An Illustrated Guide to the Equipment, Techniques, and Resources of the Sport
A centuries-old sport deep in ritual, lore, and passed on know-how, fly fishing is equal parts great outdoors adventure and armchair philosophy. It's about much more than just catching fish, as anyone can attest who has spent an afternoon releasing hooks from branches or watching fish dart away from the shadows.
'The Elements of Fly Fishing' is a full color celebration of this passionate pursuit, the serious reference volume on the market to bring to life the rich array of finely crafted tackle, the history and art of the sport, and the sport's meccas near and far. As fly fishing (both fresh and, increasingly, saltwater) has lured new upwardly mobile devotees, its trappings have taken on a new cache: antique hand-crafted bamboo fly rods have become collectors items, willow creels are sold as objets d'art, and flies created by the great tiers-tiny masterpieces of concentration and cunning and fetch upward of $75 each.
A dazzling array of images ranging from blue ribbon destinations all around the world to elite equipment is presented, complete with a feast of authoritative information ranging from the names and phone numbers of the very best guides to fly-tying recipes for classic designs like the age-old gold-ribbed hare's ear and the light cahill. With informed, pithy commentary, this handsome and indispensable volume provides us with everything from descriptions of the latest equipment and accessories to tips about the fundamentals of casting-from the history of fly tying to an analysis of the best schools and organizations-and ends with an illustrated glossary of knots with step-by-step how-to's.
Everyone from the grizzled old fly tier to the beginner fresh from a three-day crash course has his or her own rationale for pursuing a sport that more often than not means escaped fish and exquisite frustration. Whatever the attraction to the river, 'The Elements of Fly Fishing' provides the reader with the means and the inspiration to go out and do it.
