New Book on Fly Fishing in the Smokies
.Jim Casada's Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: An Insider's Guide to A Pursuit of Passion
A new book is out on fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains. My interest was piqued when I heard the author was Jim Casada, the well-known Southern author, editor and outdoorsman. I’ve enjoyed several of the projects Mr. Casada has worked on, most of them related in some way to the Smokies or Southern Highlands. I just can’t get enough of the Smokies, and no matter how much I love the West, the streams of Southern Appalachia will always be my home water. Although I already own just about every book that speaks to the fishing up there, I had asked Jacqulyn to get me this one for my upcoming birthday even before Jim emailed yesterday. I enjoyed a short conversation with him (very short – yesterday was a mess at work…), and he sent me a press release for the new book which you’ll find quoted below. I haven’t read the book yet, but based on my previous experiences with Mr. Casada’s work, I believe you’ll find it worth every penny. At first glance, it looks to be much more than just your simple destination guide. Jim Casada possesses an impressive knowledge, not just of the fishing, but of the history, ecology and culture of the Smokies, and he has included more than a little taste of these in the book. Can’t wait to get mine…
Award-winning outdoor writer Jim Casada, a native of the Great Smokies who has written or edited more than 40 books, has just published what he describes as “my book of a lifetime.” The work, Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: An Insider’s Guide to a Pursuit of Passion, appears as the nation’s most popular park celebrates its 75th anniversary. Its 448 pages feature separate chapters covering every major stream in the Park, and feeder creeks are covered as well. The book also incorporates a great deal of natural and human history into these chapters, looks at tactics and techniques, visits “Seasons of the Smokies,” discusses equipment, and addresses safety issues of concern to the angler.
Other features include dozens of graphs which show changes in stream elevation in comparison with length. These graphs (there is one for all the Park’s major creeks and rivers) also show waypoints of note along streams such as backcountry campsites, trail crossings, and feeder creeks. There are scores of photos, including many of historical significance as well as modern color ones; graphs showing monthly variations in temperature and precipitation; information on guides and outfitters; a removable folding map of trails and backcountry campsites; and an extensive annotated bibliography.
“My intention,” says Casada, “was to provide fisherman, whether newcomers to these storied streams or veterans who have fished them for years, with a truly comprehensive guide to the hundreds of miles of trout-holding water found within Park boundaries in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Park provides the finest fishing for wild trout east of the Rockies, and it has provided me an incredible measure of pleasure over all but the earliest years of my life.”The work has drawn extensive pre-publication praise. Nationally renowned fly-fishing author Nick Lyons, who wrote a Foreword to the book, says: “This is a book anyone who knows or plans to visit the Smokies will cherish, but also a book that anyone who takes pleasure in fine writing about the outdoor world and especially fly fishing will admire greatly. I do.” Sam Venable, a long-time student of the Smokies and columnist for the Knoxville News-Sentinel, comments that “a detailed how-to book like this can only come from someone who has ‘been there, done that’ and knows how to put those experiences on paper. If your passion is trout of the Southern highlands, this book will prove as indispensable as a favorite rod and wading boots.”
Guides and outfitters have also been enthusiastic about the work. Bryson City, N. C.’s Steve Claxton says that “along with significant information for the inquisitive angler, Jim Casada offers an abundance of historical material on Park streams. The book is full of details on streams, the heritage of the highlands, and insight on the legendary figures who waded these beloved streams.” Byron Begley, the owner of Little River Outfitters in Townsend, TN, says: “I am fascinated by this book and will be from now on. This is the complete book about fly fishing in the Smokies. It is obvious that Jim Casada knows more about Park streams, the area’s history and heritage, and our sport than anyone I know. It is a masterpiece.”
The book is available both as a softbound paperback and a hardback with a dust jacket. These sell for $24.95 and $37.50 respectively, with postage and handling being $5. Signed and inscribed copies of the book are available from Jim Casada, 1250 Yorkdale Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29730; through www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com; or by calling 803-329-4354.
Take care,
Nathan
Tags: books, fly fishing, Jim Casada, Smoky Mountains