From the bestselling author of Saban, 4th and Goal, and Sowbelly comes the thrilling, untold story of the quest for the world record tarpon on a fly rod—a tale that reveals as much about Man as it does about the fish. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, something unique happened in the quiet little town on the west coast of Florida known as Homosassa. The best fly anglers in the world—Lefty Kreh, Stu Apte, Ted Williams, Tom Evans, Billy Pate and others—all gathered together to chase the same Holy Grail: The world record for the world’s most glamorous and sought-after fly rod species, the tarpon. The anglers would meet each morning for breakfast. They would compete out on the water during the day, eat dinner together at night, socialize and party. Some harder than others. The world record fell nearly every year. But records weren’t the only things that were broken. Hooks, lines, rods, reels, hearts and marriages didn’t survive, either. The egos involved made the atmosphere electric. The difficulty of the quest made it legitimate. The drugs and romantic entaglements that were swept in with the tide would finally make it all veer out of control. It was a confluence of people and place that had never happened before in the world of fishing and will never happen again. It was a collision of the top anglers and the top species of fish which would lead to smashed lives for nearly all involved, man and fish alike. In Lords of the Fly, Burke, an obsessed tarpon fly angler himself, delves into this incredible moment. He examines the growing popularity of the tarpon, an amazing fish has been around for 50 million years, can live to 80 years old and can grow to 300 pounds in weight. It is a massive, leaping, bullet train of a fish. When hooked in shallow water, it produces “immediate unreality,” as the late poet and tarpon obsessive, Richard Brautigan, once described it. Burke also chronicles the heartbreaking destruction that exists as a result—brought on by greed, environmental degradation and the shenanigans of a notorious Miami gangster—and how all of it has shaped our contemporary fishery. Filled with larger-than-life characters and vivid prose, Lords of the Fly is not only a must read for anglers of all stripes, but also for those interested in the desperate yearning of the human condition.

Of Wind and Tides is a delightful autobiography of one of the world's true fishing legends. Starting from the 1930s to the 1940s, childhood to the next decade, this books depicts Naval service and Pan Am duties that took Stu Apte to the exotic places where he honed his fishing skills. The book continues through the years of Apte's life with a variety of chapters on fishing with some of the sporting world's greatest celebrities, hosting star-studded fishing trips, and other lively adventures. This book is sure to entice the fishing world - from beginners to veterans.

From Pensacola to Jacksonville to the Everglades, fishing by paddle craft in the Sunshine State offers seemingly endless journeys. Whether in the cypress dugouts of the Calusa, Dimock's wood-and-canvas tarpon fishing canoe or modern fiberglass and plastic, humans have been paddle fishing in Florida for thousands of years. Sprinkling colorful history throughout, author John Kumiski highlights the state's best paddle fishing destinations, both freshwater and saltwater, including the bass of Farm 13, the redfish and trout along the Big Bend Paddling Trail and the snook and tarpon of the Everglades. Learn the locales and what to do when you get there, including launch points, shuttles, rentals, tackle, techniques and more.

My Life in Fishing is more than a collection of engaging stories and fly fishing pointers; it is a glimpse of the development and evolution of the sport, and of saltwater fly fishing at its highest level, through the eyes and anecdotes of the only man who can tell the stories.

As one of the most lauded fishing destinations in the United States, boasting world records on varieties of fish, Florida has proven irresistible to the world’s top anglers for more than 100 years. Florida’s Fishing Legends and Pioneers systematically chronicles the exploits of the most influential men and women of the sport throughout the state. Chosen by Doug Kelly for their contributions to the techniques, equipment, and strategies of fishing--and often radiating colorful personalities--these "hall of fame" legends and pioneers have helped preserve the Sunshine State as a top fishing destination that currently draws nearly five million anglers to its bountiful waters each year. Interviews with such current angling luminaries as Lefty Kreh, Stu Apte, Mark Sosin, Joan Salvato Wulff, Roland Martin, Guy Harvey, Al Pflueger Jr., and a number of other renowned figures are found throughout the book. Organized chronologically, this intelligent and captivating book provides readers a greater and more accurate perspective on how recreational fishing in Florida evolved over more than a century. It also features rare historical information and photographs from past decades. Florida’s Fishing Legends and Pioneers is for everyone, from novice to master, who loves fishing!

Explore the Wonders... Face the Reality The medical definition of INSULT is: to cause some kind of physical or mental injury. Through the eyes of this psychiatrist and his raw, existential passion for the planet, a web of insult is untangled to expose environmental degradation we face today, and its impact on the human spirit. For over fifty years Dr.Weinstock has lived in the Florida Keys fishing the Atlantic and the Gulf waters off of Key West. A prize-winning angler, he shares exciting stories of the past in this sport-fishing mecca. You’ll feel the humidity as he fights the Permit on Boca Chica beach, hear the screeching of the terns while bonefishing on Marvin Key. Through twist and turns, and stories of the mind, the author demonstrates the healing power of nature. Hundreds colorful photos display the glorious diversity of fish, and natural beauty from Key West to Alaska, exploring the uplifting and the dismal view. At the helm are many years of research that uncover abuses of nature in the Florida Keys as a metaphor for global environmental tragedies.

FIELD & STREAM, America’s largest outdoor sports magazine, celebrates the outdoor experience with great stories, compelling photography, and sound advice while honoring the traditions hunters and fishermen have passed down for generations.

With the growing popularity of salt water fly-fishing today, we easily forget that this sport was only begun in the 1930s-1950s. Brooks was one of the earliest pioneers of salt water techniques and salt water flies—both of which still catch fish today. His book, originally published in 1950, remains one of the best overall guides to the sport.