A compendium of popular and not-so-popular terms and phrases used by fly fishers for centuries. THE FLY FISHER'S ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY contains more than 350 explanations of fly-fishing terms and phrases, including fly tying, entomology, historic equipment, and angling methods -- illustrated with more than 150 drawings and photographs. The entries are listed alphabetically, and are supported by anecdote and often by photographs or drawings. This is a book for those interested in the lore and language of fly fishing; it is a treasure trove of useful information, arcane knowledge, and modern references. It will be of particular interest to fly tyers, as it includes detailed information on such subjects as tying proportions and terms, rare and unusual tying materials, and hook shapes. From gildard to Isabella buff, from leveret to snoods -- here is a charming ready reference to the past and to practical information for all present anglers.

Two highly respected outdoor journalists, Kirk Deeter of Field & Stream and Charlie Meyers of the Denver Post, have cracked open their notebooks and shared straight-shot advice on the sport of fly fishing, based on a range of new and old experiences—from interviews with the late Lee Wulff to travels with maverick guides in Tierra del Fuego. The mission of The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is to demystify and un-complicate the tricks and tips that make a great trout fisher. There are no complicated physics lessons here. Rather, conceived in the “take dead aim” spirit of Harvey Penick’s classic instructional on golf, The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing offers a simple, digestible primer on the basic elements of fly fishing: the cast, presentation, reading water, and selecting flies. In the end, this collection of 240 tips is one of the most insightful, plainly spoken, and entertaining works on this sport—one that will serve both novices and experts alike in helping them reflect and hone in their approaches to fly fishing.

Sub-title from cover: A fully illustrated guide to the strategy, finesse, tactics and paraphernalia of fly fishing.

A look at the development of the sport over the past six centuries. Once limited to trout and salmon, today fly-fishing techniques are used to catch every fish species from minnows to marlin in rivers, lakes and oceans from the Amazon to the Arctic. From the many thousands of fly patterns developed over the centuries, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies focuses on fifty iconic flies chosen to represent the evolution not only of fishing flies and fly tying but also the sport itself. Filled with illustrations and photographs of the flies (the fifty are just the starting point—more than 200 flies are mentioned or shown in the book), as well as profiles of key characters, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies charts the growth and diversification of this fascinating sport from the fifteenth century to the present day and its spread from Britain, Europe and Japan to North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, and now to every country in the world. The evolution of fly-fishing tackle—rods, reels, lines and hooks—is also covered in a series of essays spread throughout the book. Praise for The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies “A delightful ramble along the stream of fishing history.” —Star Tribune “This glorious book of lures will get you itching for a new toy, a new boat, a new rod—anything to experience the relaxation of this old hobby.” —Foreword Reviews

This essential book on fly tying will teach anyone how to tie flies. All the important techniques are illustrated with color photographs, from starting the thread on the hook to whip finishing. The book lays the basic ground work by fully explaining simple tying techniques, and then progresses to detailed tying instructions for some of the most popular, modern patterns. How to choose and prepare the correct material, and all the necessary tying steps for each fly, are detailed in superb, large, color photographs. Even if you have no previous tying experience, you'll be able to tie dries, nymphs, streamers, saltwater offerings, and bass bugs after just a few sessions with this book. The tyer is then advised how to progress to similar patterns using the same basic techniques. Also included is a huge reference of fly patterns - more than four hundred flies from the Orvis catalog are shown in full color, along with the tying recipes and proportions for each one. This book, drawing from the Orvis Company's vast resources and teaching experience and written by an author whose name is synonymous with Orvis, has become the bible for fly-tyers of all skill levels.

This outstanding guide is filled with scores of practical observations on all of the trout foods of importance to fly fishers. The chapters include: * Concepts of Imitation * Water * How Trout Feed * Mayflies * Stoneflies * Caddisflies * Midges and Crane Flies * Dragonflies and Damselflies * Crustaceans * Forage Fish * Leeches, Eels, and Similar Trout Foods Superb black-and-white illustrations throughout reinforce the techniques outlined in this book. A central full-color section includes size and color charts for mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, caddisflies, damselflies, crustaceans, and forage fish.