The History of Fly Fishing in Fifty Flies recounts the history of a sport that dates back two thousand years, focusing on milestone flies from the first feathered hook to contemporary patterns using cutting edge materials.

From the many thousands of fly patterns developed over the centuries (there are more than 1,700 salmon fly patterns alone) these fifty have been chosen to represent the development not only of the flies themselves but also of fly fishing techniques-and of rods, lines, and reels. These iconic flies also chart the spread of this addictive sport from its modern origins on the chalk streams of southern England and the rivers of Scotland to the US, Europe, South America and the Antipodes, and now to every country in the world.

Once limited to trout and salmon, fly-fishing techniques today are used to catch every fish species from minnows to marlin, in rivers, lakes and oceans from the Amazon to the Arctic. Filled with profiles of the key characters, tying tips, photographs and illustrations of the flies, and detailed explanations of the techniques used to fish them, The History of Fly Fishing in Fifty Flies charts the exponential growth and diversification of this fascinating sport.