From Library Journal
Although these four books are loaded with information, their size (61/2 inches high) will cause problems on library shelves, and the conventional paper and binding leaves them vulnerable to water damage (they are designed to fit into a pocket and be taken along on fishing trips). Despite the flaws, the entire series is worth purchasing for libraries that circulate flyfishing books. The best of the guides is The Orvis Streamside Guide to Approach and Presentation, which discusses where to find trout and how to catch them. As with all of the guides, the photos and drawings are well selected and produced, and the book is well written and easy to understand. The Orvis Streamside Guide to Leaders, Knots, and Tippets, which covers an underappreciated area of an overanalyzed sport, is also useful, but The Orvis Streamside Guide to Trout Foods and Their Imitations is rather too general. However, it does contain some of the best insect photography available. Although it is probably easier to learn opera singing than fly casting from a book, The Orvis Streamside Guide to Fly Casting is no better or worse than the majority of other books on the topic. Overall, this set is a good value for fly fishers.DJeff Grossman, Milwaukee Area Tech. Coll.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the Back Cover
This crisp reference guide to fly casting features the Orvis Progressive Casting Method. It takes fly fishers from the grip and stance to such advanced casting techniques as double hauling, all in a complete yet compact book. Its handy size enables anglers to slip it into a vest pocket or carry it on a flats skiff or drift boat. This valuable resource cuts to the heart of what good fly casting is all about. The Orvis Progressive Method, tested by instructors at the famous Orvis Fly-Fishing School in Manchester, Vermont, is an excellent and handy guide to this crucial aspect of fly fishing. (41/4 X 61/2, 148 pages, color photos, diagrams)