The Honest Flies of Todd Hirano — Springfield, Oregon: Volume VIII in the Honest Flies Series: The Genesis, Philosophy, and Flies of A Soul Inspired by Dry-Line Steelhead Angling Paperback – August 21, 2023

If you are hoping purely for advice about how to catch more steelhead, please be advised that this book might not be your "cup of tea." I say this because the emphasis is far less about technique than about the evolution and philosophy of an individual angler. Todd Hirano isn't trying to maximize the number of steelhead he catches, On the contrary, he is driven to interact with steelhead on the river's surface, not in the waters below, fishing a floating fly line and, preferably, a dry waking fly. As such, and as any seasoned steelhead angler knows, Todd's passion is about the "how of it" rather the "how many" of steelhead angling.This is a specialty book, emphasizing feelings, emotions, and motivations, rather than technique. The book could require reading and re-reading in order to understand the thinking of the angler, rather than only analyzing technical aspects of the flies he ties and the way he fishes them.That said, however, there are plenty of tactical tips and surface steelhead flies you will gain from this book, such as leader formulas, the best knots to support waking flies, proper hook setting, and more.As a potential reader of this book, it is already clear that you have an appreciation of physical books, rather than spending all of your time with learning and entertainment while glued to a screen plastered with digital media.This book is tangible — Unlike the Internet or YouTube, you can hold it in your hands; feel its weight; and feel the breeze on your face as you flip through the pages. You can also hear this book “thump” when you toss it on your fly bench. You can hand it to a friend and write notes in its margins. This journal creates a physical record of Todd Hirano’s flies and his evolution in life as a steelhead angler. Virtually all of the text in this book was written by Todd. I’ve produced this book because I want to share Todd’s angling passion, his flies, and his obsession for tempting steelhead to the dry fly — so that this dedicated spirit won’t ever be forgotten. Few among us pursue this iconic Pacific salmon quite the way Todd does.What will you find between the covers of Todd's book? Nine fishing essays, six dry steelhead flies, and a hint of his encouragement to all those contemplating dry fly steelheading.The book begins with seven essays Todd wrote about steelhead fishing, including his early experiences fishing as a kid in Hawaii; the primal influence that he felt reading Bill McMillan's Dry Line Steelhead; his own evolution from fishing gear and wet flies to a dry-line obsession; and his voyage with several companions to fish steelhead paradise in BC.Next, the book presents large-format, full color photographs of six dry flies that Todd has fished for steelhead, each including short stories about fishing these flies. One fly is accompanied with detailed step-by-step tying instructions for the Bivisi Bomber of Todd's creation.Finally, the book concludes with two of Todd's short stories about real world steelhead fishing experiences, one on the John Day, and one on the North Umpqua.If you are already a steelhead angler who fishes a dry line and waking fly, or if you have seriously considered fishing for steelhead in this manner, there is a ton of excellent thinking in this book to affirm, remind, or teach.Todd and I welcome you. We wish you success and peace—in fishing and life.Jay NicholasMarch 2023 Read more