"Positive Fly Fishing"
Book Reviews
American Angler Magazine/March
2006
A Book Review by John
Likakis
It's
tempting to call "Positive Fly Fishing" a book for beginners. But
even experienced anglers will no doubt find new and worthwhile information
in this book. Blair's explanations are deceptively simple and impart
more wisdom
than a casual reading at first suggests. You may well start reading a
section thinking,
"Well, everyone knows this." But you will get three sentences in and
discover that
there is a different way to look at what every-one "knows." A book
like this can actually change your perceptions on some of the the things you
take for granted out on the stream.
Blair works as a guide in
Connecticut and has obviously paid her dues with clients at all levels of
experience. She loves what she does, and just as obviously loves to
teach. These qualities make for a book that gives the beginners a solid
footing while keeping experienced anglers interested-John Likakis
| Positive Fly Fishing
Hardbound : 193 pp. The Lyons Press $24.95 ISBN 1-59228-725-5 
Could it be that fly fishing isn't as complicated as we like to think it is? Alas--probably. As long as the subject is explained well, and the writer is very good at demystifying what has been laid out in thousands of other books, classes, fly shops, and over the Internet--you, too, might arrive at this conclusion. Marla Blair will help you arrive there, as long as you begin, as she suggests, with a positive attitude and don't get too caught up in the occasional nonsense that invades our beloved sport. Blair's no-nonsense approach toward fly fishing will be welcomed by beginners and even the more experienced who strive toward a more sensible approach toward fish and flies. How to be a beginner is the first lesson. Blair takes the reader through common trials of the beginner: what to expect from fly fishing classes and clinics, how to approach the sometimes bewildering fly shop folks, and how to get the most out of river guides--without becoming irritated. People new to the sport will also welcome her disarming advice about the nuances and alternatives of rod choice, casting methods, and the jungle of casting gear we haul up and down the shore. It is easy to get lost and lose focus about what's important in the sport, and fortunately Blair can guide the reader to a reasonable and practical approach that will have the beginner enjoying the sport sooner than most other approaches. A practical and thorough treatment on insects, the flies that pattern them, and the presentations that attract them will be especially welcome and will not leave the reader (as is sometimes the case in other books) with an uneasy feeling of perpetual incompetence. There is a lot to think about in this sport. Now, thinking about all the baggage we carry with us to the stream is sometimes half the fun. But Blair reminds us that staying focused on the most important things, like the fish, our ability to observe, and our presentations, is the key to a successful career on the water. --Toney J. Sisk |
Positive Fly Fishing by Marla Blair
Lyons Press, Guilford, CT, 2005
193 pages, hardbound, illustrated, B&W, suggested price $24.95
This book is an introduction to fly fishing by an author with endless enthusiasm and love for the sport. For anyone wanting to learn to fish with a long rod this is an excellent place to start. The real beauty and strength of this book is teaching the beginner what questions to ask, where to find help, and how to go about being successful in learning how to fly fish. This should be the first book given to every person wanting to learn our fascinating sport. It will not teach you to fly fish by itself, but it will give you enough knowledge and positive reinforcement to allow you to learn and successfully become a fly fisherman. The discussions on how to select instructors and guides is well worth the cost of the book. The author has been on both sides of the instructor/guide table and her information is insightful. The writing is well done and extremely easy to read. It is, surprisingly for a text book, a page turner. The line drawing illustrations are nicely done. The black and white photographs are suitable for the text they illustrate. If you want to get "into" fly fishing or know someone who does, this book is a must. By Bruce E. Harang; Federation of Fly Fishers Book Review
Positive Fly Fishing
By Marla Blair
A Book Review by Ed
Mitchell
Author/Angler
Description: 6"x 9.25"Hardbound, 193 pages with index , 92 B&W photos, 16 illustrations, foreword by Dick Talleur, published by Lyons Press, 2005, ISBN: 1-59228-725-5. Retail price $24.95
Review: Marla Blair is a professional guide on several New England streams including Connecticut's Farmington River- arguably the finest trout waters in the northeast. So it should come as no surprise that her first book is focused on learning how-to serve trout a feathered hook.
In his foreword, fly tying guru Dick Talleur mentions that when he first met Blair she immediately reminded him of Bette Midler, so much so he eventually named a fly for Marla, called the Bette Muddler. Well if you have ever met Marla you know exactly what Talleur means; like Bette Midler, Marla has a no nonsense attitude, mixed with a healthy dose of raw enthusiasm. And the reader can literally feel it on the page. For instance in the introduction, Marla describes herself as a dyslexic "valley girl". Now after that you know the book is going to be a "down-to-earth" text with few airs. And that how exactly how it remains throughout.
After the introduction, Blair offers the reader 11 chapters. The first is entitled, appropriately enough, A Positive Philosophy. Here Blair encourages students of the sport to avoid being pessimistic about their fly-fishing potential and instead to employ the power of positive thinking. Having taught a few folks to fly fish myself, I hearty agree. Some people approach fly-fishing with a deep seated conviction that the sport may prove too difficult for them. Its a sad fact, but true. So Blair has wisely begun by nipping this issue right in the bud.
With the pep rally behind us, Blair launches into four chapters of equipment "dos and don'ts", helping the neophyte with everything from picking a fly rod and reel, to understanding fly lines, leaders, knots, waders, and vests. No surprises in any of the suggestions, just solid, time-tested advice.
Flies arrive in Chapter 6. Marla kicks things off by explaining the basic trout fly types and then goes through the life cycle of mayflies, caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges. Next she adds terrestrials and baitfish. There is quite a bit of good information here for the beginner, and yes there's even a bonus. Ever wonder what a professional guide carries for flies? Well now you can find out. Marla offers the reader ten of her favorite freshwater patterns ranging from dries, to nymphs, and hoppers. Once she has armed us with an understanding of fly selection, Marla takes us out to the stream in chapter 7. Now we learn how to read trout water, with plenty of insight into the effects of water temperature and season. And chapter 7 ends with thoughts on stream etiquette.
Fly casting is covered in Chapter 8. Frankly I would have preferred to see this chapter earlier in the book, it feels a little late in the sequence of things. But that said, the author handles the subject well, addressing everything from the basic casting motion, to shooting line, roll casts, wiggle cast, and making a good presentation. Chapter 9 is entitled What to do Once you hook Up. As you might expect, the topics here include hook set, line control, fighting the fish, landing the fish and taking that all important picture.
In chapter 10, Marla helps anglers understand how to get the most out of hiring a guide. This is a needed chapter which any novice anglers will do well to read. Unless you properly research and prepare, a day on the water with a guide may not turn out how you expected. The final chapter closes the book in much the same way it started, with the author's thoughts on the importance of mental attitude. This time around Blair focuses on the need to relax on the stream and not take ourselves too seriously while enjoying the fun of fly-fishing.
Closing Thoughts
If you're itching to take up fly-fishing for trout, or know someone who is - especially if that someone is a women - this book will get you off to an excellent start. I recommend it. You can read more about Ed Mitchell at www.flyroddingthecoast.com
POSITIVELY A FLY FISHING DELIGHT
Marla,
I finally got a chance to read your book "Positive Fly Fishing". I knew
when I started going to the sales meetings out west I'd get a chance to
have some uninterrupted time to settle in to your book. I thoroughly
enjoyed the read. Your mix of info, antidotes and humor kept the pages
turning. Thanks for making a flight I was not looking forward to into
time I enjoyed.
Brad Gage, East Coast/ Sage MFG Rep.
From the Republican Newspaper
Fly fishing's meant to be fun
Thursday, December 22, 2005
By GEORGE LENKER glenker@repub.com
Fly fishing expert Marla Blair never thought of herself as a writer, but when she sat down to pen her recently published book, she employed a technique used by many veteran scribes at the start of a project.
She procrastinated.
But with a deadline looming, Blair managed to reel herself in and finish the project in six weeks. The result is an engaging and upbeat book that provides an A-to-Z guide to fly fishing.
Titled "Positive Fly Fishing," the tome lives up to its name. The South Hadley-based angling expert wastes no time in claiming that negative thinking can ruin an otherwise pleasant fishing trip.
To Blair, the word "can't" will sink a new angler faster than water in their waders. Although she calls fly fishing "the ultimate thinking man's sport" - an odd phrase, considering Blair is a woman - the author also notes that fish aren't that smart and that anyone can learn to do it. The key, she said, is believing one can succeed and not putting unnecessary roadblocks in one's way.
"Not just in fly fishing, but in life in general, people are their own worst enemies," she said in a recent telephone interview. "The way to define success at something is by the attitude you bring to it, even if you only learn one thing or do one thing right."
Blair's book is filled with positive thinking and humor, such as the story of one fishing partner who learned the cold truth of the need to wear other clothing underneath his waders. But the book is largely instructional, taking both rookie and veteran anglers through the finer points of fly fishing.
Starting with equipment, Blair offers tips on choosing the right rod and reel combination and also on making sure the correct line weight is chosen. She stresses the need for balance between the rod and line, even though she acknowledged there can be variations to suit particular needs.
"In general it's best to keep it simple," she said. "If you aren't sure what to do, get help. People who overload the reel with a heavy line either aren't asking questions or aren't asking the right questions."
As far as using flies or tying flies oneself, Blair also takes an upbeat approach.
"The best thing you can do is just relax and have fun with the flies," she said. "You have to realize that the fish don't care what is presented to them, as long as it's presented right. There are lots of different formulas for catching fish and they all can work. You just have to do what's best for you."
The book also provides advice on "reading" the water to locate the optimum amount of fish, as well as learning to make casting effortless and productive. Blair also supplies numerous tips on reeling in a catch once a strike is made on a line. Although her style is light-hearted, Blair is still serious about the sport.
"The key is to always be thinking about what your next move is," she said. "It's like chess in the water."
The book ends as it begins, with two chapters stressing the stress-free environment fishing should provide. To this end, Blair ( a fishing guide herself) urges anglers to seek professional (fishing) help and tips on how to approach getting a good coach.
She closes the book with a chapter titled "This is Fly Fishing, Not Brain Surgery" which advises not taking the sport - or yourself - too seriously.
From the Berkshire Eagle
Written
by; Gene Chagne
When I recently received a review copy of a fishing book in the mail, my eyes riveted on the cover, even before I read the title or author. On the cover was a picture of a woman fly fishing in a river. I know this woman, I thought, that’s Marla Blair! You can’t mistake her with her long, red curly hair….. she is a most colorful person. Then I discovered that she wrote the book!
My memories flashed back to the first time that I saw her. It was on the East Branch of the Westfield River, near the Indian Hollow campgrounds in Chesterfield, MA, where the MA/RI Council of Trout Unlimited held a weekend meeting. She and her companion, Sarah, proceeded to give us fellows a lesson in fly fishing. That weekend, they caught over 180 freshly stocked trout, with Marla catching and releasing the vast majority. That is when I first heard of the “pellet fly”, a fly that is used to imitate hatchery food. The next time that I saw her was a couple of weeks later fishing in the same general area. When one of my buddies moved a little too close to an area where she was fishing, she suggested in no uncertain terms that if he wanted to live to fish another day, he had better move away…...which he wisely did.
The next time I saw her was a couple of years later manning a booth at the Outdoor Sports Show at the Big E in West Springfield. It turned out that she was a fishing guide and was booking trips for the upcoming season. A buddy and I wanted to fish the Farmington River in CT, but didn’t know the river at all or how to fish it. So we hired her to guide us. On the day of the trip, we followed her car to the riverside and on her car rear bumper was a sticker which read “Keep back! I am low on estrogen and I own a gun.” We knew we were in for an interesting day.
She did an excellent job guiding us on the river and we caught lots of fish. In fact, we had such a good time that we hired her to guide us in another area the following year. She knew the river and how to fish it and expected us to follow her directions. One time I deviated and she chewed me out in no uncertain terms. I haven’t been talked to like that since a TI got onto my case in basic training nearly 40 years ago…..and using similar language, I might add.
Since then, she had really made a name for herself; giving seminars, participating in filmed fly fishing sessions for TV up in the Connecticut Lakes area in northern NH, etc.. So before I even opened the cover of her new book, I knew it would be a good one. With her flyfishing knowledge and unique personality, how could it not be.
The book, entitled Positive Fly Fishing, Be a Better Angler with the Right Techniques …and Attitude, is an authoritative resource for the novice that details the key elements of fly fishing in clear detail. It includes chapters on everything the angler needs to know about fly rods, reels, lines, waders, knots, casting and more.
Fly fishing can be a challenge, is not the easiest method to catch fish, and it is easy to get discouraged and walk away from it. But if you stick with it and become fairly proficient, it can be the most enjoyable and rewarding form of fishing there is. This book stresses positive thinking to enhance the learning experience and make fly fishing worthwhile. It is not your usual “how to” fishing book, but is a joy to read. Marla’s personality really comes through in these pages and quite often evokes laughter. This is her first book and I hope there will be others. Everyone, from the fly fishing veteran to the beginner, male or female, can learn something from this book, but I think the ladies will especially enjoy it.
Put out by Lyons Press at a cost of $24.95 hardcover, this would make an excellent Christmas gift for those contemplating on taking up this sport. Marla lives in Western MA and with any luck, you might be able to get it autographed by her.
Question/comments: Berkwoodsandwaters@adelphia.net. Phone/fax (413)637-1818.
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Positive Fly Fishing |
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Positive Fly Fishing
Autobiographical as well as instructional, this beginner's guide to fly fishing was composed by one of America's first female fly fishing guides. Marla Blair started fly fishing just 14 years ago, at a time when women were rarely seen in waders. Now she's writing books on the sport. Blair's book explains how to choose a fly rod, equip yourself with tackle and gear and waders and vests, and finally, how to select flies. "Keep it simple," is her advice to novices overwhelmed by the obsessive universe of trompe l'oeil insect life. "The bottom line is that fisk look at silhouettes, and at times they prefer one silhouette to another," she explains. "The most important thing is to have fun and try different things until you find what works for you." Blair seeks to encourage a "positive" in fly fishing -- a sport that can be discouraging to beginners. She's noticed that the way people think and talk about themselves largely determines how well they learn to fly fish. Her favorite saying is "Fly fishing: learn it, love it, pass it on." This book is her way of passing it on.
Back to the Book Stall |
Once the water warms to 50 degrees, fish become more active, Water temperatures between 50 and 63 degrees are optimum for abundant insect hatches, not to mention feeding fish. Within this temperature range trout usually have a holding lie and a feeding lane... |
Reel Books In Review
POSITIVE FLY FISHING
By Marla Blair
The Lyons Press
www.LyonsPress.com
Hard cover, $24.95
6x9 208 pages, b&w
ISBN: 1-59228-725-5
Marla Blair has hitched her fly to the Little Train That Could, and the result is 208 pages of I-Know-I-Can, I-Know-I-Can I-Know-I-Can I-Know-I-Can, fly-fishing how-to.
Her mantra is, turn can’t into can, and her plan was to write a book that will boost beginners beyond the negative experiences of learning to fly fish.
A guide and teacher, she has looked for positive approaches that make first fly fishing experiences successful and enjoyable.
The power of positive thinking, she stresses, can enhance the learning experience and make fly fishing worthwhile. That stated, she covers a lot of the basics so necessary to successful fly fishing—balancing lines and rods, knots that work, casting, fly selection, reading water, etc.
If you have a library crowded with fly-fishing how-to this book will cover much of the same ground crowding your shelves. If, however, you’re stepping into fly fishing for the first few times, it’s a good, solid book with useable information that will walk you through the basics and into the next step—with a positive attitude.
[ Books featured in Reel Books In Review, if not available through local retailers, may be requested from the publishers, To have a publication considered for review, send one copy to: TNScommunications, % Reel News Reviews, PO Box 86, Black Diamond, WA 98010 ]