‘Mayflies’ Creates A New Standard

To fly fishers, mayflies not only are among the most important trout foods; they symbolize what fly fishing is all about. Therefore, when a new book about mayflies is published, serious fly fishers wonder whether it will be as good as those written in the last half century.

Equally as important, they want to know whether the latest book is just a rehash of what has already been written.

“Mayflies,” published a few weeks ago, is a 386-page book that almost certainly will become the next mayfly “bible” for serious fly fishers. It is an important addition to the continually growing fly fishing literature.

Surprisingly, the informative and useful book was written by two Canadians who had never written anything significant and are virtually unknown to the fly fishing fraternity. Furthermore, it was published by a relatively obscure company.

Malcolm Knopp and Robert Cormier, both of whom live in Alberta, authored the superb book that includes detailed information about nearly all the mayfly species that are important to fly fishers, as well as suggested patterns to simulate each stage of a mayfly’s life and how to fish the flies.

Published by the Greycliff Publishing Co. of Helena, the book is not cheap. However, thousands of serious fly fishers, when they leaf through the book, will be impressed enough to plunk down $49.95.

Authors of the volume identify the mayfly species by both their scientific and common names. And like such internationally known writers as Fred L. Arbona Jr., author of “Mayflies, the Angler and the Trout,” (1980) and Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi, authors of “Hatches 11,” (1986) they urge fly fishers to become familiar with the Latin names.

Why should fly fishers learn the scientific names of insects?

The authors say that “common names of insects are not standardized. One angler’s Blue Winged Olive may not be the same as another angler’s Blue Winged Olive. We can’t compare fly patterns, or share information on habits, if we aren’t talking about exactly the same insect. The only way to guarantee that we are discussing the same insect is to use a modern system of nomenclature.”

Knopp and Cormier considered only those families, genera and species important to fly fishers. Cormier’s detailed line drawings of the nymphs, duns and spinners, are superb; they enable a fly fisher to easily identify the insects he or she collects.

The mayfly’s life cycle, nymph classifications and anatomy of nymphs and adults are detailed in the first chapter. Trout fly development, modern tying styles and dressings for fly patterns are emphasized in the second chapter.

The other four chapters deal with nymph classifications, their families and genera. The authors also provide emergence dates, basic entomological data and how to fish nymphs, emergers and adult mayflies with proven patterns.

The authors, unlike most other writers, provide detailed information on mayflies that thrive in still and slow-moving waters. For example, they devote seven pages to the Callibaetis mayfly, one of the most important mayflies to Inland Northwest fly fishers, who spend a lot of time fishing still waters.

The Callibaetis is mentioned only a few times in “Mayflies, the Angler and the Trout,” and “Hatches 11” has only two pages on the species, as well as a few other references.

Inland Northwest fly fishers can learn a lot about the Callibaetis mayfly in the new book. The authors have included detailed descriptions of the nymphs, duns and spinners, provided useful information on habits of the nymphs and duns and suggest effective patterns for simulating the various stages of the mayfly.

All other mayfly species that are important to fly fishers who fish Northwest lakes and streams are treated in considerable detail in the new book, including the Blue-Winged Olives, Gray Drakes, Green Drakes, Brown Drakes, Western March Browns, Pale Morning Duns, Pale Evening Duns and Tricos.

“Hatches 11” may be a little outdated, but it is still the mayfly book to see color pictures. The book has 84 outstanding color pictures of mayfly adults and nymphs on 24 plates, compared to only 14 color pictures in the new book. However, the new book has plenty of excellent line drawings and black-and-white pictures to make up for the shortage of color.

Gary LaFontaine, a Greycliff official and author of “Caddisflies,” a classic on the species, wrote forwards for both “Hatches 11” and “Mayflies.” He says in the forward for the Knopp-Cormier book that “This book is so thorough and so accurate that it will stand as the modern blueprint for mastering mayfly situations.”

Most experienced and neophyte fly fishers who buy “Mayflies” will agree with LaFontaine.

, DataTimes MEMO: You can contact Fenton Roskelley by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 3814.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Fenton Roskelley The Spokesman-Review