A lyrical tribute and practical guide to the art and philosophy of fly fishing, with funny and thoughtful commentary on its practices, customs, and lifestyle-by an expert and life-long fisherman.
What if you could escape the stress of everyday life, unplug, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being outside, standing near a beautiful stream, the only sound being the moment the fish rises to skim atop the water? Now, in The Optimist you can not only experience fly fishing firsthand but also revel in the landscapes, local knowledge, and the incredible settings that are the backdrop, and often, the foreground of fly fishing. In lyrical yet concise prose, author David Coggins shares eccentric traditions and their specific locales-from remote Canada, the South Carolina flats, the great rivers of Patagonia-to landing in a float plane on a remote pond in northern Maine or chasing striped bass in New York City's Jamaica Bay. Along the way, he shares...