Sport Fishing

The Complete Angler has been in print for over 350 years. Just a how-to book on fishing would not have created such a popular work. Walton's comments on how to catch and prepare numerous varieties of fish create a pleasant leisure read for any fisherman. His anecdotes are as fresh and contemporary today as they were in his century.

In Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers, Gierach looks back to the long-ago day when he bought his first resident fishing license in Colorado, where the fishing season never ends, and just knew he was in the right place. And he succinctly sums up part of the appeal of his sport when he writes that it is "[A]n acquired taste that reintroduces the chaos of uncertainty back into our well-regulated lives".

Freshwater fishing is the perfect combination of relaxation and excitement. When you’re not peacefully looking out at the water, you’re reeling in the big one!

Channel catfish are native to fresh water areas, including reservoirs, lakes, streams, ponds, and rivers. They will usually choose a location with good breeding areas, an adequate food supply, and fairly warm temperatures. Channel cats prefer to build nests for spawning in hidden, hollow logs, rock ledges, and undercut banks, so the presence of these features may indicate a good area to look for catfish.

From a rich tradition—from a fearless and audacious heritage—came forth a man who would be the embodiment of the Gloucester fisherman. Ellis Hodgkins caught his first bluefin tuna at the tender age of fourteen, using only a hand line. It weighed 750 pounds. He did it by himself, fishing out of a ten-foot skiff. That feat earned him the title of Boy Wonder in and around Gloucester. For those who marvel at the deeds of the men of Wicked Tuna, Ellis did it all before those guys were born. This is the true story of one man’s remarkable life—a life lived on its own terms. “Ellis is my ...

In this collection of fishing stories from acclaimed novelist and outdoor writer William G. Tapply, the natural appeal of fishing comes to life. Each story in Every Day Was Special was previously published in Tapply’s back-page column, “Reading the Currents” in American Angler, or in Gray’s Sporting Journal, or in Field & Stream. From "Dam It" to "First Light" to "When Trout Get Antsy", these thirty re-readable pieces are unique in their own ways, and yet, all are classic Tapply. These writings serve as testament to the thrill of fishing.

Writing with the same mastery that has won him praise for his fiction, Richards takes us - even those unfamiliar with days spent in chilly waters - on an unforgettable journey to the famed Miramichi River. Casting new light on the mysterious and elegant world of fly fishing, it teems with lore and wisdom, humor, and most of all, passion.

A moving collection of fishing stories by one of America’s legendary outdoor writers. Throughout his career, Harry Middleton contributed hundreds of stories, essays, and book reviews to some of the most respected periodicals, including the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Field & Stream, Country Journal, Smithsonian, and Sierra, among others.

Well-known nature and conservation writer Ted Williams is an avid fisherman who has devoted many years to writing about the sport and advocating the preservation of bodies of water and species of fish. Here, he brings together his love of angling with his profound sense of responsibility for the environment.

Ed Van Put begins this important new book with the history of native brook trout and offers little-known details about their sizes, abundance, and demise from over-fishing, the growth of streamside industries, and the introduction of competitive species. He records the attempts to restore the depleted fishery by restocking streams with hatchery-bred trout, and then the introduction of rainbow trout from California and brown trout from Europe, and their impact upon Catskill trout fishing.

Anyone who loves fishing - on a lake, pond, river, or ocean - is guaranteed to love Jimmy Houston's insightful, instructive, and laugh-out-loud funny tips and tales. Whether he's fishing with sports or political celebrities or his children, Jimmy proves there's no story like a fish story, and here are his best-packed with all the know - how that has made his name a legend.

Here is the story of a community - Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts - and a sporting event - the island's legendary Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby - that is rendered with the same depth, color, and emotional power of the best fiction. Among the characters we meet Dick Hathaway, a crotchety legend who once caught a bluefish from a helicopter and was ultimately banned for cheating; and Janet Messineo, a recovering alcoholic who says that striped bass saved her life.

Few books have captured the haunting world of music and rivers and of the sport they provide as well as A River Never Sleeps. Roderick L. Haig-Brown writes of fishing not just as a sport, but also as an art. He knows moving water and the life within it - its subtlest mysteries and perpetual delights. He is a man who knows fish lore as few people ever will, and the legends and history of a great sport. Month by month, he takes you from river to river, down at last to the saltwater and the sea.

Ever since he arrived at his family's rented summer house, Brendan has been hearing horror stories from all of the locals about sharks in the water. His new friend and surfing partner, Alex, swears the stories aren't true, but Brendan can't shake his fear. Then, one day, when Alex and Brendan are surfing off the coast, Brendan's shark nightmare comes true in a horrible way.

Jim Harrison, Pam Houston, Ted Leeson, Nick Lyons, Thomas McGuane, and more, share stories of fly fishing and life on the river. This marvelous collection features stories from some of America’s finest and most respected writers about one of the world’s most solitary and satisfying sports: fly fishing. For the first time, the stories of thirty-one acclaimed writers including Kim Barnes, Walter Bennett, Russell Chatham, Guy de la Valdne, Robert DeMott, Chris Dombrowski, Ron Ellis, Jim Fergus, Kate Fox, Charles Gaines, Bruce Guernsey, Jim Harrison, Pam Houston, Michael Keaton, Greg Keeler, Sydney Lea, Ted Leeson, Nick Lyons, Craig Mathews, Thomas McGuane, Joseph Monninger, Howard Frank Mosher, Jake Mosher, Craig Nova, Margot Page, Datus Proper, Le Anne Schreiber, Paul Schullery, W. D. Wetherell, and Robert Wrigley come together in one collection. Fly fishers and non-fly fishers alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of the appreciation of nature, the necessity of conservation, and the joy and knowledge that come from time spent on fresh and salt water. This is a delightful, handsome volume that captures the allure and spirit of fly fishing and those that love it.

As her twenty-first birthday approached, Marina Gibson received a unique gift suggestion from her parents, who offered her a choice between fishing rods or jewelry. In an unconventional decision, she opted for fishing rods. Her intention was to rekindle a childhood passion and carry on a family tradition initiated by her mother, who had dedicated years to pursuing salmon in the rivers of the Scottish Highlands. As fishing overtook Marina’s life and evolved into a full-time career, she became enraptured by the silent mysteries of the river and the quiet magic of angling.

This marvelous collection features stories from some of America’s finest and most respected writers about every outdoorsman’s favorite and most loyal hunting partner: his dog. For the first time, the stories of acclaimed writers such as Richard Ford, Tom Brokaw, Howell Raines, Rick Bass, Sydney Lea, Jim Harrison, Tom McGuane, Phil Caputo, and Chris Camuto come together in one collection. Hunters and non-hunters alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of owning dogs.

Fishing was Mark Hume’s passion since he was a young boy, a lifeline through a childhood marked by his family’s frequent moves. When he became a father, he knew he wanted to pass on his love of water, fishing, and the natural world to his daughters. Most of all, he wanted to give them hope for their future. As soon as they were old enough, Mark taught his girls how to read the water and see the patterns in nature. He discovered that fly fishing and fatherhood require many of the same skills: patience, flexibility, and the knowledge of when to reel in and when to let go.

The Fishing Life is an entertaining anthology of fishing anecdotes and well-researched articles from across Paul Schullery’s research and fishing career. The author offers up stories, essays, farces, daydreams, and ruminations that will engage listeners of all kinds. Of course, being a fisherman and living the fishing life goes beyond just those days spent with rod and reel in hand. It is something that occupies your mind and your heart, not just your hands.

Every summer for two decades, Ted Leeson and a maverick group of close companions have returned to an old ranch house on the bench-land overlooking the Madison River. Trout and fly fishing may be at the heart of their ritual return, but their experience goes far beyond the fishing. Leeson contemplates both the human and natural landscape brilliantly....