Sprinkled in between the fly dressings and tying lessons are hundreds of illustrations drawn by longtime fishing guide Doug Stewart as well as personal stories and anecdotes. These are interesting and informative--each one containing an element of knowledge or instruction that will add to your fishing success. The book's purpose is to help you become a more complete angler, a better fly tier, and a more successful fly fisher. It covers all aspects of fly fishing: casting, proper equipment, tying flies, reading water, the feeding habits of fish, and the proper strategy for fishing a stretch of river. Also included in the book are traditional and historical flies along with a selection of Doug's favorite patterns. Dressings and instructions are also presented. Doug Stewart, a lifelong fly fisher, is also a fly-tying instructor and guide and a fly shop owner, and has written about fly-fishing for "The Oregon Sportsman "and Amato Publications. Doug spent many years teaching customers how to fly fish during the thirty-two years he owned Stewart's Fly Shop.

"I think I get more out of teaching someone, out of seeing them be successful or catch their first fish, than I do out of catching my own," Doug says. Classic/old school approach will be embraced by beginners and old pros Fly fishing statistics from Outdoor Industry Association tallied there are 18.2 million fly fishermen, 65% male, 35% female, 40% age 45+, 56% unmarried, 75% have $100,000 income. They took 87 million outings last year and most are from CA, WA, OR. Americans spent $4 billion on fishing in general last year. Fly fishing has a long history with was nature lovers and sportsmen: * The first book that refers to fly fishing was published in 1496 "The Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle." * The first fly fisherman is thought to be Roman Claudius Aelianus in the 2nd century. * In 1653, "Secrets of Angling" was included in Izaac Walton's "Compleat Angler.

" * The Japanese method of fly fishing, tenkara or "from heaven," was first mentioned in "Diary of Climbing Mount Tateyama" in 1878. Fishing flies for this method are thought to have first originated in Japan 430 years ago. * Ernest Hemingway helped to popularize fly fishing with "The Sun Also Rises." * Charles Orvis helped popularize fly fishing by designing and distributing fly rods and reels in 1874. (Information thanks to Wikipedia.).