The Art Of The Fishing Fly

The ultimate book for fly fishers, featuring stunning photography of flies and the fishermen who use them—with a foreword by President Jimmy Carter. For the millions of fly fishers who are passionate about their sport, this gorgeous book is both a visual feast and the perfect reference. The Art of the Fishing Fly includes a history of fly fishing focusing on the evolution of fishing flies; a guide to essential equipment; a how-to section on tying three key flies by three top fly tyers; and essays by noted experts. The book’s core includes seventy-five profiles of flies—the soul of the sport—with absolutely stunning color photographs of each fly and fascinating stories behind the flies, inspirational photographs of fly fishers in action, and profiles of the top 19 fly fishing locations around the world.

The perfect fly fishing book for today's novice, enthusiastic amateur, as well as the devoted angler is part narration of the author's own angling obsessions and adventures, part practical how-to, and part meditation on a connection to the natural world.

The trout fly is both a tool for catching fish and an object of exquisite beauty. Newly reissued in a handsome hardcover edition, The Art of the Trout Fl captures the blending of art and function in these amazing constructions of fur, feather, fiber, and thread. Forty-three international masters of flytying share the secrets of their craft in wise and witty personal essays, each accompanied by a gorgeously rendered photograph of their most distinctive creations, as well as a list of the materials used to bring the flies to life. Also included is an illuminating introduction discussing the contributions of the flytyers to fly design, and exploring why tyers the world over are so fascinated by the craft. A justly celebrated classic, The Art of the Trout Fly is an excellent introduction to flytying for the novice and a valuable source of information and inspiration for the experienced fly-fisher.

This is and is not a how to book. What I mean is that it's not the book you want to pick up to improve your roll cast (at least not directly) but it may improve your outlook on life. It may not help you find fish but it may help you find yourself and that is what I truly believe fly fishing is all about.

Discover the spiritual potential hidden in every cast of the fly rod. "For us, fly-fishing is about more than catching fish. We have been skunked on the stream too many times to count, and stood shivering in our waders in 45-degree water long after sundown. Yet, every chance we get, we head back to the river in search of trout and something more." --from Rabbi Eric's Introduction "Early in my fly-fishing career I remember telling a friend that there is so much to learn! Some forty years later, that is still true. Every trip I learn something new about rivers, fish and the natural world. Most importantly, I learn something new about myself. Every encounter with the waters of our planet draws me deeper into who I am and who I want to become." --from Reverend Mike's Introduction In this unique exploration of fly-fishing as a spiritual practice, an Episcopal priest and a rabbi share what fly-fishing has to teach us about reflection, awe and the wonder of the natural world, the benefits of solitude, the blessing of community and the search for the Divine. Tapping the wisdom in the Christian and Jewish traditions and their own geographically diverse experiences on the water, they show how time spent on the stream can help you navigate the currents and eddies of your own inner journey.

"A complete introduction to fly tying covering everything from materials to skills and patterns. Outstanding color photos illustrate every step and excellent descriptive text details the how and why of each move." --

Excerpt from The Fine Art of Fishing While the Eastern brook trout is undoubtedly in coloration the most beautiful of all game fishes, in for mation, especially as regards very large trout of, say, three pounds or over, its position is not so clearly first. The male trout of this weight, however finely marked with var ious tints of blue, crimson, and gold, tends dangerously to aldermanic girth and, with his usual under-shot and cruel lower jaw, is rather a creature to respect for gameness and fighting-blood than to admire artistically. The quality of coloration in the brook trout, too, is dependent to a great extent upon the immediate sur roundings affected by the fish. That this is a matter Of protective coloration should go Without gainsaying. In very dark waters, well shaded and with muddy or dark ly colored bottom, the brook trout is sympathetically Of subdued coloration, sometimes almost black - a very dark purple. On the other hand, in clear streams run ning over white gravel or pebbly beds, the trout are lightly tinted and Often have a golden luster or sheen that is unequaled for beauty. The wise men tell us that variation Of color in brook trout is caused by the light acting through the nerves of the eye upon certain color glands. It is also dependent to a certain extent upon the natural food most common to the stream, trout which have an abundance of insect food being the most brilliant in coloration as well as the largest. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

In this work, Charles Ritz reflects on rods, lines and other tackle as well as his famous method of fly-casting - High Speed, High Line - which is described in detail. The book is enriched with his reminiscences from the finest game-fishing waters of Europe and North America.