This book grew from the author's desire to consolidate the many teachings that he uses in his popular fly-fishing classes. It is a textbook that includes concise and selective commentary on tackle, casting, tactics, flies and fly tying, and other related topics. The word "companion" derives from “one with whom we share our bread.” After more than fifty years of fly fishing, the author would like to sit at the streamside and share these observations with readers. Here is the knowledge and understanding that he wished he had when he began fly fishing.
While the handmade steel hooks, horsehair lines, and carefully crafted wooden loop-rods have long given way to nylon and fluorocarbon leaders, multipiece graphite rods, and synthetic lines, the fundamentals of the craft have remained basically the same. In The Fly-Fisher’s Companion, the author carefully goes through all the basics, all within the context of modern fly-fishing situations.
This companion may serve as a foundation or a supplement for fly-fishing instruction. It may also be a reminder or reference for the more experienced angler. As a retired educator, the author recognizes that instructors present material in different ways. Instructors may wish to select only those topics that fit their syllabus while omitting others. Over the years, these instructions and commentary have produced a host of competent fly fishers. We all learn by image, word, and action. Since the sepia days of Walton and Cotton, fly fishing has been an enthralling sport. And, as this companion hopefully makes clear, there is more to fishing than fish. There is an infinite amount of pleasure in learning a skill and doing it well.

Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for fishermen. Our books for anglers include titles that focus on fly fishing, bait fishing, fly-casting, spin casting, deep sea fishing, and surf fishing. Our books offer both practical advice on tackle, techniques, knots, and more, as well as lyrical prose on fishing for bass, trout, salmon, crappie, baitfish, catfish, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Darrel Martin:
Darrel Martin is a professor of Old and Middle English and is an avid fly fisher as well. He resides in Tacoma, Washington.