Here fishing guide and fly designer Henry Cowen shares decades of hard-earned knowledge of stripers for the first time. Learn about the species, its food, and where and how to find them, so you can land far more and bigger stripers. Knowing where and how to find stripers is key, and Cowen offers proven techniques for locating fish in both reservoirs and rivers, including water temperature, seasonal patterns, weather patterns, locating the bait, water clarity, and wildlife and how it can help anglers. The popularity of fishing for striped bass in freshwater is growing quickly, especially as global warming allows the fish to live in waters that used to be too cold. This is the first major book on the subject, one that is sure to be part of a big trend among fly fishers. Cowen carefully outlines fishing tactics, along with detailed photographs of the steps involved, covering: Retrieving a striper Fishing a point, uphill and downhill Working a topwater fly (constant retrieve) Hooking a fish (strip strike) Fishing a hump Fishing a saddle or blow-through Fishing a breakwater Using the countdown method Fishing a deep hole in a river Fishing a creek in a river And much more! Cowen also takes a close look at freshwater striped bass, explaining how natural and stocked fisheries are managed as well as the difference between the various species. Along with help choosing equipment and some notes on wading tactics, anglers will have everything they need to improve their fishing techniques or make a start on this popular all-American outdoor sport.

Striped bass, or simply “stripers,” are a premier saltwater sportfish that can grow to over 50 pounds and swim in giant schools that will churn the surface of the water to a froth as they feed on baitfish, creating heart-pumping, fast-paced fly fishing. Originally native to coastal Atlantic States and eastern Canada, they have also been introduced to the Pacific as well as many inland reservoirs and the rivers that flow into them, making stripers arguably the most accessible and popular saltwater species in North America. In this comprehensive guide, author John L. Field describes their behavior, foods they eat, the best flies and methods to imitate those foods, and where today’s angler stands the best chance of catching a trophy fish. Top guides, creative fly tiers, and marine biologists contribute their experience and expertise to this book.

Warmwater fly fishing is growing in popularity among fly fishermen. Species such as bass (largemouth and small mouth), sunfish, perch, and even carp now demand an increasingly large portion of our attention. The American Angler Guide to Warmwater Fly Fishing will be a quick and succinct handbook, presenting only the essentials of this growing aspect of our sport. A quick, demystifying read, the beginning and intermediate angler will find everything they need to know in this slim, smart volume. The table of contents will contain, as a start, the rudiments of casting technique, gear selection, a survey of various warmwater species and their habitats, and finally an overview of prime destinations for planning your trip. Forty to fifty color photographs will accompany the text. Original illustrations by Robert Prince.

From rods to reels, fly lines to tippets, fishing hats to hip boots, this guide covers everything an angler will need before heading to the water. If your favorite way to spend the day is stepping into a mountain stream—fly fishing gear in hand—to match wits with an elusive rainbow trout, The Orvis Encyclopedia of Fly Fishing is the perfect companion. Ideal for newcomers looking to get their feet wet, as well as for seasoned fisherman who need a reliable reference, this A to Z guide unlocks the mysteries of the sport, including answers to questions such as: Where in Montana will I find the best fly fishing for mountain whitefish? (“Montana,” page 136) What kind of fish bite at night? (“Night Fishing,” page 176) Which European country has the best fly fishing? (“Scotland,” page 235) Can I catch a shark on a fly rod? (“Sharks,” page 240) What’s the difference between a Bucktail, a Featherwing Streamer, and a Woolly Bugger? (“Streamers,” page 251) Written by Tom Rosenbauer, a top instructor at the Orvis Fly Fishing School, and loaded with stunning full-color photographs and clear illustrations of step-by-step techniques, The Orvis Encyclopedia of Fly Fishing serves as a comprehensive course in the fundamentals of the sport.

The amazing resurgence of the East Coast's premier saltwater gamefish has sent hundreds of thousands of anglers in search of their fathers' and grandfathers' favorite quarry: the magnificent striped bass. But the best tools and techniques have changed since the striped bass was nearly wiped out, and anyone who has a hope of catching it must know this fish's many unique characteristics and habits. In The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing, noted angler and author Eric Burnley has compiled everything any angler needs to know to be successful at catching this wonderful fish. Burnley starts with the biology of the fish itself--its life cycle, migratory patterns up and down the seacoast, the baitfish and other foods it prefers, and the underwater structures anglers must learn to find monster stripers. He then addresses in exacting detail every possible way the sport angler can catch stripers, including: * Spin casting around inshore structures from shore or boat * Fly-fishing casts, retrieves, and special techniques * Bait fishing from shore or boat with baitfish, shrimp, sandworms, eels, clams, and chum * Trolling tackle, depths, direction, tide, and time of day * Surfcasting tools, tips, and techniques He also tells where to fish and when, gives detailed instruction on appropriate tackle and must-know knots, and instructs on invaluable rigs and the conditions where they are most successful. With comprehensible, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, dozens of clear illustrations, and years of experience as a master fisherman, Burnley's Ultimate Guide of Striped Bass Fishing is sure to be the first place for striped-bass anglers to look, and the last word on the subject.

With colorful, concise, and easy-to-follow illustrations, The L.L. Bean Fly-Fishing Handbook offers a fun introduction to the sport. This friendly volume coaches readers on the basics of fly-casting and assembly of tackle without demanding that the reader invest tons of time and money. The goal here is getting started, and this useful, portable book won’t sit on the shelf—it’s meant to be taken outdoors for easy consultation. Author Dave Whitlock covers the foods fish eat and how to imitate those foods, details the necessary fly assortment for novices, and provides a useful glossary. Chapters added in this edition include approaches to saltwater fish species, ethics and sportsmanship, and methods for fishing from boats and float tubes.

The name Curcione is synonymous with professional saltwater fly fishing. Through the salt scene of the 1980s and 1990s, Nick Curcione developed and wrote about flies and methods that changed the way people fished inshore and off shore. Curcione shared the water with many of the great veteran fly rodders of his time, and that collected experience and knowledge enrich this book. The coastal angler who chases striped bass, albacore and various tunas, sea trout, yellowtail, tarpon, and many other species will find all the guidance he needs in these chapters.

Lefty Kreh’s original edition of Fly Fishing in Salt Water pioneered a new territory for fly fishers. With over thirty thousand copies sold and the content fully updated, revised, and expanded, this third edition is the saltwater fly fisher’s bible, based on firsthand experience by an acknowledged master. In clear, practical terms and with helpful photographs and line drawings, Lefty Kreh's Fly Fishing in Salt Water treats the techniques needed to catch all the major saltwater species—bonefish, tarpon, striped bass, bluefish, salmon, permit, snook, sharks, cobia, tuna, billfish, and more. The book shows how to fish from boats and how to wade the flats, and fully explains all the tackle needed and how to use it for specific jobs—the rods, the lines and leaders, and the flies (shown in full color). Lefty provides superb advice about how to make the long casts necessary for fishing the fly in salt water, how to "tease" sailfish and other large fish to within fly-casting range, how to chum, and how to tie the necessary knots for saltwater fishing. Chapter topics include Knots and Leaders, Flies, Tackle, Inshore Fly Fishing, and Boats.

Kayak fishing is one of the fastest growing segments in the sport of fly fishing. In addition to getting you away from the bank and to unpressured water, they are stealthy, easily transported and stored, and modern boats offer a plethora of options for fresh- and saltwater anglers. This complete guide to fly fishing from a kayak thoroughly covers techniques, tackle, choosing the right boat and how to rig it, and strategies. Fishing pros featured include Pat Cohen (upstate New York), Chris LeMessurier (Michigan), Juan Veruete (Pennsylvania), Drew Haerer, Brian Cadoret (Vermont), Casey Brunning (Louisiana), Conway Bowman (California)