Back in 1993, I was living in the Pacific Northwest and just starting to learn about the sport of fly-fishing.
For my birthday that year, a friend gave me Lefty Kreh's Advanced Fly-Fishing Techniques as a gift. For 22 years, the book sat on my shelf, untouched except when it traveled with me cross-country back to New York.
Recently, I was looking for something new to read and decided to free Kreh's book from its lonely, dusty spot. Surprisingly, It took me only a weekend to devour its 333 pages. Had I read this book back earlier -- say, two decades ago -- I'm 100% positive my life as a fisherman would have turned out differently. (Maybe I would've even avoided the nickname The Fishing Jinx.)
In the book, Kreh, who is perhaps the Babe Ruth of fly-fishing, lays out the steps necessary for anglers to take their noble pursuit of fish to the next level. He argues that throughout the world, only a small group of fishermen seem to have all the success.
"While they don't always catch a lot of fish, they rarely fail. And even when their catch is slight, other fisherman undoubtedly do worse. Some people would have you think that it's luck. But it's much more than that," Kreh writes.
Advanced Fly-Fishing Techniques may be pedantic but is nevertheless an honest effort to outline the steps necessary to become an expert angler, from understanding the gear of fly-fishing; to casting; to spotting fish; to hooking, fighting, landing and releasing fish; to knowing the most important knots; to even picking the right sunglasses and hats.
One of my favorite tips in the book comes in the chapter titled "Approach & Presentation," and focuses on the importance of shade for both anglers and fish. Kreh writes that anglers should stand in the shade when casting to fish because they will be less visible than if they were in bright sunlight. (In all the years I've been fishing, I never completely realized this.)
"Fish also seek shade," Kreh writes. "They have no eyelids, and bright sunlight must be hurtful to them, for they seem to avoid it when they can. Given a choice, almost all fish will rest, or even seek an ambush spot, in the shade. The shady side of a stream will produce more fish, if both sides are somewhat similar."
Wow! Had I fully understood just these concepts years ago when I began my chase of fish with a fly rod, there is no doubt I would have landed more fish than I did.
Lefty Kreh's Advanced Fly-Fishing Techniques is packed with hundreds more tips and insider secrets to help anglers of all ages become experts. It may have taken me more than 20 years to finally read this book, but I'm so glad I finally did. Not only will it bring me more pleasure from the sport, but it will also help me become a better all-around fisherman.