An introduction to 400 flies, making use of modern materials that have revolutionized the art of fly tying in recent years. Each fly is described and illustrated in full, including dressing and comments regarding when to use it and how to fish it effectively. There are patterns for reservoirs, lochs, small fisheries, gravel pits and rivers; and for grayling, salmon and sea trout. There are further guest contributions from international experts.

For hundreds of years, fishing communities along the Dorset coast lived from the shoals of mackerel that migrate between May and October. Fishing the traditional way, with seine nets in shallow waters, tightly knit crews used wooden lerret boats to pull bumper catches ashore. Bound by this communal, seasonal wait and scramble for fish, their friendships and rivalries, identity and language, were shaped by the sea. The stories, photographs and recordings collected here give us a vivid picture of a way of life that has largely disappeared. We hear of family gatherings on the beach, and of men and women who lived for the fishing and whose intimate local knowledge, gleaned over a lifetime and passed down over the generations, were essential to their livelihoods. These voices echo through time to tell us about people who were completely connected to place and who lived by 'the ways of beach'.

Ant developed a fascination for the natural world at an early age, becoming especially passionate about fishing and diving. It has been a constant theme throughout his life and so, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the early age of 48 years, it was devastating. However, he was fortunate enough to be offered ground-breaking brain surgery which enabled him to continue to enjoy life. From the thrill of catching bass and the excitement of diving for lobster and bull huss to the humour of marauding gerbils in the biology lab and his childhood love for a pet crow - this book will appeal to any reader who shares a passion for life.

Streamers are the most effective of all fly patterns for the seduction of large trout, because they imitate the look and behavior of the smaller fish these trophies feed on. Sooner or later, every angler seeking the thrill of landing a trout over 20 inches dream fish for most will need to understand the particular art of streamer fishing. Included in this guide: new information on the feeding behavior of large trout and what it means for the angler; detailed, illustrated casting and fishing techniques for a variety of conditions; advice on netting and releasing trout safely, as well as photographing them; color photographs of new and classic patterns, with complete tying recipes; and more.