Classic writing remains "classic" only insofar as people want to read it. Angling historians may study the evolution of tackle or tying techniques, or perhaps the methods of fishing used hundreds of years ago, but the wonderful stories about fishing are read and reread only because they give pleasure today; because they give us insights into why we fish and the nature of our passion; and because they are well written. This book offers more than twenty of the best classic fishing stories that have stood the inescapable test of time.

Catskill Rivers is the story of the "birthplace of the American fly fishing." Readers will discover this birthplace in such hallowed trout streams as the Beaverkill, the Willowemoc, the Neversink, the Delaware, the Esopus, and the Schoharie. While originally published in 1983, Catskill Rivers remains the definitive study of these fabled waters and the remarkable people who created the American fly-fishing tradition. Painstakingly researched and imaginatively told, readers will also get an unforgettable survey of the early river industries, including rafting, sawmills, tanneries, and wood-acid factories, as well as at the early days on these classic trout waters, where George LaBranche, in Sparse Gray Hackle's words, "adapted the dry fly to fast water and started an angling revolution." Along with numerous historical glimpses into the many sociological forces surrounding the Catskill Rivers, readers will see many early, famous flyfishers take to these waters, including "Uncle Thad" Norris, Seth Green, Theodore Gordon, Herman Christian, Roy Steenrod, Sparse Gray Hackle, and many more. This historically accurate and beautifully written glance back into the early days of the Catskill Rivers will have both fishermen and nonfishermen wanting even more. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for fishermen. Our books for anglers include titles that focus on fly fishing, bait fishing, fly-casting, spin casting, deep sea fishing, and surf fishing. Our books offer both practical advice on tackle, techniques, knots, and more, as well as lyrical prose on fishing for bass, trout, salmon, crappie, baitfish, catfish, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

From small creeks to the expansive Jackson River, Beau Beasley shows you where to fly fish in Virginia. Detailed maps, photographs, and Beasley's wisdom guide you through the many waters in the Old Dominion. Use this book to plan your next trip and then take it along with you!

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Being able to tie your own flies gives an added dimension to the already absorbing hobby of fly fishing. This foolproof book is a complete guide to making 50 versatile flies for trout and salmon fishing.
Each featured fly includes close-up shots and an explanation of its component parts, from threads and yarns to beads, tinsels, and feathers. A full-page photograph is also presented.
Clear instructions allow you to master the core techniques quickly, and detailed photographs take you through every stage of the process, from dubbing the body to fixing the hook.
Learn how to make sturdy dry flies, wet flies, bugs, nymphs, hairwings, and streamers. Each entry indicates where the fly should sit in the water, and which fish it is best used to catch.
PETER GATHERCOLE is one of Britain's leading fly dressers, and he is also a popular photographer and writer of articles and books on game fishing.. His work has appeared in "Trout and Salmon "and many other magazines, and his previous books include "The Sotheby's Guide to Fly Fishing for Trout, Catch That Fish, "and the hugely successful "The Fly Tying Bible."

Idaho's clear flowing rivers are world famous for fly fishing, but finding that elusive perfect spot to land a trophy in the vast wilderness requires a lot of time and knowledge. Fortunately, writer, angler and conservationist Chris Hunt has traveled to some of the state's most idyllic areas to find the best fishing the Gem State has to offer. Adventurous anglers can follow his directions off the beaten path to enjoy excellent scenery and even better fishing. Brimming with expert tips and seasonal strategies for each location, this handy guide will find its place in a dry pocket for every successful excursion.

Hook up with the fly-fishing guide that's a keeper Some say successful fly fishing requires supreme athleticism, a surgeon's delicate touch, and the serene spirit of a Zen master. But forget the hype: The updated edition of Fly Fishing for Dummies shows that all you need to get the hang of this enjoyable sport are the right tools, a disciplined technique, and a positive attitude. Whether you're an old salt or dipping your toes in for the first time, you'll find everything you need to learn, improve, and keep your casting sharp and fresh! Longtime fishing writer Peter Kaminsky wades right in, taking you from choosing a rod and tying flies all the way through to staying dry with the right wardrobe and cooking up a delicious catch. You'll also find out how you can get by with just 20 flies, a half dozen casts, and three knots. And, if you want to plunge deeper into the sport, he suggests some bucket-list destination rivers and streams to keep you agreeably hooked and learning for life--proving that the father of fishing writers Izaak Walton was right when, three centuries ago, he said: "No life is so pleasant and happy as that of a well-governed angler." Study your quarry--from rainbow trout to fashionable "glamour" fish Get the best rod, reel, and gear for success--including the smartest tech Know where to fish (land or sea) and how to read the water Follow visual examples to sharpen your casting Whatever your fly-fishing aims or skill level, the proven advice and 150+ illustrations in this friendly guide are your path to a lifetime of happy and productive trips: Don't let it be the one that got away!

An Advanced Course in Fly Fishing The mission of The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing was to demystify and un-complicate the tricks and tips that make a great trout fisher. There are no complicated physics lessons in that book. Rather, The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing offered a simple, digestible primer on the basic elements of fly fishing: the cast, presentation, reading water, and selecting flies. In this, The Little Black Book of Fly Fishing, authors Kirk Deeter and Chris Hunt take you to the next level, building upon what Deeter and Charlie Meyers did in The Little Red Book. The Little Black Book will helps fly fishers build upon what they learned in the Little Red Book. Read this valuable, thought-provoking guidebook, and you'll be at the point where you'll be catching fish when no one else is, and you'll know exactly why you are. Advanced casting, presentation, reading the water, fly selection, and much more, including proper gear selection, are all covered. The table of contents, below, explains it all. The Little Black Book of Fly Fishing Acknowledgments Foreword Introduction Part 1: CASTING A double-haul is really important, and not just in the salt Teaching someone new? Start with Tenkara Everybody needs a casting lesson. Everybody. Casting longer leaders 'Casting' nymphs under indicators Get a practice rod How to cast a 15-foot leader (and why you should) Casting at taillights The cast killer Your casting stroke follow joints by size Challenge your cast Great casts are the ones that get bit Score your casts like golf strokes; fewer is better The sand-save cast A reach cast is worth a thousand mends Five feet short on purpose (the linear false cast) Be Lefty in the salt, and Rajeff in the fresh Give yourself a "D" Beating wind Don't out-kick your coverage Part 2: PRESENTATION Fast strip for saltwater predators A swirl, not a rise Casting streamers upstream Carp: Not just for city kids Step out of your comfort zone What are the birds after? The potato chip fakeout Why natives matter But I still love brown trout best Micro-drag: where you stand matters You'll never beat a fish into submission Take it to the lake Float tubes and garbage cans Food never attacks fish A case for the dry-fly snob Go Deep in the name of fish research Roll fish for fun They're in skinny water for a reason The cafeteria line The escape hatch Part 3: READING WATER (AND FISH) The stripset Covering water Skate and twitch big flies in low light Rod tip down for streamers Weight an unweighted fly with fly-tying beads instead of split-shot Urban angling Get in shape. Stay in shape. Dry your fly first, apply floatant second Most fish (and some bugs) face upstream-present accordingly Head up, game over Step when you streamer Babysit your flies ID the "player" and get after it Gin clear water Flat calm water Developing "TSP" (trout sensory perception) A fish doesn't see like humans do Walk on The 10 second rule Like a dog on a leash Tip up or tip down? The keys to spotting fish The full-court press usually fails Use the whole spice cabinet River personalities and handshakes What the cloud layers tell you Knowing what they are not doing is equally important as knowing what they are Upwelling v. the straight seam The speed of the strike is proportionate to the depth of the water (in rivers) See this, do that Part 4: FLIES UV resin in home-tied flies Nymphs on the swing Multi-purpose flies Sparse for saltwater UV parachute posts Tip the fly for tying parachute posts Caddis: the most dishonest fly ever Wire or tinsel for dry flies The "pellet fly" you can feel good about Practice, practice, practice Peacock herl ... and why it works The mystery of the Purple Prince Nymph Profile is everything The Adams family Lethal mice The Mole Fly miracle Bob Behnke on colors Terrestrials are opportunity bugs The end of the duck Colors change with depth Un-matching the hatch The monkey poo fly Part 5: MISC. (Everything from gear, to fighting fish and angler ethics) Fly reels for trout are just line holders Fly reels matter for saltwater fish Faster rods aren't always better You get what you pay for Pride cometh before the fall Sheet-metal screws Wire for predators Quick-dry attire for the flats ABC. Anything But Cotton Snip your tippet at an angle Rod weight depends on fly types The best loop knot... perfection 7X tippet is BS Colors and camo above the surface Guitars and fly rods Bucket list places Tiger snakes and long hemostats It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n roll Score fishing like cricket It's okay to fail I cheer for the fish

Mike Thrussell is arguably the most respected angler on our shores today. This book is a comprehensive guide to tactics and techniques that will bring success on the many and varied marks around the UK coastline. Mike takes anglers of all abilities and levels of experience through the essential skills and knowledge needed to get the most out of their sport.

In Fly-Fishing, Christopher Schaberg ponders his lifetime pursuit of the widely mythologized art of fly-fishing. From the Michigan lakeshore where he learned to fish to casting flies in a New Orleans bayou, Schaberg sketches landscapes and fish habitats and shows how fly-fishing allows him to think about coexisting with other species. It offers Schaberg a much-needed source of humility, social isolation, connection with nature, and a reminder of environmental degradation. Rather than centering fishing on trophies, conquest, and travel, he advocates for a "small-fishing" that values catching the diminutive fish near one's home. Introspective and personal, Fly-Fishing demonstrates how Schaberg's obsession indelibly shapes how he understands and lives in the wider world.

Fly fishing is complex and costly with too much cumbersome gear, right? Well, tenkara's different. Long overlooked in the West, tenkara is economical and simple, productive, and pleasurable This Eastern approach is today taking the fly-fishing world in North America and Europe by storm. Its tool kit is simple: a long, collapsible rod; a length of line tied to the end of the rod; and a fly. Without a reel, casting techniques become easy and intuitive. The gear is inexpensive and easily portable, perfect for hiking and camping. This pioneering book is an ideal guide to tenkara, covering the essentials of gear and rigging, the roots of tenkara, fishing dry flies as well as subsurface fishing and casting--as well as tenkara backpacking and tenkara for women. Tenkara has been the subject of features in Field & Stream, American Angler, and Fly, Rod & Reel magazines, and has been endorsed by the likes of Patagonia CEO and environmentalist Yvon Chouinard. Major retail outlets are now selling tenkara rods.

Whoo, tarpon, snook, barracuda Florida's saltwaters have always been the best places in the world to catch these and many other feisty game fishes. Now, Boris Arnov, avid Florida fisherman and fishing school proproetor, has written a unique guide to tell you when, where, and how to catch more than 35 varieties of sport fish. Here you'll find the best bait, the best season, the best techniques, and the very best places to make the catch.

The complete fisherman's friend The fully updated Fishing For Dummies, 3rd Edition, experienced angler and fishing writer Greg Schwipps shows that while none of us is born to angling, we can all achieve it--and become great at it. Whether you love fishing for fun or sport, this hands-on friendly guide has everything you need to make sure that there need never be such a thing as "the one that got away!" From trout to carp, catfish to bonefish, freshwater to saltwater, the easy-to-follow pictures and tips help you recognize and deal with what you'll meet in the murky deep. You'll also find out about the best times and the right spots to cast your line, as well as the right gear--which in these hi-tech days includes GPS, apps, and sonar! Gear up with the right rod and tackle Cast and bait effectively Gut and clean your catch Get hooked on new trends--kayak fishing! Whatever your line--a quiet afternoon at the local creek, or a punishing morning's whitewater kayaking followed by fishing the lonesome wild--Fishing For Dummies has you covered.

The Magic of Fishing features twenty-two short chapters about family, friendship, love, death, ghosts and, of course, fishing. It is a charming celebration of a personal passion and one of the UK’s most popular pastimes, but it’s not a typical fishing book. John Moorwood began writing during a rare break from the office when, after spending more time on the bank than he’d managed for years, he was reminded of the joy of fishing and the ‘magical’ element that first captured his imagination. He realised just how much angling had enriched his life, and the lives of all those under its spell. Having lived in Surrey for nearly two decades, John was inspired to recount his close relationship with Joe Moorwood, his paternal granddad and a retired steelworker, who taught him about fishing whilst growing up in Sheffield. He takes a nostalgic, moving and humorous look back at an era before social media, smartphones or carbon fishing rods – relating how his hobby and life have evolved over four decades. Written in a simple, evocative and touching style, it’s primarily aimed at the masses of anglers who, like himself, won’t ever catch a record fish or appear on the cover of an angling magazine, but can still appreciate what it’s like to dream about ‘the one that got away’. Yet it should also appeal to nature lovers, the ‘fishing-curious’ and indeed all sentimental types who still believe in the existence of magic. The book features delightful pencil drawings by John’s father and a section of photography.

This is a tribute to this magnificent fish and to steel-headers throughout the Pacific Northwest who have worked to protect steelhead and the rivers they inhabit. Full of helpful hints and secrets for success, this descriptive book hooks its readers and takes them down to the riverbank to feel the power of this extraordinary fish.

Travel from Scottish streams to shark infested seas and from the frozen tundra to tropical reefs. There's every style of fishing, from the magic touch of the fly to blood-and-thunder battles with monsters of the deep. Shiver at ghostly tales from the river bank and marvel at incredible exploits with rod and line. There are stories of ones that got away as well as catches that set records. Discover a treasure trove of stories, invested with a drama and poetry that makes this essential reading for all fishermen, everywhere.

Everything you need to be a better saltwater angler. JACKET PRICE 6.99, RETAIL PRICE 2.99.

A lifetime's fishing experiences written by one of the UK's leading fly fishermen. Brian Clarke is one of Britain's best-known fly-fishermen - and one of the world's most widely-read angling authors. His monthly column for 'The Times' has become an institution. His widely-ranging, penetrating and often provocative articles for that newspaper and for 'The Sunday Times' have been required reading for serious fishermen for over 30 years. This collection of 71 articles and new essays distils the author's lifetime experience. The ground he covers is immense: fish and how they behave, tackle and how to choose and use it, flyfishing tactics and strategies, angling history and literature, issues and personalities, environmental threats and the future. The whole book carries the authority of Brian's pioneering work in the sport - and of his groundbreaking studies of trout behaviour, especially. It is informative, thought-provoking, entertaining and beautifully written. 'On Fishing' will help anyone who fishes for anything to understand more, to think more and to catch more. It will draw even non-anglers down into the world under water - and to the fascinations that fishermen find there.

While most of us fly-fish to escape from daily life, for John Gierach and his friends fly-fishing IS a way of life. They are trout bums. But John Gierach is also an exceptional writer. The essays in Trout Bum are reflective, bitingly humorous and enormously wise in the ways of fishing and men. In vivid, unforgettable detail they recount the emotional, spiritual and tangible adventures and pleasures of stalking trout in and around the Rockies -- day in, day out, from season to season, with friends and alone. John Gierach's essays join the literary tradition of angling classics like The River Why, and A River Runs Through It.

Fishing Glacier National Park includes over 250 fishing locations from Waterton Lake to the Flathead River. This guide uncovers streams and lakes for Kokanee salmon, mountain and lake whitefish, arctic grayling, and trout--lake, brook, rainbow, and cutthroat. Novice as well as expert anglers will find that the trails and roads in Glacier lead to more than spectacular vistas--many of them lead to great fishing sites.