Having spent many summers on a river where catching a muskellunge is an achievement that gets noted in the local paper, and having witnessed exactly one person hook one on the fly, I’ve looked forward to reading Muskie on the Fly, by Robert Tomes, as much as any other fly fishing instructional book. As someone who ranks the muskie high on his fly fishing wish list, I am not disappointed.
Muskie on the Fly falls in line with other books from Wild River Press, such as Fly Fishing for Striped Bass, in that it is obsessive, compulsive, and encyclopedic in its depth of coverage. And that it is packaged as an expensive glossy hardcover. As with the striper book, if someone buys this with the intent of leaving it on a coffee table, they are missing out. Reading this book will shorten your dues-paying casts from 10,000 down to about 8,000. (What, you were expecting instant gratification?)
A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear Tomes give a talk on muskie at a local fly fishing show, and he delivered an informative presentation along with a powerpoint slide show of adrenaline-spiking muskie pics. His was the only presentation where I actually learned something. Consider this book the expanded, way more in-depth version of that.
For a quick sample of Muskie on the Fly, check out this excerpt on Midcurrent.
Gotta buy this. My brother has been obsessed with muskies since we were kids. Caught plenty of pike on the fly, but these are a completely different animal. Nice review Pete. Thanks.
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