Fly-rod casting demands a combination of timing and co-ordination. It is not difficult to become an accurate and accomplished caster if the start is made in the right direction. The right direction, in this instance, is the understanding of the fundamentals and mechanics of fly-rod casting and their practical use. Experience is not always the best teacher, especially if that experience has been of a haphazard nature and acquired without giving much thought to the experience of others. A person may have a fly rod and catch fish with it for several years and still be a poor caster. Unconsciously he may have formed bad casting habits which have become so deeply rooted as to make their correction almost a matter of learning to cast over again. If you observe well, you will notice that many fly fishers have a seemingly limp, aimless style of casting and slap their casts on the water with no precision or delicacy whatever. Then occasionally you will notice one rod moving in perfect rhythm, its casts crisp and clean. The chances are its owner understands the simple mechanics of casting and uses them to advantage. The ability to place the fly in a difficult-to-reach place is often measured by the weight of the creel at the end of the day, but casting technique is something more than mere accomplishment; it is as necessary as knowing how to hold a bat at the plate or how to correct a rifle sight for windage. This book covers the use of the fly rod and fly-rod tackle, stressing the casting phase throughout. Its primary purpose is to equip the newcomer with such information as to make the selection of tackle logical and simple, and to make the mechanics of casting with the fly rod easy to understand.

Ed Leonard is not only a great fisherman, but a truly accomplished fisherman. He has found a personal satisfaction in tying and casting that has motivated him to continue fishing for over half a century. In this memoir he writes affectionately about all the wonderful people who helped to make him the fisherman he is today, and all the rare and exciting moments that happened along the way.
The scene opens in Pennsylvania, where a young farm boy is striving to make his Daddy proud, and trying to catch one or two of the monster sunnies in a near by mill pond. As the story unfolds, the sunnies eventually give way to bass when the farm boy ventures past the pond and discovers a smallmouth stream. Colorful characters such as Nev, the janitor and master fly fisher, mentor this youngster and encourage his curiosity for fishing, amusement, and satisfaction. In addition to chapters that focus on a knowledge and appreciation of fly rods, suggestions for trout flies, and a strategy for pursuing Maryland's salty largemouths, Leonard's reminiscences will teach the reader to appreciate and revel in all the delights and rewards that can be acquired by fly fishing.