Customer Reviews

The Definitive Guide to Fishing Central California

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm an angler from Southern California, but I spend each summer fishing the Sierras. This book had so much info on the regions that I fished that I was amazed. I was surprised at how many backcountry lakes there are and how easy it is to get to some of them. This book was very helpful.

I'm an avid outsdoorsman and consider myself to know a lot about fishing, hiking, and camping in the Central California region. After reading Shaffer's guide, I now realize how little I really know. This books talks of places I never knew existed and gives the secrets that every fisherman craves at their favorite spots. I am amazed at the in depth details and facts presented in the writing. Not to mention the fact that Shaffer actually traveled to every lake, river, and stream written about. How he managed that I have no clue. He even filled this thing with amazing full colore photos of every place. My hat goes off to Shaffer for the best guide I've ever used.

My dad is the kind of dad who has everything. I spent months and months looking for a Christmas present for him when i came across this book. He always talks about how he wishes he could go fishing more and this book was perfect for him because of all the different fishing spots it covers. It gave him ideas of all the different places to go that he has never been to before. I know he really liked the book, but i liked it too because of all the pictures.

This is the best California fishing book series available. There are also the Northern and Southern California editions. The best features of these books that makes them so valuble is the commentary and especially the pictures. So many times I have gone to a campsite or lake, only to be so disappointed to find a pond instead of a lake or a campsite with no scenic beauty. These books have pictures of each fishing site, so you have an excellent idea of what you are in for. There is nothing as disappointing as finding a site way below your expectations after driving for hours to get there. These books pretty much eliminate that scenario, especially since they also give you contact information so you can verify the fishing site is still intact, active and as you see it in the picture. Beautiful color pictures on EVERY page of the book. Outstanding.

Everyone I know that is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman loves this book as well as all the others written by Mr. Shaffer. Not only are the descriptions excellent, but the pictures give a clear indication of what you are going to see and experience at each locale. Without question, I would recommend this book to anyone I know and already have done so.

Even if you don't fish, this book will give you great advise on places to go for camping or family outings and how to get the most out of it. Directions to all sites included.

I don't bother to write many reviews online. Mostly because I never have a product that is good enough for me to take the time. However this one is different.

I've lived in the Central Valley for over 20 years, and I can tell you from experience there is no better book on this region. If your thinking about buying it -do it. It's worth every penny and you will never need any other books on fishing in Central California.

I'm thinking of getting Chris' other books on Northern and Southern California just so that I know I'm covered no matter where I go.

I love fishing and after reading this book I found a few places close to home that I did not even know about and so now I do not have to wait so long to head out to get a few fish for a meal or some enjoyment.
So if you're looking for places to go and a few how to tips when you get there this book will help you out in both areas. If his other books are any thing close to this one I am sure the whole state is covered very well and Yes Calif dose have some awesome trout fishing both planter and native. close to the city and as far back as any one would care to go wild lake or stream fishing its all up to you and what you want but California can offer it all.
My thanks to the Author for this book
Marty

I do not understand why I seem to be the only one bothered by the way this book is organized. I am so upset by it, I was tempted to give it one star. I had to remind myself that I actually quite enjoyed reading the individual descriptions for each river or lake, but I am literally disgusted by the way this book is put together. One word to describe it is thoughtless. I am not sure how to describe it to someone who has not seen the book, but I will try...

* No location maps -- come on! How hard is that to do? Instead there are stupid map outlines, where locations are marked in numbers against meaningless background;
* Essential information is divided between the summary table and the article. Want to quickly find a good place to fish for stocked trout, that has good scenery and is kids friendly within 4 hour drive from where you live? Keep on flipping. How hard was it to put all of it into the summary table?
* Some information is impossible to make sense of. If a place is Family Friendly but not Kids Friendly, does it essentially mean it is friendly to couples? And what is that supposed to mean? This is the first time I see this kind of differentiation.
* Illustrations are for the main part a waste of paper -- they should be giving you a sense of what it is like to fish at a particular location. There are hundreds of illustrations in this book and very few of them accomplish this goal. The worst are the once where all you see is the standard shot of some guy holding a fish he caught -- they all look the same. Besides many of the photos are of rather low quality.
* Cannot blame the author or the publisher, but all the stocking information is irrelevant now.

I feel like someone did not take their job seriously and slaughtered what could have been a really nice book.

I ordered this book for my husband and he seemed to enjoy it and passed it onto my brother-in-law who lives in the middle of Central California (we live on the boundry, I guess, of Central and Northern California).