The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide [Paperback]

Tom Rosenbauer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Orvis | Publication Date: October 1, 1988

All the essential information for the beginning and intermediate fly fisher.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Conceived for novices, the Guide may be simple, but it's not simplistic. Filled with photographs and drawings and written in clear, direct prose, it's basic enough to demystify the ABC's of a complex sport and sophisticated enough to remain useful as a ready reference and constant refresher no matter what your angling skills. "The book," Rosenbauer admits up front, "is the bare bones of fly fishing; it does not set out to tell everything." The opening chapter answers the most important question for beginners: What is fly-fishing? "Fly casting," he explains, "makes it possible to deliver a relatively weightless lure or imitation of a living creature on target, using line weight to develop momentum. That's a fairly dry way of saying that, using a fly rod, you can catch fish with an artificial lure that can't be presented by any other method." Rosenbauer goes on to cover rods and line sizes, reels, leaders, casting technique, flies, fly selection, fish behavior, tactics, and accessories. He even provides an essential reading list. That's a lot, sure, but it's not everything, and that's the Guide's strength. It doesn't tie you up in knots (even if it does unravel the necessary knots you'll need to know to succeed). Instead, it works with basic principles, encouraging you to just get out there and cast your line--and lot--with enough confidence and skill to begin a relationship that should take you the rest of your life to really understand. --Jeff Silverman

From the Back Cover

Here is a complete, down-to-earth, and highly practical introduction to the exciting sport of fly fishing. All the important elements and types of fly fishing are presented: tackle selection, casting, presentation, flies and their special uses; successful techniques on stream, pond, or ocean; tackle, flies, and special methods of fishing for every major gamefish in fresh and saltwater, from bluegill to tarpon.Whether you want a complete basic "course" in fly fishing or simply to refresh yourself on special aspects of the sport, The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide will prove invaluable. As Silvio Calabi, Editor of Rod & Reel, has said: "This Guide may be the single most valuable item a novice angler can buy . . . and most of us would do well to reread the section on flies, fly selection and stream tactics every spring before pulling on our waders for the first time." (81/2 x 11, 256 pages, b&w photos, illustrations, diagrams, charts)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (October 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941130924
• ISBN-13: 978-0941130929
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for beginners., March 4, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide (Paperback)

Rosenbauer's text and the accompanying illustrations provide an excellent introduction to fly fishing. As a beginner, I found most of my questions answered. Also, I found the drawings of the techniques for tying different knots to be a godsend! (I was never a boy scout, and have trouble knotting my tie.) I was a little disappointed that the text had some typos and grammatical errors. However, it was interesting and very helpful nevertheless

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great How-to Book for Fly Fishing, April 14, 2006

By 

Reader from the North (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide (Paperback)

This is one of the best books for introducing anyone to the sport of fly fishing, whether the angler wants to shop for equipment at Orvis or Wal-Mart. The information is clearly explained without going into tedious details that novices (and experienced anglers) don't want. Everything is covered here--from rod types to fly lines to casting basics. The excellent graphics are helpful--especially of the knots. Some books have knot instructions that are impossible to follow--"knot" so here! For someone who wants to start fly fishing, this book would make a great start. My only complaint is that the book came out almost 20 years ago; it's time for a new edition. . . . I just read that there's a new edition coming out in a few months. Maybe you want to pre-order that edition. And while you're waiting for that, pick up the "L.L.Bean's Handbook to Fly-Fishing" (color illustrations) and Schreiber's novel, "Life on the Fly."

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and Easy to Read, June 25, 2004

By 

John F.X. Berns (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide (Paperback)

Tom Rosenbauer clearly and concisely covers the basics that a beginning fly fisher needs to know: from the basic gear to casting, to knots to reading trout streams, you will find he covers the basic questions beginners have well. Tom's writing style is fluid and enjoyable which makes learning all the more fun. It's the best book I have read on the basics of fly fishing; after reading it you will certainly feel like you have enough knowledge to get out there and start catching fish. As far as I am concerned, you cant go wrong with any book by Tom!