These two authors are exceptionally well qualified to write a book on casting, both having certification from the Association of Professional Game Angling Instructors (APGAI) and Philip Maher additionally has certification as an FFF Master Casting Instructor. By the way, their certifications are for both double and single-handed rods.
I think a huge strength of this book is that despite being just 84 pages, it covers the full spectrum of casting – single and double-handed – with remarkable completeness. The authors have distilled out the absolute essentials for each of the casts they describe and to me the book's brevity is a blessing rather than a drawback. A further strength is the graphics. They are quite remarkable and convey what is said in the text with easy to follow, bullet-proof clarity. All the graphics are in colour and are not only extremely attractive, but cleverly, the text matches the graphics on the opposite page making for ease of understanding and for comfortable learning. Exactly the same can be said of the book’s many tables and diagrams.
The subjects covered go well beyond the dynamics that make up the standard cast and include sections on Spey casting, roll casts, hauling, reach mends, shooting line, drag free presentations and many specialised casts, such as the Belgian and Skagit casts. The authors have also included clever pieces on fly line management and the retrieve.
Too many ‘how-to-do-it’ fly fishing books fall down badly in my view when it comes to the writing. This book is an exception. The prose is lucid, error free and flows as well as any perfectly executed forward cast in a following wind. How I wish I had had a copy prior to my visit to the West Ranga River in Iceland in 2011, when I picked up a two handed rod for the first time and relied on the broken English of my guide to conquer the basics.
I think this is an essential book for beginners, but seasoned fly fishers will benefit from it as well, as will fly guides who can safely recommend it to their clients and students for its conciseness, clarity and comprehensiveness.
Published by Merlin and Unwin Books (2013) 85 pages, hardcover without a dust jacket.
ISBN 978 1906 122 492
Available from Craig Thom at NetBooks for R210. http://www.netbooks.co.za/Main.asp?D=%7BA79A1AEF-BF70-4020-B5DE-4A99E21BD7A5%7D&PageType=SearchResults
