The Honest Flies Of Joe Howell, Idleyld Oregon: Volume V in the Honest Flies Series Hardcover – March 15, 2026

This is the hardcover edition of the paperback published in 2021. The cover image and interior text of this hardcover book is identical to the paperback edition (except for re-sizing a few images to fit a narrower, taller page. Please refer to my remarks about print-on-demand hardcover books produced by KDP at the end of this description.In some respects, people will see this as a picture book, with photos of 31 steelhead flies and 24 trout flies tied by Joe Howell. The steelhead flies date back as far as 1997, and some of the trout flies are likely twenty or thirty years old. that said, it is far more — this book begins to chronicle (if only in small measure) the skill of a talented artist and fly tyer.Joe’s tying skills have been honed over decades, starting in the days when he was a kid in the 1950s, tying for log-truck drivers who traveled the North Umpqua – fly fishers who were friends of his dad.Joe tied the humble Wooley Bugger and Spruce Fly; the classic Orange Gordon and Trueblood Special. He also tied the elegant Orange Heron and Moon Shadow Spey. Decades of experience and an artist’s eye guide his hands. His work reflects tradition and the highest standards of the craft. His trout flies were a model to help students learn to become artisans themselves. Anglers from far and near learned to depend on Joe’s flies for fishing – as well as appreciating the fishing stories shared at his shop.Joe’s steelhead flies have been featured in books and magazines far more prestigious than this book. I’m honored to show you these Joe Howell steelhead and trout flies – plus several images of the river he loves, recorded on artist’s easel and camera.Every tyer who examines Joes flies will appreciate his skill and his eye for proportion. Some of you are hoping to compare your own patterns with those of an expert. Some of you are hoping for hints to improve your own tying skills. The photos here will allow you to do both. I hope that you smile as you browse the images of his flies and art in this book, just as I do while flipping through the pages. Welcome. Jay Nicholas - November 2021 (Paperback edition) - March 2026 (Hardcover edition)Regarding KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) hardcover books. You'll discover that KDP hardcover book won't lay completely flat — I wish they would, but they won't. This isn't a quality issue. KDP hardcover books are rock-solid. Cover Images are bright & crisp. Interior print text and color photos are very good, as you've seen in KDP paperback versions. The issue of not laying flat is strictly a consequence of the print-on-demand technology employed by KDP. First, the book's hard cover and interior are produced independently. Then the two elements are assembled into a "whole" book by gluing the block of interior pages within the cover element. If you examine the book carefully, you'll see the endsheet papers are durable (i.e., heavy). When the interior page-block gets glued into the hardcover case, the stiffness of the endsheets creates a tension that creates "lift" on both covers (and consequently) in the the center of the book.Other than the appearance issues I've noted, KDP hardcover editions deliver an impressive "heft" when compared to the paperback editions, while preserving the striking sharpness of the cover image and interior print. Ultimately, only you can choose whether you prefer the paperback or the hardcover edition. Read more