Essence of Flycasting

by Mel Krieger, Albert Jules McClane (Foreword), Ben Blackwell (Photographer)

Essence of Flycasting [hardcover] Mel Krieger,Albert Jules McClane,Nelson Ishiyama,Ben Blackwell [Jan 01, 1987]… B000MCCEX2

Genres: Nonfiction

129 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Joe Wirht]

4.35

[Justin]

I'm reading one of Lefty Kreh's books on casting now, so it'll be interesting to compare. What I like so much about Krieger's is that he doesn't focus on precise mechanics (I feel like it's out of style now, but you still see writing that gets into the precise measurements, specific arm angles, etc.), but covers the "essence" (hence the title) of how a flycast works, primarily how the rod loads, what your loops need to do, etc.

The pictures are pretty useful here, b&w but very clear depictions of what Krieger's talking about.

There's a very small section on specialty casts. Nothing tricky here -- just stuff you'll actually need on the water (like the wiggle cast, etc.). This section's useful, but so brief that it feels a little tacked on. I'm not sure how I'd expand it, though, without getting into other entire areas.

[Andy]

The late Mel Krieger was one of our finest fly fishing educators. Though Krieger's seminal work, The Essence of Flycasting, which ostensibly focuses on casting, the essence of fly fishing, distilled to its core, is the cast.

It's a joy progressing through this book. Lucid text and high quality photographs. Most of the information presented in the text has been incorporated into the overall casting pedagogy vernacular since its publication in 1987. As Mel stated so well, the joy of casting is not the skills accumulated over a time, but the journey getting there.

[Jim]

An essential book for those wishing to learn flycasting skills. It's also very good for those of us who know how to cast a fly rod. I recommend it highly.

[Jonathan]

A great flycasting text!