Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Foreword: Conservation of the Birds and Fisheries

1. The Birds and their Feathers
2. Anatomy of a Feather and a Fly
3. The Flies
4. Substitute Feathers

About the Photography
Organisations to Support
Recommended Reading and Viewing
Index

About the Author

Kevin Erickson has published many articles in Fly Fishing and Tying Journal and has been a featured tier at sportsmen's shows including Ed Rice's International Sportsman's Expositions, the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show, and the Albany Oregon Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo. He lives in Beaverton, Oregon. Allison McClay is a freelance illustrator and muralist who lives and works in her hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

Classic Atlantic salmon flies are perhaps the highest art form of fly tying. Procuring materials and understanding tying technique can be daunting, but in Feather Craft master tier Kevin Erickson demystifies these issues. All fly tiers and anglers will find this concise, informative, and colorful work fascinating...the "wow" factor is huge. Get it! -- Randall Kaufmann, Author of Fly Patterns, Tying Nymphs, Tying Dry Flies, and Bonefishing! I met Kevin Erickson on a beloved steelhead river in southwestern Washington over 35 years ago, and we shared a strong passion for migratory fish and fly tying. Kevin's passion kept him close to the tying bench and, today, his life's work is available in this meticulously crafted and beautifully illustrated book. Step by step photographs of the sequence of tying the classic feather wing fly helps to make the craft approachable for fly tiers of any skill level. Kevin's love for the art form evolved into a passion for the birds and the unique qualities of rare and hard to find materials. The book explains the key components to quality feather selection and, most importantly, how more commonly available feathers can be used as substitutes for some of the rare materials used in yesteryear. Within these pages, Kevin unveils the beauty of the flies, the unusual birds that bring these flies to life, and he delivers a message to all fly tiers that the Classic Salmon Fly lives on. -- John Hazel, expert angler, guide, and instructor with over 30 years' experience, Spey rod and line designer, and owner and operator of the Deschutes Angler Fly Shop in Maupin, Oregon. One only has to open this lovely book to see its value. The lengthy text on the 50 species of birds used in this book to produce gorgeous Salmon flies is crucial to developing an understanding of their function and use. The complexity of tying a salmon fly can be intimidating, and tiers often shy away from learning to tie them properly. One reason is that proper instructions are difficult to find. The remedy here is the thorough step by step photographs of all Kevin's tying steps that are needed to tie 16 different Salmon flies. It's like having him in person giving you the critical information from start to finish. This book will make a marvelous addition to your fly tying library. -- Dave McNeese, master fly tier specializing in steelhead and Classic Salmon flies and owner of the famous McNeese's Fly Shop in Salem, Oregon