The catching of fish, said the Sage of Chocoloskee, is but an incident in fishing. He told the frozen truth. To be out in the open where fish are; to watch them at their great business of living; to see them in the water or out of the water; to fish for them, and even to hook them and have them get away-all this is wonderfully worthwhile-wonderfully better worthwhile than merely to catch and keep the stiffening fading body of one of the most beautiful forms of life. Gifford Pinchot, twice governor of Pennsylvania and America's premier fisherman presents twenty-three personal experiences in story form. From the mountain streams of Pennsylvania to the scented isles of the South Seas, the author weaves a magic web of angling enchantment. Just Fishing Talk is ideal armchair entertainment for every man or woman who loves the outdoors. If you are one of those who revel in the tang of salt spray or the fragrance of mountain pin and fern--if you can think of no thrill greater than the swift surge of a hooked fish--you will treasure this book.

Master story teller Charlie Elliott says it perfectly in this book for all fishermen: "Whether you are a fresh water Walton or the owner of a yacht, plowing the depths beyond the sight of land for a long-billed monster of the sea, you are seeking out the quiet aquatic spaces of the earth for a reason more compelling than to satisfy your stomach juices. "Whenever you assemble your tackler, there are latent questions in your mind. What adventure awaits you just beyond the river bend, or when you beach your boat where the forest marches down to meet the laek? What delightful memory will you bring home, or what bizarre hair graying thrill could encounter you unexpectedly where the water trails run out and stop? "Those are not the only reasons you fish, by any stretch of nylon thread. Whether you are out for salmon or for lunker bass, of grayling or bonefish, your premeditated design of the day calls for out-thinking, out- maneuvering and then out-battling some wary old mossback of the depths or shallows. But as an adjunct to this high ideal, you are also seeking many other things which add immeasurably more to your day than meant on your table. You're looking for sunshine on the water, the refrigerated glades, the bonds of friendship between strong men. Your diversions of the day include a hundred adventures not listed in a fishing guide."

Bugwater is that soggy place inhabited by creepy, crawly, hopping, flying, wriggling creatures we call, if imprecisely, bugs. Organized around the seasons, BugWater follows the bugs and the trout through their life cycles from spring through winter. Thomason's stunningly striking photos and fascinating narratives show off the bugs up close, in amazing detail. With the author's insights as both a scientist and fly fisher and his expertise as a photographer, this book delivers solid content all fly fishers can learn from.

Originally published in 1891. A Manual of Practical Instruction on the Art of Making and Using Sea Tackle with a Full Account of the Methods in Vogue During Each Month of the Year, and a Detailed Guide for Sea Fishermen to All the Most Popular Fishing Places on the English Coast. The well illustrated chapters include: Sea Fish and their Haunts - Ready Made Tackle - Home Made Tackle - Baits and Diary - The Months and Seasons - The East Coast - The South East Coast - The South Coast - The South West Coast - The West Coast - List of Other Watering Places. Crammed with facts and information most of which is still useful and practical today. Many of the earliest sea fishing books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing many of these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

The story of and instructions to tie the popular and successful Clouser Deep Minnow and its variations, including Purple Darter, Clouser Crayfish, EZ Popper, Rattle Clouser, Bright Sides Minnow, and more, told by the originator himself. Clouser presents recipes for his successful patterns for baitfish, subsurface foods, and surface flies with detailed explanations and full-color step-by-step photos. Clouser's approach to fly design begins and ends onstream, with a lot of time spent in between at the workbench. His durable, easy-to-cast patterns consistently catch fish of every species--trout, carp, smallmouth, pike, redfish, albacore, and more. In sections devoted to materials and tying techniques, Clouser offers insight into his methods and provides a solid foundation for designing flies with confidence.

THE MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER - A COMPLETE GUIDE TO FLY FISHING, BOTTOM FISHING, & TROLLING By H. Cholmondeley - Pennell A READ COUNTRY BOOKS CLASSIC REPRINT Originally published in 1870, this extremely scarce early angling work is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. READ COUNTRY BOOKS have republished it, using the original text and illustrations, as part of their HISTORY OF FISHING series. The author was a well known and respected figure in angling circles. He was, for a time, Inspector of Fisheries, and was responsible for several other fishing books and many contributions to the sporting press of that era. This fascinating book consists of over three hundred pages containing twenty four detailed chapters and is illustrated by some fifty engravings of fish and vintage fishing tackle. Part One deals with Tackle: Hooks. - Spinning Tackle. - Lines and Reels. - Rods and Rod Making. - Knots and Nets. Part Two covers Fly Fishing. Artificial Flies. - Brown Trout Flies. - Worm Fishing. - Minnow Spinning for Trout. - White Trout Fishing. - Grayling Fishing. - Salmon Fishing. Part Three deals with Trolling or Pike Fishing. - Spinning. - Trolling Dead Bait. - Live Bait Fishing. Part Four covers Bottom or Float Fishing. General Observations. - Baits. - Perch. - Barbel and Bream. - Roach and Rudd. - Dace and Chub. - Carp and Tench. - On Small Fish, Principally Used as Baits. Etc. This is a wonderful read for any fishing enthusiast or historian of the sport, with much of the information and advise remaining useful and practical today. Many of the earliest fishing books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. READCOUNTRY BOOKS are republishing many of these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This is the 1855 edition of "Blacker's Art of Fly Making" which William Blacker, a London Tackle dealer, expanded considerably with hand painted illustrations and - in his own words: "No man has taken such pains to improve upon the angler's craft as I; on every article in the whole range of fishing tackle I have made some improvement on rods, flies, lines, reels, and tackle of every sort; and in these pages have left a lasting memorial of my handicraft to the fly-fisher, from whom I have hidden nothing that might retard him in his progress, ..." (from the introduction to the 2nd edition).

Originally published in 2003, Covered Waters is a "forgotten classic" by Joseph Heywood. Now back in print and featuring new material, this collection of autobiographical essays and fishing tales helps readers understand the extent of Heywood's passion for the sport, especially in his native waters of Michigan. Covered Waters covers an outdoorsman's wanderings and wonderings about fishing and life, and how the two are often interconnected. These episodes include reminiscences of his days in the U.S. Air Force, training to drop nukes on the Soviet Union in the Cold War; his temporary but intense obsession with bear hunting (which ended the moment he finally killed a bear); and, of course, his international adventures in fishing, recounting such hilarious scenes as two women in France engaged in what appeared to be strip fishing. After fishing the world over, Heywood finds that there is no water like home water, and no fishing partners like old friends.

L.L.Bean, Inc. has been a trusted source for quality apparel, reliable outdoor equipment and expert advice since 1912. To celebrate its hundredth anniversary, the Freeport-, Maine-based company has updated Hunting, Fishing and Camping, Leon Leonwood Bean's no-nonsense guide to enjoying the great outdoors. Originally published in 1942, this Maine classic offers instruction on everything from packing a canoe to stalking a bear. The new edition pairs the original text and nostalgic photographs with twenty-first-century perspective from L.L's great-grandson and Outdoor Channel television host, Bill Gorman. This entertaining and instructive book is not only a commemorative celebration of L.L.Bean's legacy and his commitment to conservation - it is a must-have manual for the modern sportsman.

John Gierach is a highly trusted and trustable opinion-maker in fly-fishing. People take what he says to the bank. While most of Gierach's writing is essay-style and reflective, here he gets down to the nitty-gritty: how he ties his favorite flies and why he thinks they work so well for him. There is, thus, an instant reader connection: "Gierach's patterns are good enough for me."
Few anglers will skip knowing what a master angler and thinker prefers for his fly box. This title covers a gamut of patterns essential to trout fishing in a variety of circumstances: dry flies, wet flies and nymphs, and streamers. Gierach's legion of fans of his regular magazine column will be highly inclined to buy this title.

Sam Cottle grew up in a fishing family and, thanks to the inspiration of his grandfather, "Cap," who nearly single-handedly created the port of Point Judith in southern Rhode Island, he became a successful captain in his own right. Here are Sam's first-hand accounts of his life at sea, from the terror of a vessel sinking in the middle of the night, to the excitement of dragging up unexploded depth charges and great white sharks in the nets, to the grueling toil and ultimate satisfaction that comes with an honest day's haul. Captain Sam introduces a whole host of colorful characters-from loving grandmothers to eccentric neighbors-all of whom played a role in shaping Sam's life and seafaring career.

The Penobscot, Penns Creek, the Little River, Guadalupe, Firehole, Copper River--these streams and ninety-four others like them provide the best trout fishing in America say members of Trout Unlimited (TU). With a dozen or more streams in each of eight regions, one of America's one hundred best trout streams flows within a few hours' drive of most of the nation's anglers. These are the rivers that anglers dream of visiting. Describing species, hatches, the flies and lures, and when to fish, each profile contains information and maps that boosts angler success. Profiles present, as well, the environmental challenges facing each stream and the role that TU and others play in protecting the fishery. Extensive interviews with anglers for whom each stream is "home water," add depth to personal observations formed when award-winning writer and angler, John Ross, fished many of these streams himself.
Many who buy the book set out to fish all the streams. For others, the guide is an essential ingredient in the planning of fishing and family vacations. It's a book that's as at home next to a fly tyer's bench as it is tucked in the console between the seats of a pickup truck. A portion of the sale of each book goes to Trout Unlimited to help protect and sustain coldwater fisheries.

Originally published in 1933, this is a lengthy collection containing a lifetime's worth of notes, hints, tips and advice from an experienced fisherman. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include - Trout Fishing - Salmon Fishing - Sea Trout Fishing - Striking, Playing, Landing - Casting and Spinning - Pike Fishing - Sundries - The Salmon Family