When James Prosek was just fifteen, a ranger named Joe Haines caught him fishing without a permit in a stream near Prosek's home in Connecticut. But instead of taking off with his fishing buddy, James put down his rod and surrendered. It was a move that would change his life forever. Expecting a small fine and a lecture, James instead received enough knowledge about fishing and the great outdoors to last a lifetime.

The story of an unlikely friendship, Joe and Me is a book for those who remember the mentor in their life, the one who changed the way they look at the world.

In the rereleased edition of Trout of the World, fans of James Prosek’s unique painting talent will revel in the addition of 30 new fish paintings and a newly penned preface. First released in 2003, Trout of the World features original watercolors of trout from around the world, ranging from the Oxus trout of eastern Afghanistan to the small golden brown trout of British chalk streams. Each unique painting is coupled with a historical profile of the fish, as well as personal reflections from the author. Prosek savors the beauty of various fishing spots, along with the fate of the species, contemplating man’s role in the extinction of animals. Both sensitive and informative, Trout of the World is a must for the library of the recreational fisherman as ichthyologist.

The "New York Times" has called James Prosek "the Audubon of the fishing world," and in "Fly-Fishing the 41st," he uses his talent for descriptive writing to illuminate an astonishing adventure. Beginning in his hometown of Easton, Connecticut, Prosek circumnavigates the globe along the 41st parallel, traveling through Spain, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, China, and Japan. Along the way he shares some of the best fishing in the world with a host of wonderfully eccentric and memorable characters.

Having developed a passion for fishing as a boy, James Prosek searched in vain for a book that catalogued the trout he had come to treasure. Then he began painting them himself, inspired by John James Audubon's classic bird portraits. This is the dazzlingly beautiful result, with more than seventy original watercolors by a true prodigy--only twenty years old and already considered "a fair bid to become the Audubon of the fishing world" (The New York Times).
     The trout of North America range from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer. No other book pictures all of the popular varieties, much less the rare, exotic, and in some cases extinct species, subspecies, and strains included in this comprehensive collection. Char; Apache, Gila, and Mexican trout; rainbow, redband, and golden trout; cutthroat trout; brown trout and Atlantic salmon--each of these, and many more, are captured in vivid watercolors, along with engaging, informative descriptions of their evolution and habitats.
     With youthful passion and stunning accuracy, James Prosek celebrates as never before the indelicble beauty and variety of the trout, and makes an eloquent plea for its preservation. An unprecedented reference, Trout is essential for the serious angler--and a glorious introduction for anyone who loves fishing and the outdoors.

"This is a delightful work with the urgency of a good detective story." --Thomas McGuane

"I loved it! A beautiful adventure story of one of the most wide-spread and least-known but ecologically important fish." --Bernd Heinrich, author of Summer World

Famous for his deeply informed, compulsively readable books on trout, writer-painter James Prosek (whom the New York Times has called "the Audubon of the fishing world") takes on nature's quirkiest and most enigmatic fish: the eel. Fans of Mark Kurlansky's Cod and The Big Oyster or Trevor Corson's The Secret Life of Lobsters will love Prosek's probing exploration of the hidden deep-water dwellers. With characteristically captivating prose and lavish illustrations, Prosek demystifies the eel's unique biology and bizarre mating routines, and illuminates the animal's varied roles in the folklore, cuisine, and commerce of a variety of cultures.

Fly fishing for trout can reveal much of the human condition, and it drives and inspires devoted anglers and writers such as the ones who appear in the following pages. Most of us are inhabitants of that vast middle ground of angling - passionate weekend participants, near-experts, enthusiastic beginners - and it is only through the richly diverse writings and efforts of others that we can truly see and appreciate the dimensions and importance of this sport we care so much about. If we are truly attentive, perhaps we will allow it to treat us to a certain glimpse of our place in the natural order of things.
This is a fly-fishing book that speaks to the dedication anglers have for their favorite pastime. No matter what your experience or level of expertise, you will come away from this compilation with a better understanding of and fervor for this magnificent sport.