The Fly and the Fish

The classic book from a revered artist and fly-tying master.

An internationally renowned artist, John Atherton (1900–1952) was also a legend in the world of fly fishing. This lost classic, originally published in 1961, combines his evocative memoirs of Vermont fishing expeditions with practical directions for fly-tying. Atherton’s reminiscences and instructions are complemented by his exquisite sketches of tools and scenes from the angler’s life.

The author’s wife, artist Maxine Atherton, notes in her introduction that in addition to his skills as an accomplished artist and fine sportsman John Atherton was a romantic realist, whose exuberant outbursts of wonder over natural phenomena celebrated our planet’s everyday magic. Indeed, Atherton’s work was featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s 1943 exhibition of American Realists and Magic Realists. On a more practical note, Maxine Atherton adds that the Impressionistic fly patterns such as those featured in this book have worked wonders for her fishing, fooling trout in rivers throughout North America and Europe.

Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for fishermen. Our books for anglers include titles that focus on fly fishing, bait fishing, fly-casting, spin casting, deep sea fishing, and surf fishing. Our books offer both practical advice on tackle, techniques, knots, and more, as well as lyrical prose on fishing for bass, trout, salmon, crappie, baitfish, catfish, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.