AFalconGuide Fly Fishing Made Easy : A Manual for Beginners With Tips for the Experienced

Preface xiii An Introduction to the Greatest Sport on Earth: Why Fly Fish? 1(4) The Right Stuff: Essential Fly Fishing Equipment 5(34) Let's Start with the Rod 6(7) Pick and Match to the Fish and to the Water Shopping for the Rod The Reel Thing 13(3) The Choices What to Look For A Good Catchy Line 16(8) Line Weight Line Taper Line Action Putting Your Money Down Backing Leader Just Wading Around 24(5) Wader Types Built-In Boots and Wading Boots/Shoes Safety Stuff 29(1) Dress for Casting Success 30(2) Sun Protection Hats Carrying Arrangements: Fishing Vest vs. Fishing Pack Accessories Make the Outfit 32(7) Rain Gear Nets Kit Necessities Putting Your Best Fly Forward: Presentation of the Fly 39(20) Differences between Spin Casting and Fly Casting 39(1) The Basic Cast: Getting the Line Out 40(11) The Fly Caster's Grip General Things to Remember Where to Practice The Back Cast The Front Cast Combining the Front and Back Casts Aiming Adding Line to Your Cast Roll Casting: Your Best Line Forward 51(4) How to Do the Roll Cast Adding Line to the Roll Cast Serpentine Cast: Cut Yourself Some Slack 55(1) How to Do the Serpentine Cast Steeple Cast: Highly Effective 56(1) How to Do the Steeple Cast Reach Cast: Adjusting to Current Trends 57(2) How to Do the Reach Cast Seeing Past the Surface: Judging the Water 59(14) Fish Are Only Human: The Search for Food 60(6) The Nature of Feeding Fish What Will a Fish Eat? Food, Top and Bottom: The Bugs Where a Fish Will Lie to Get Food ``Delivered'' Look for Places That Might Produce Fish Food The Opportunists Shelter and Safety: Covering Their Tails 66(2) Predators In and Out of the Water Current Light Depth Comfort Zones 68(2) Temperature Oxygen The Types of Water 70(3) Streams and Rivers Ponds and Lakes Knowing Your Bugs: The Study of Entomology 73(16) How to Pick Your Bug 74(2) Mayflies Are King 76(4) Nymphs Emergers Duns Spent Spinners Caddis Flies 80(2) Nymphs Emergers Adults Stone Flies 82(1) Nymphs: Black and Brown Emergers Adults: Orange and Yellow Midges: The Small Bug 83(2) Nymphs Emergers Adults Terrestrials in the Water 85(1) Scuds: Freshwater Shrimp 86(1) Worms 86(1) Crayfish 87(2) Puttin' on the Glitz: Attracting Patterns 89(8) Why Attracting Patterns? 90(1) How Attracting Patterns Work 91(1) Where to Start 91(2) Attracting Patterns You Should Carry Attracting Patterns to Add Later How to Fish Attracting Patterns 93(1) Ideas on Trout and Warm-Water Fish 93(4) Trout Bass Panfish Putting Your Best Fly Forward: The Fishing Plan and Mending 97(14) Your Master Fishing Plan 97(7) Thinking Ahead Current Considerations Upstream or Downstream Staying in Control A Plan for Casting The Spoilers Mending Your Line 104(7) Line Behavior What Is Mending? Mending Casts Mending Your Line on the Water The Genesis of Fly Fishing: The Trout 111(14) Fighting Fish 112(1) Rainbow Trout 113(2) Characteristics German Brown Trout 115(1) Characteristics Cutthroat Trout 116(3) Characteristics Brook Trout 119(2) Characteristics Catch and Release 121(4) When You Kill Fish, Consider Trophy Care How to Catch and Release Bass, Bass, Largemouth Bass: Old Bucketmouth on a Fly 125(10) Largemouth Bass 126(9) Characteristics Fishing Methods Tackle Warm-Water Fighters: Fighting Fish on a Fly 135(16) Why Warm-Water Fish on a Fly? 135(3) Smallmouth Bass 138(7) The Fighter Characteristics Fishing Methods Tackle Striped Bass 145(1) Bluegill 146(2) Panfish 148(1) Walleye 149(2) Going Down and Deep: Fishing the Wet Fly 151(20) How to Get Set Up 153(3) Successful Casts to Consider 156(4) Across and Down The Upstream Wedge The Upstream Wedge with a Twitch The Lift Cast Beaver Pond Dead Drift Setting the Hook 160(1) The Wet-Fly Approach 160(1) Nymphing Approach 161(3) Some Nymphs to Consider Streamers 164(7) Fishing the Streamer Going High and Dry: Fishing the Dry Fly 171(22) How to Get Set Up 174(1) Basic Dry-Fly Fishing Strategies 174(6) Placing the Fly Opening the Window Watching the Drag Setting the Hook The Good Time to Fish Useful Dry-Fly Casts 180(4) Quartering Cast Reach Cast The Upstream Wedge The Upstream Wedge with a Twitch Downstream Cast Casting to Fish You See Rising 184(1) Nonselective Fish Selective Fish Casting Where You Think the Fish Might Be 185(4) Casting the Riffles Movin' About Flies to Use Types of Streams 189(4) Freestone Streams Spring Creeks/Tailwaters Float Tubes and Other Stuff: Getting to the Fish 193(16) Being Safe and Happy 194(1) The Float Tube and You 195(3) Selecting a Tube You and the Canoe 198(3) It's Fun, but Be Careful Other Things That Float 201(1) Floating Fishing Methods 201(8) Basic Wet-Fly Fishing on Lakes and Ponds Basic Dry-Fly Fishing on Lakes and Ponds Both Wet and Dry Casting Out and About: Walking with a Fly Rod 209(8) Expanding Local Waters: Beating the Crowds 209(2) Park and Walk Backcountry Fishing 211(6) Fishing Tips Footwear What to Take Index 217(6) About the Authors 223