MEETING AND FISHING THE HATCHES. By Charles R. Meck.

1977 1st edition. Large 8vo (182 x 261mm). Ppx,194. Colour plates of natural flies, b/w photographs, illustrations. Cream boards, spine titled in maroon.

A detailed look at the hatches on American rivers with many patterns and tyings. A very useful guide for anyone planning an American flyfishing trip. Charles Meck gives "information that will help the fly fisherman plan, organize, and schedule future fishing trips. Whether the stream to be fished is in the East, Midwest, or West, Meck, dividing them into morning, afternoon, and evening occurrences, describes the kinds of hatches that can be expected, the month and approximate day when they can be expected, the kinds of artificials that can best attract the feeding trout, and a realistic approach to imitating aquatic insects. All of this is described and explained in a lucid and compelling text and - for further usefulness - is summed up in special Emergence Charts that contain important information on more than eighty common insect species. A color section depicting various mayflies, including photographs of their abdomens - which is how the fish see them - will provide additional assistance to the fisherman". Chapters include:- General rules for meeting the hatches; Insect emergence; A primer on the hatches; Meeting a mayfly hatch: the yellow drake; A realistic approach to imitating mayflies and other aquatic insects; Fishing the morning hatches (eastern and midwestern); Fishing the afternoon hatches (eastern and midwestern); Fishing the evening hatches (eastern and midwestern); Fishing the un-hatches; Meeting the western hatches; Fishing the morning hatches (western); Fishing the afternoon hatches (western); Fishing the evening hatches (western); A plea to all fishermen.