Chris Hole is a fanatical fly-fisherman. He is also a talented writer and illustrator who, armed with only his kit-bag, fishing tackle, camera, watercolour paints and notebook, is developing a reputation for taking on the unusual. Since 1992, he has circumnavigated the globe three times to produce two multi-edition, self-illustrated books about the world's great fly fishing locales.
'Fly Fishing Across Russia', Hole's third and most ambitious work, is the extraordinary story of his solo trek from east to west across the Russian Federation, into Eastern Europe and Finland, and back to Russia again. Unlike his first books, he records and illustrates his odyssey by hand in two diaries. This book is an accurate reproduction of those diaries, complete with his watercolour sketches in full colour. It is an attractive, enthralling, vigorous and, at times, very amusing account of endeavour and success, often interspersed with awful frustration. Although predominantly about travel and fly fishing, the book also presents a skilful picture of the true character of post-perestroika Russia.
Following the diaries, at the back of the book, Hole includes a very detailed Travel Fact section, ably illustrated with colour photography, for those anglers keen to follow one or more of his adventures.
