Design, materials, knots, casting Includes LeaderCalc CD with tables for every variation of leader Fly fishermen often pay too little attention to the eight or nine feet of monafilament that connects their hundred dollars of gear to their fly. But this least expensive component-the leader-is the one most directly connected to fishing success. To fool a trout, a leader must drop a fly lightly on the water and then let it drift naturally, without drag. This groundbreaking work reveals the principles behind leaders that catch fish and provides everything you need to start tying your own, including the ideal proportions of butt, taper, and tippet, the best materials and knots for various applications, and how leaders can be modified and adapted. It also covers techniques of casting to minimize drag and enhance presentation.

• Design, materials, knots, casting Fly fishermen often pay too little attention to the eight or nine feet of monafilament that connects their hundred dollars of gear to their fly. But this least expensive component-the leader-is the one most directly connected to fishing success. To fool a trout, a leader must drop a fly lightly on the water and then let it drift naturally, without drag. This groundbreaking work reveals the principles behind leaders that catch fish and provides everything you need to start tying your own, including the ideal proportions of butt, taper, and tippet, the best materials and knots for various applications, and how leaders can be modified and adapted. It also covers techniques of casting to minimize drag and enhance presentation.

Advanced tight line nymphing tactics, including Czech, Polish, French, Spanish, and American techniques.

Fly fishers are always looking for useful, reliable, and trustworthy tips to improve their fishing. Veteran author and fly fisherman Skip Morris gives a year’s worth of practical tips for taking trout, large and smallmouth bass, and panfish from streams and lakes in a handy, easy-to-read and grasp format. Tips include info on casting, finding fish, rigs and strategies for using them, techniques, the right tackle, knots, hooking, playing and landing fish, releasing, fishing lingo and terms, and staying safe. For further help, the tips are illustrated with instructive line drawings and color photos.

If you're ready to live as a diehard fly fisherman in the land of the midnight sun, you'd better be prepared to weather several long months of midnight. Set against the backdrop of a life spent in the latitudes of the Far North, follow the author as he casts about in search of arctic grayling, rainbow trout, and the ultimate truths in life. The author's existential pursuit of a "drag-free drift" borrows from the analogous concept in fly fishing, where one's line is mended as necessary to facilitate the fly's natural flow with the current. This book is targeted primarily towards the North American fly fisherman, and those around the world interested in experiencing the wilds of Alaska.

Smallmouth bass swim in more streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs than any other gamefish, and exceptional, world-class fishing opportunities for them are found across the country, from the John Day River in Oregon to the Great Lakes, to Maine’s Penobscot. While numerous books have been written on smallmouth, this is the first book to cover the cutting edge techniques and fly patterns being used by some of the country’s top fly fishing guides. Though most of these flies and techniques have been developed and refined in the rivers and lakes of the Midwest (a hotbed of smallmouth fly fishing) anglers can adapt them for their waters. Cutting edge fly patterns for smallmouth, including full color plates and recipes, as well as new techniques for fishing these patterns A “tips” section from various guides, both old school and new, including Luke Kavajecz, Kyle Zempel, Austin Adduci, Kip Vieth, and Bart Landwehr Covers smallmouth bass essentials including biology, behavior, and where to find trophy bass Interviews with Mike Schultz, Lefty Kreh, Chuck Kraft, and Larry Dahlberg

Devin Olsen explains how the techniques he has used to become a repeat medalist in fly fishing competitions around the world can be adapted to everyday fly fishing situations. He covers strategies, tactics, and flies for rivers, small streams, and still waters, allowing anyone to fish more successfully by applying the approaches taken by competitive anglers.