Book 5 in the Fennel's Journal series.

Fly Fishing celebrates the most graceful and artful form of angling, explaining what it means to be an angler – in the spirit of Izaak Walton – and how fly fishers differ from bait fishers. The sporting and aesthetic beauty of fly-fishing is described in my usual witty and contemplative style. As I say in the book: “Fly fishing is the ultimate form of angling; it gives us a reason to fish simply, travel lightly, and explore the wild places that replenish our soul. With a fly rod, we’re not casting to a fish; rather to a circle of dreams: ripples that spread into every aspect of our lives”.

Chapters

• Introduction – The appeal of fly fishing.
• A New Beginning – New home, new direction.
• Thinking Like a Fly Fisher – Inside the mind of a fly fisher.
• Living the Dream – Fennel savours the ideal.
• All Laid Out – Big fish, but not on demand.
• A New Fly Rod – For Burbot?
• A Very English Fly Fisher – What it means to fish at home.
• If Only Every Day Could Be Like This – Fennel rises late and considers a lazy day by the river.
• The Amwell Magna Fishery – One of Britain's most historic waters, once fished by Izaak Walton.
• Local Fishing – Fennel walks to, and fishes, his local river.
• Fishing, Far Away – Fennel receives news from a friend fishing in Iceland.
• A Duffer in May – An angling competition, of sorts.
• A Trout? From The Kidderminster? – Urban litter bugs.
• Trout from the Hills – Fennel dreams of his favourite mountain lakes.
• Trout at Two Thousand Feet – A weekend of 'fishing to survive'.
• Alone but not Lonely – Remembering Moc Morgan.
• The Net on Our Backs – What it means to be an angler.
• A Grilling for a Trout – Fennel risks a scolding for some impromptu fishing.
• Catch Returns – Few fish, but an excellent season.
• Looking Backwards, Going Forward – How we fish is a matter of choice.
• Grayling to Remember – Fennel finds fish in 'feeding humour'.
• Fingers and Fluff – Fly-tying, or die trying?
• The Four Rules of Angling – Always learning and discovering.

Publication details

• Published by Fennel’s Priory.
• First shared as handwritten letters in 2009
• Limited edition collectors' magazine published in 2012
• Abridged eBook published in 2013
• Extended version in hardback and eBook published in 2019

Book specification

• Dimensions: 216 x 140 x 16 mm (8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 in)
• Page count: 218 pages
• Language: English
• Copyright © Fennel Hudson 2009, 2019
• Hardback ISBN 978-1-909947-18-4

Favourite quote from Fly Fishing

“The deeper we travel into the natural world, and the greater the number of technological encumbrances we leave behind, the more likely we are to escape the fast-paced lifestyle and stresses of the 21st century. For some, angling enables a quest into the unknown, an adventure into the wild. For these fortunate folk, fly-fishing is escapism. Their hours by water serve as contemplation to enrich their souls, directing their quest inwards, towards their longed-for state of completeness."

Reader testimonials

“Outstanding writing! I read it, captivated, in one sitting.”

“A delightful, well-articulated, read. I strongly recommend it, especially to the contemplative, tradition-loving, bamboo fly rod devotees among us.”

“A very inspiring and rewarding read. I will try to tie the Sedgetastic fly. It looks tasty!”

“Brilliant writing. Fennel made me laugh out loud in bed. My wife was asking questions!”