The Orvis Quick-Start Guide to Fly-Fishing

Buy this book on a Wednesday, and you could be out catching fish on Saturday morning!

The Orvis Quick-Start Guide to Fly Fishing is the only book a first-time angler needs to go from zero to catching fish in no time at all. Many people believe that learning to fly-fish is very difficult, but the truth is that, with a little expert instruction, anyone can become a successful fly fisher in a matter of days. Phil Monahan’s just-the-basics approach will teach you what makes fly-fishing so special, exactly what tackle and gear you need for any given fishing situation, how to cast a fly rod, and fundamental fly-fishing techniques that catch fish. Everything is explained simply, clearly, and concisely without a lot of extraneous information, so you’ll have the knowledge and skills to go out on the water with confidence.
Important topics include:

• Tackle Selection—Making sure you have the right tools
• Casting—Including step-by-step photos featuring Orvis instructor Pete Kutzer
• Fish Biology and Behavior—Understand the species you're targeting
• Basic Entomology and Fly Selection—How to identify and imitate the bugs trout eat
• How to Read Water—Learn where fish live in rivers and lakes
• Fly Presentation—How to put all this knowledge together to catch fish
• Warmwater Fly Fishing—A whole chapter on how to catch bass and panfish

After four summers as a fly-fishing guide in Alaska and Montana, Phil Monahan spent two years working as an editor at Outdoor Life and a decade as editor-in-chief of American Angler. From 2010 to 2024, he wrote and edited the Orvis Fly Fishing blog, and is now editor-in-chief of MidCurrent.com. He continues to write feature articles for the traditional sporting press as well. Phil holds a BA in English from Columbia University, an MA in literature from the University of New Hampshire, and completed all but the dissertation for a PhD in English from Rutgers University. He lives in Sandgate, Vermont.