Bass Bug Fishing

by William G. Tapply

Comprehensive guide to top-water fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass.

142 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

William G. Tapply (1940–2009) was an American author best known for writing legal thrillers. A lifelong New Englander, he graduated from Amherst and Harvard before going on to teach social studies at Lexington High School. He published his first novel, Death at Charity’s Point, in 1984. A story of death and betrayal among Boston Brahmins, it introduced crusading lawyer Brady Coyne, a fishing enthusiast whom Tapply would follow through twenty-five more novels, including Follow the Sharks, The Vulgar Boatman, and the posthumously published Outwitting Trolls.

Besides writing regular columns for Field and Stream, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and American Angler, Tapply wrote numerous books on fishing, hunting, and life in the outdoors. He was also the author of The Elements of Mystery Fiction, a writer’s guide. He died in 2009, at his home in Hancock, New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Erler Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would consider this to be an essential read regarding fly fishing for bass. I recommend this as the starting place for conventional anglers who are starting to pursue bass on the fly. Tapply is an excellent writer and knows how to tell a story while also giving fishing instruction and advice. I found myself wishing the book was longer, not because it needed to cover more, but of how enjoyable it was to read. In particular, his chapter on the history of bass bug fishing is excellent. This book opened up a new world to me that led me to the works of Joe Brooks and Tapply's own father, just to name a few.