Peter Kaminsky is an author and a contributor to the New York Times, Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. Greg Schwipps' work has appeared in a number of outdoor magazines. Dominic Garnett is an angling writer, blogger ([...].uk), photographer and guide whom Angling Times recently described as 'Fast becoming one of the most readable angling writers in the business... has that rare ability to convey the magic of the sport.'

Introduction 1

Part I: Before the Bite 7

Chapter 1: Getting Hooked on Fishing 9

Chapter 2: Gathering What You Need to Fish 21

Chapter 3: Finding and Evaluating Water for Fishing 35

Chapter 4: Putting a Face on the Fins: Common Freshwater Fish 53

Chapter 5: Familiarising Yourself with Common Sea Fish 69

Chapter 6: Staying Safe On (Or Near) the Water 83

Part II: Gearing Up Without Going Overboard 93

Chapter 7: Hot Rods and Cool Reels 95

Chapter 8: The Bottom Line on Line 117

Chapter 9: It's Terminal (Tackle): Hooks, Weights, Snaps, Swivels and Floats 133

Chapter 10: Going the Extra Mile: Boats, Gadgets and More 155

Part III: The End of Your Line: Enticing Fish with Bait, Lures and Flies 171

Chapter 11: Real Food for Real Fish: Using Bait 173

Chapter 12: It Only Looks Alive: Tricking Fish with Lures 199

Chapter 13: Fish Don't Fly, But Flies Catch Fish 217

Part IV: Now You're Fishing 233

Chapter 14: Tying Popular Fishing Knots and Rigs 235

Chapter 15: Choreographing Your Cast 269

Chapter 16: Exploring Different Fishing Techniques 287

Chapter 17: How to Hook, Fight, Land and Release Fish 303

Part V: After the Catch 321

Chapter 18: Photographing, Weighing and Preserving Fish for Posterity 323

Chapter 19: Biting Back: Storing, Cleaning and Cooking Fish 331

Part VI: The Part of Tens 343

Chapter 20: Ten Fishing Lessons You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way 345

Chapter 21: Ten Fishing Organisations You Should Know About 349

Chapter 22: Ten Great Fishing Reads 353

Index 357