Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Fly Fishing

The author of four books (including The Orvis Pocket Guide to Streamer Fishing, Lyons Press, 2006, and Montana on the Fly: An Angler's Guide, Countryman, 2008) Pat Straub has been a fly fishing guide and outfitter in Montana for over ten years. He serves on the board of the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana and is very active in statewide fishing functions. Straub worked for three years as a book publicist for the Globe Pequot /Falcon/Lyons, and has personal contacts at many of the region's top media outlets, as well as bookstores and fly shops.

Table of Contents Section One Instant Gratification: Be a better angler right now. How to improve immediately 1. What's the difference between fly-fishing and spin casting?2. Why should I consider fly fishing over other ways of catching fish?3. How do I cast efficiently? 4. What's the number one casting mistake and how do I solve it?5. How do I tie better knots?6. What piece of my gear should I improve immediately?7. How to get a good drift with a dry fly?8. Do I really need a strike indicator?9. How can I see more fish?10. What do I do when I hook a big fish? Section Two Up in the Air: Improving your cast. Longer, easier, and more efficient 1. Do my hands work together?2. What is a double-haul?3. Why is my back-cast so important?4. Why did my line pile in front of me?5. How do I beat this wind?6. What is a reach cast?7. What is an S-cast?8. How do I get rid of my tailing loop?9. What about casting in tight quarters?10. I want to cast 100 feet. Do I need to? Section Three Humans are From Land; Fish are From Water: Unlocking Your Inner Fish-Finder 1. What do fish need?2. Where do trout hide in rivers?3. What about shade or undercut banks?4. What about saltwater fish? Do they need the same things as trout?5. How do I keep from spooking a fish? Section Four Looks Can Kill: Presentation. Getting your flies in the spot and looking natural 1. How do I mend effectively?2. What is "tracking" and why is it important?3. I don't need split shot, do I? 4. What about size or color? Are they really important?5. What about fly floatant or dessicant? Which ones are the best?6. How do I rig for fishing nymphs? Section Five Faking It: Choosing the right flies and using them at the right times 1. Why should I care about nymphs?2. What is the difference between an emerger and an adult?3. What is all this talk about "cripples?"4. Do I really need to match the hatch?5. Why is a Stimulator a great dry fly?6. What are the ten best trout flies?7. What are the ten best saltwater flies?8. Why should I care about size or color?Section Six Getting the Goods: Gearing-up, rigging-up, or gearing-down 1. What is the one rod I should own? For trout? For saltwater?2. What is a double-taper fly line? Why might I want it?3. Is there an advantage to fluorocarbon tippet and leaders?4. Do I need a large-arbor reel?5. What is all this talk about rod action? Section Seven Salty Dogs: Specific challenges of saltwater fly fishing 1. Is casting really that important?2. It's like hunting, isn't it?3. What are the species to fish for?4. How do I know where to fish?5. Will my 9 foot 5 weight rod work?6. What special tackle do I need?7. Flats, inshore, and offshore. What's the difference? It's all saltwater.8. What about tides? How important are they, really? Section Eight Everything Else Under the Sun: Travel, teaching kids and spouses, and more 1. Should I carry-on or check my rods and gear?2. What about shipping things to my destination?3. How do I store my gear for the season?4. I want to teach my wife to fish? Am I good enough? 5. How do I find a good guide? Section Nine Self-Reflection: Questions to ask yourself when fishing 1. How do I approach the stream?2. Did I survey the situation?3. Have I fished from "top to bottom?"4. What about other anglers? Am is my etiquette appropriate?5. If I am releasing fish, am I doing it with the fish in mind? Section Ten Other People's Thoughts: Quotes and thoughts from fellow anglers Other Resources Websites, guides, local and regional resources