Don't Let the Big One Get Away "Ken Schultz's Essentials of Fishing" is the new authority on the sport you love, whether you're an expert or a beginner. Organized by topic, this information-packed reference offers fast and easy access to all of the fishing facts, instructions, and tips you need to get more bites, land more big ones, and have a lot more fun every time you dip a line in the water. Whether you're heading for a trout stream, the Gulf Stream, or points in between, you'll find everything you need to know about the fish species you'll be hunting, the fishing rods, tackle, and other gear you should pack, and the basic skills and advanced techniques that will boost your chances of success. You'll discover the latest advances in conventional, spinning, and fly rods and reels, and you'll learn the essentials of knot tying, hook sharpening, and more. Schultz helps you perfect your flycasting, surfcasting, flipping, and pitching skills, and he shows you how to figure out where the fish are in streams, lakes, bays, and even the ocean. You'll also learn a variety of retrieval methods, find tips on playing and landing fish, and get advice on measuring, weighing, storing, and cleaning your catch. Whether you prefer wading in a rushing brook or fording pounding surf, casting from a jetty or trolling from a boat, chumming in freshwater or drifting in saltwater, you'll find completely up-to-date information on species and tactics, special techniques, preferred rigs, lures, and bait, picking your spot, angling etiquette, and safety. You'll learn how to approach schooling fish, angle in brush and timber, night fish, ice fish, and much more. More than 450 exquisite drawings illustrate everything from mending fly fishing line to fishing around buoys and tuning lures, while more than fifty full-color photos depict some of the most exciting and satisfying moments in fishing.