'To be a moderately successful wielder of the rod may be looked upon as a very desirable accomplishment, nay, more, a laudable ambition; but, beyond mere skill in casting a fly and killing and landing a fish, a little rudimentary knowledge of the truly scientific and, consequently, most attractive part of the art is essential in order to attain proficiency.' 'Rodsters' everywhere will welcome the reappearance of David Forster's classic work on the art and science of fishing, with its wealth of detailed piscatorial knowledge and its exhaustive information and guidance in practical matters, from how to make one's own tackle and flies to how and when to catch which fish where. Writing in 1885, Forster tells us that, while the 'angler's skill has advanced wondrously' since the time of Izaak Walton, 'keenness of perception and wariness have developed among the denizens of the liquid element in a degree quite proportionate'. However, armed with this volume, as readable and relevant today as any contemporary manual, 'let there be clear water, clear weather and clear scope for observation' and any enthusiast may pit his or her 'superior intelligence against the animal instincts of the brute creation'.
