Today, the fresh waters of North America hold more gamefish than at any other time in history. Construction of thousands of reservoirs and millions of small ponds has turned desert and farmland into some of the most productve fishing waters on the continent. Modern fish management techniques have made it possible to enhance native fish populations and to introduce new species, such as sea-run salmon and striped bass, in freshwater lakes and reservoirs. The up-to-date range maps in this book show the many new fishing areas created by advanced stocking methods.

Despite the modern innovations in equipment, new fish species and millions of acres of new waters, many anglers are not broadening their fishing horizons. Instead, they continue to fish the same waters the same way they always have. And, if their favorite methods fail, the go home skunked. No wonder that surprisingly small percentage of fishermen catch the vast majority of fish.

This book is intended to help anglers break the one-species, one-method habit. It presents the provent techniques for catching the most popular gamefish in virtually every type of water in North America. It also focuses on fish behavior and habitat, two areas where even experienced anglers can benefit by expanding their knowledge.

These pages reflect the combined experience of expert fishermen, biologists, outdoor writers and underwater photographers. Whenever possible, color photographs tell the story.

Among the book's 460 pictures are dozens of above-water scenes of lakes and streams matched with below-water glimpses of fish in their natural habitat. High-altitude NASA photographs show the prominent features of lakes, rivers and reservoirs, while scanning electron microscope photos magnify fishing lines up to 400 times actual size. Life-size closeups feature proven lures for each gamefish. Multiple-exposure photos track the action of artificial lures. Hundreds of other photographs show the latest fishing equipment and techniques, along with step-by-step procedures for tying the most popular and successful fishing rigs.

Versatility, the underlying theme of this book, is the secret to becoming a better fisherman. Dozens of factors constantly influence where fish are found, what they eat and the mood they are in. An angler must be prepared to reach into his bag of tricks, come up with the technique best-suited to the conditions at hand, and have confidence in his angling strategy. Reading this book and studying its photographs is the first step toward developing this versatility. The rest is up to you