A compact and effective guide to fly fishing for bass and panfish.

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.

Now updated, including full-color illustrations, The L.L. Bean Fly-Casting Handbook is a must-have for all beginning and intermediate fly casters. Based on the winning methods of the L.L. Bean Fly-Fishing Schools, sections include: The Eleven Habits of Highly Effective Casters, The Basic Four-Part Cast, The Essential Roll Cast, Getting More Distance, Casting into the Wind, Double Hauling, and more. Anglers will find this accessible guide helpful to becoming a more accomplished fly caster.

Instructions and tips for the 10 most popular patterns, with a chapter on fly-tying tools.

When populations of striped bass began plummeting in the early 1980s, author and fisherman Dick Russell was there to lead an Atlantic coast conservation campaign that resulted in one of the most remarkable wildlife comebacks in the history of fisheries. As any avid fisherman will tell you, the striped bass has long been a favorite at the American dinner table; in fact, we've been feasting on the fish from the time of the Pilgrims. By 1980 that feasting had turned to overfishing by commercial fishing interests. Striper Wars is Dick Russell's inspiring account of the people and events responsible for the successful preservation of one of America's favorite fish and of what has happened since. Striper Wars is a tale replete with heroes--and some villains--as the struggle to save the striper migrated down the coast from Massachusetts to Maryland. Russell introduces us to a postman at arms against a burly trap-net fisherman, a renowned state governor caving to special interests, and a fishing-tackle maker fighting alongside marine biologists. And he describes how champions of this singular fish blocked power plants and New York's Westway Project that would otherwise compromise its habitat. Unfortunately, those who cheered the triumphant ending to the campaign, as the coastal states enacted measures that enabled the striped bass to make its comeback, have found the peace transitory--there is now a new enemy emerging on the front. In recent years a chronic bacterial disease has struck more than seventy percent of the striped bass population in the primary spawning waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Malnutrition seems to be a significant factor, brought on by the same overfishing that plagued the bass in the first battle--only this time, the overfishing is devastating menhaden, the silvery little fish upon which the bass feed. Lessons learned during the first conservation battle are being applied here, highlighting a need for a whole new ecosystem-based approach to conserving species. Only with constant vigilance by concerned citizens, Dick Russell reminds us, can environmental victories be sustained. This particular fish story is a personal one for him, and he follows the striper's saga today all the way to California, where the fish was introduced in 1879 and where agribusiness now threatens its future. For his conservation work during the 1980s Russell received a citizen's Chevron Conservation Award.

For three years, journalist Richard Louv listened to America by going fishing with Americans. Doing what many of us dream of, he traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from trout waters east and west to bass waters north and south. Fly-Fishing for Sharks is the result of his journey, a portrait of America on the water, fishing rod in hand. To explore the cultures of fishing, Louv joined a bass tournament on Lake Erie and got a casting lesson from fly-fishing legend Joan Wulff He angled with corporate executives in Montana and fly-fished for sharks in California. He spent time with fishing-boat captains in Florida, the regulars who fish New York City's Hudson River, and a river witch in Colorado. He teamed secrets of fishing and living from steelheaders in the Northwest, Bass'n Gals in Texas, and an ice-fisher in the North Woods. Along the way, he heard from one of Hemingway's sons what it was like to fish with Papa and from Robert Kennedy, Jr., how fishing changed his fife. As he describes the eccentricities, obsessions, and tribulations of dedicated anglers, he also uncovers the values that unite them. He reveals the healing qualities of fishing, how it binds the generations, how the angling business has grown, and how the future of fishing is threatened. But most of all, Fly-Fishing for Sharks is about the unforgettable characters Louv meets on the water and the stories they tell. From them, Louv learns about our changing relationship with nature, about a hidden America -- and about himself.

"A collection of fly fishing tips"--

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.

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.

Carp are the fly rodder's ultimate gamefish. This is the first comprehensive book on tying the best flies for carp, featuring patterns and techniques from anglers around the United States. With over 600 step-by-step photos and over 20 patterns by tiers ranging from Barry Reynolds to Bob Clouser to author Jay Zimmerman, including fishing information, this book is the definitive fly-tying resource for those who love the challenge of fooling carp on the fly.