From the authors of Simple Fly Fishing, a new guide and companion videos distill the sport even further—down to one feather and a few flies that do it all.

Do you really need thousands of fly patterns to outsmart a fish?

In their new book, Pheasant Tail Simplicity: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Fly Fishing (Patagonia, Oct. 7, paperback), three legendary anglers—Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews and Mauro Mazzo—make the case that, when it comes to fooling trout, less is more.   

Pheasant Tail Simplicity builds on the trio’s earlier work, Simple Fly Fishing (Patagonia, 2014; 2018), showing seasoned anglers and returning readers how to tie the only flies they’ll ever need—and how to fish them effectively.

Step-by-step instructions for 18 proven fly patterns rely on a single source: the tail of a male ring-necked pheasant. The authors, who collectively possess nearly 200 years of fly fishing experience, show how pheasant tail flies can be successfully fished in any conditions using different techniques. 

QR codes throughout the book link to instructional fly-tying content featuring Chouinard, Mathews and Mazzo at their vises, along with short videos of the authors demonstrating techniques and strategies for catching fish on waters ranging from Montana trout streams to Caribbean bonefish flats. Mathews focuses on dry fly fishing, Mazzo on nymphing and Chouinard on wet flies.

“Pheasant tail feathers can be used to tie nymphs, dry flies, emergers and beetles that are equally as or even more effective than the thousands of flies in the fly shop,” writes Chouinard. 

As gear gets more complicated, the authors bring it all back to the fly—and the angler. By having faith in an all-around fly and narrowing their fly box selection, anglers are encouraged to lean on skill, knowledge and technique—going against the gear-heavy norm of modern fly fishing. 

In addition to practical instruction, the book features engaging stories from decades spent fishing around the world. The result is both a how-to manual and a call to rediscover simplicity—the very essence of fly fishing.

About the Authors

Yvon Chouinard is the founder of Patagonia and a lifelong conservationist. He is a noted fly fisher and was named Angler of the Year by Fly Rod & Reel in 2009. He co-founded, with Craig Mathews, 1% for the Planet, a group of businesses giving back to the environment. He lives in Ventura, Calif.

Craig Mathews is a Montana-based author and conservationist and co-founder, with Yvon Chouinard, of 1% for the Planet. He and his wife, Jackie, founded Blue Ribbon Flies, a fly shop and outfitter in West Yellowstone, Mont. Craig has authored and co-authored nine books on fly fishing in the western United States and Yellowstone National Park. He was chosen by Fly Rod & Reel as Angler of the Year in 2005. He and Jackie live in the Madison River Valley of Montana.

Mauro Mazzo is an FFF Certified Master and THCI Casting Instructor, and he writes and photographs on a regular basis for European fly-fishing magazines. He has fished around the globe from the Italian Alps to Himachal Pradesh, from Cuba to the Kola Peninsula. He lives in Milan, Italy.