The Orvis Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing » (First)

Nick Curcione pioneered many saltwater fly fishing advances through the 1980s and 1990s, particularly for fly casting in the surf. He has written for a number of fly fishing magazines, including Fly Fisherman and Fly Rod & Reel. He continues to fish across the country, spending most of his time in Southern California and Connecticut.

The gentle sport of fly fishing changes in saltwater. Plunging surf, rip currents, salt spray, double-hauls into an on-shore howler. Saltwater fish are bigger, stronger, and faster than their fresh-water cousins, and a few might consider you prey instead of the other way around. The gentle sport becomes the wild sport. One thing's for sure - this ain't no trout stream.

In this new and revised edition of his modern classic, Nick Curcione, a name that's almost synonymous with saltwater fly fishing, tells you how to catch saltwater fish. He'll show you casting, line control, presentation, fly patterns, rods and reels, lines and leaders - in short, everything you need to be successful. This thorough and practical book is your personal guide to angling in the salt.

Foreword     ix
Introduction     xi
The Fly-Tackle System     1
Fly Fishing as Distinct from Other Modes of Angling     1
Fly Lines     2
Balancing Your Tackle     8
Useful Knots for Saltwater Fly Fishing     9
Joining the Running Line to the Shooting Head     23
Backing     32
The Leader System     33
Fly Rods     41
Reels     42
Flies     43
Fly Casting     49
How Important Is Distance?     50
Basic Fly Casting     53
Beginning the Cast     54
The Forward Cast     57
Beyond Basic Casting     58
The Speed Cast     59
Casting Sinking Lines     61
Basic Fly-Fishing Techniques     63
Stripping and Striking     63
Two-Handed Stripping     64
Clearing and Controlling Your Line     66
Advantages of the Two-Handed Retrieve     67
Fish-Fighting Strategies     69
Controlling the First Run     69
Recovering Line     71
The Endgame     72
Coastal Fly Fishing     75
Surf Fishing     75
Finding Fish in the Surf     77
Understanding Tides and Reading the Beach     80
How Habitat Influences Fish-and Your Fishing     84
Auxiliary Gear for the Surf and Shallows     90
Bays and Harbors     93
Popular Inshore Species     96
Striped Bass     96
Bluefish     102
Weakfish and Spotted Seatrout     105
The Big Three of the Flats: Bonefish, Tarpon, and Permit     107
Bonefish     110
Tarpon     116
Permit     123
Other Gamefish Found On and Around the Flats     126
Redfish     126
The Great Barracuda     130
Snook     133
Sharks     135
West Coast Inshore Gamefish     137
Calico Bass     137
Bonito     139
Pacific Barracuda     145
Yellowtail     147
Baja Gamefish     149
Roosterfish     149
Cabrilla and Pargo     152
Jacks     154
Sierra     156
Offshore Fly Fishing     159
Reading the Signs of the Sea      160
Sharks     165
Tunas     176
Dorado     181
Wahoo     184
Billfish     188
Recommended Reading     197
Index     199
About the Author     209