A richly illustrated guide that offers precise terms for every part of the cast, with sections on line speed, improving accuracy and distance, loop control, and much more.

Flycasting is a skill of almost mythic proportions. Yet discussions of casting often bog down in a world of technical minutiae that is almost impenetrable to the beginner. Now, in The Essence of Flycasting, Mel Krieger has created a clear, indispensable manual for anglers of all skill levels. Through detailed instructions and dozens of precise photographs, Krieger dissects this arcane art into understandable and executable steps that take the raw beginner from piles of line on the ground to graceful loops in the air. And the seasoned veteran will advance from struggling with 30-foot casts to skillfully double-hauling vastly more line across the water. Book jacket.

Based on the acclaimed Fly Fisher Apprentice Program. Covers tackle, fly tying, casting, knots, wading, plus respecting trout and their habitat.

Hone your fly-casting skills in just a few hours! The better you can cast, the more you'll enjoy fly-fishing. With good casting technique you can place the fly where you want it, effortlessly and with precision and grace, even when wind or obstructions conspire against you. In Master the Cast, George V. Roberts Jr., a lifelong fly-fisher and sought-after instructor, walks you through a course that breaks the complicated mechanics into a few simple components. Then, with the help of hundreds of photos and illustrations, he shows you how to master these in seven concise lessons, including: The Roll Cast, which builds your rod-arm mechanics (how the hand, wrist, forearm, and upper arm function to make the rod work) The Pick-Up-and-Lay-Down Cast, which forms the foundation of all straight-line casting False Casting, which allows you to keep the fly airborne for several strokes before delivering it plus Shooting Line, Casting in All Planes, Drift and Follow-Through, Off-Vertical Casting, and an advanced lesson on Hauling Master the Cast is an indispensable resource for all fly-fishers, beginner to advanced, that will have you casting flies with confidence, precision, and consistency after only a few hours' practice. "Most fly-fishers cast mechanically without understanding the mechanics of the cast. But understanding precisely what is going on and why is what makes a good caster into an excellent one. George Roberts understands casting mechanics inside and out, and his Master the Cast will help you do just that."—James R. Babb, editor, Gray's Sporting Journal Praise for George Roberts' A Fly-Fisher's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation: "A book in a class by itself."—Fly Fishing Saltwater "It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this book."—The Fly-Tyer's Catalog

Master all the casts you will ever need from this clear, comprehensive and international, modern manual. * Step-by-step diagrams and instructions will take you through the stages of each cast * Learn to correct common casting mistakes * Choose the right cast for the right conditions * Overcome challenges: strong winds eddying currents overhanging trees restrictions on the bank behind you casting round rocks * Includes international casts: from the traditional Scottish Spey cast, to the Skagit cast, the Galway, the Belgian wind cast and the Scandinavian shooting head techniques.

“Beautiful. ... A lyrical companion to his father’s classic, A River Runs through It, chronicling their family’s history and bond with Montana’s Blackfoot River.” —Washington Post A "poetic" and "captivating" (Publishers Weekly) memoir about the power of place to shape generations, Home Waters is John N. Maclean's remarkable chronicle of his family's century-long love affair with Montana's majestic Blackfoot River, the setting for his father's classic novella, A River Runs through It. Maclean returns annually to the simple family cabin that his grandfather built by hand, still in search of the trout of a lifetime. When he hooks it at last, decades of longing promise to be fulfilled, inspiring John, reporter and author, to finally write the story he was born to tell. A book that will resonate with everyone who feels deeply rooted to a landscape, Home Waters is a portrait of a family who claimed a river, from one generation to the next, of how this family came of age in the 20th century and later as they scattered across the country, faced tragedy and success, yet were always drawn back to the waters that bound them together. Here are the true stories behind the beloved characters fictionalized in A River Runs through It, including the Reverend Maclean, the patriarch who introduced the family to fishing; Norman, who balanced a life divided between literature and the tug of the rugged West; and tragic yet luminous Paul (played by Brad Pitt in Robert Redford’s film adaptation), whose mysterious death has haunted the family and led John to investigate his uncle’s murder and reveal new details in these pages. A universal story about nature, family, and the art of fly fishing, Maclean’s memoir beautifully captures the inextricable ways our personal histories are linked to the places we come from—our home waters. Featuring twelve wood engravings by Wesley W. Bates and a map of the Blackfoot River region.