested by Tom, "Flies" by J. Edson Leonard or the Orvis book are the former while the Caucci & Nastasi, "Instant Mayfly Identification Guide" suggested by Gaddis is the latter.
First decide what type of book is most important to you, keeping in mind you probably won't find any of the names you heard me throw around (Partridge & Orange or Snipe & Purple) in any of those books. If you want both types of information, you will probably need a couple of books or get some scissors, buy some sheet protectors and make your own binders. That is what I did as a kid WITHOUT the Internet to help.
In addition to the excellent suggestions given previously, on the former side there is the classic "Trout" by Ray Bergman, a great read with wonderful color plates showing many old wet fly patterns. The infamous “The Soft-Hackled Fly Addict.” By Sylvester Nemes and “The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph” by Vernon S. Leisenring & James E. Hidy are other great books on soft hackle info & patterns.
On the latter side, there is “Hatches” or “Hatches II” by Al Caucci & Bob Nastasi, Art Flick's “New Streamside Guide to Naturals and Their Imitations” and the monumental “Nymphs” by Ernest Schweibert.
Keep in mind a couple of things regarding the bug books, many use genus & species classifications that are geographically specific and have been or get changed as entomologists discover new things and many of the old books are heavily geared to the hatches & insects on the east coast, especially the northeast where many of the authors lived & fished.
However, fish don’t speak Latin and the generic names for flies & even bugs are pretty consistent across the country.
Have fun & good luck!