Author Dick Sternberg is uniquely qualified to write this book. During his days as a fisheries biologist, he fielded hundreds of questions from fishermen looking for reliable information on gamefish species. A common question was "Where can I buy a book with good pictures of fish?" At that time, most reference books on gamefish were either so technical that they were unreadable, or so basic that they provided little useful information. Most books were illustrated with sketches of fish, or black-and-white photos of preserved laboratory specimens. Rarely did books show fish in their natural habitat.

Combining his vast knowledge of biology and sportfishing with the very latest biological research, Sternberg has given fishermen everywhere just what they need - a beautiful, full-color reference guide filled with facts useful to fishermen everywhere. In addition to the essential biological information, you'll also find information on each fish's sporting qualities, the latest world-record catches, and even their eating quality at the dinner table.

Sternberg's vision and expertise are perfectly complemented by the art-quality color drawings and photographs. Most of the photos of fish in their natural environment are the work of Bill Lindner, one of North America's leading fish photographers. The detailed color illustrations were provided by premier wildlife artists Maynard Reece and Jon Wright.

A separate chapter presents each family of freshwater gamefish. Each section begins with an easy-to-use photo key that helps you identify different fish species on the basis of external features. The important distinguishing details are clearly shown in closeup color photos - not line drawings like those found in most reference books. You'll also learn how to recognize important subspecies, variants and hybrids, and how to distinguish between the sexes - both at spawning time and in normal conditions.

The difficult and expensive photography of so many species of fish in so many diverse locations is a one-time feat that is unlikely to ever be repeated. During a prodigious year-long odyssey, our film crews - armed with a vast collection of boats, motors, fishing tackle, lights, cameras and underwater diving equipment - visited dozens of remote locations across the continent, from the frigid salmon waters of Alaska to the warm bass waters of Florida. The resulting effort, Freshwater Gamefish of North America, is a rare accomplishment indeed - a book you'll be proud to own and display in your library.