Fifty More Places To Fly Fish Before You Die

Fifty More Places to Fly Fish Before You Die is the latest offering in the bestselling Fifty Places series. Chris Santella’s first book, Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, has more than 100,000 copies in print, and Santella—now a regular fly-fishing contributor to the New York Times and many angling periodicals—has finally returned to the subject that started it all. Santella profiles 50 more first-class fly-fishing destinations around the world, as shared by top fishing-expedition leaders and journalists. This volume includes many of fly fishing’s “next big things”: fishing in San Diego for mako sharks; sight-casting in Bolivia for golden dorado; flats-style striper fishing in Maine’s Casco Bay; nocturnal sea trout angling in Wales; and fishing for giant mahseer in the Himalayan foothills of India. Gorgeous photography showcases the beauty of these destinations, and the “If You Go” section enables readers to embark on the fishing trips themselves.

Amateur or expert, every angler dreams of landing the big one, but that's only part of the appeal of fly fishing. Because even when hours pass without a bite, nothing beats the rugged beauty of the surroundings. For both armchair travelers and avid outdoorsmen who may have already started a checklist of their own, Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die maps out the meccas of the fly-fishing world. Through in-depth interviews with the sport's acknowledged gurus, author Chris Santella goes beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. Readers can vicariously cast mouse pattners to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana's Armstrong's Spring Creek. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (tarpon), the Zhupanova River, Kamchatka (rainbow trout), and the Rio Negro, Brazil (peacock bass) are also included. The essays include a cultural and natural history of each site, along with colorful anecdotes based on the author's and authorities' experiences. With breath-takingly-beautiful photos of the spots, many by celebrated fly-fishing photographer R. Valentine Atkinson, the book also provides adventurous anglers with enough travel-and-tackle information so that they, too, can start planning excursions to go fish around the globe.

Championship racers and professional adventurers disclose their favorite destinations in an inspiring volume of stories, travel tips, and photos. Featuring some of the best-known men and women in the sport—Tom Whidden and Gary Jobson (members of the winning 1987 America’s Cup crew), Jeff Johnstone (of J-Boats), award-winning sailing writer Lin Pardey, and many others—this is a unique full-color celebration for sailors to relive their greatest memories or plan their next big adventure. The amazingly diverse places they’ve selected include: Australia: Fremantle and Sydney Bermuda: St. George’s Harbor Brazil: Bay of Ilha Grande California: Channel Islands and San Francisco Bay Chile: Cape Horn Italy: Costa Smeralda, Sardinia Maine: Boothbay Harbor, Penobscot Bay, Southwest Harbor Florida: Biscayne Bay and Key West Scotland: Firth of Clyde South Africa: Cape Town…and dozens more For each place, the sailor recommending the venue spins an entertaining yarn about their experience there, and each description is accompanied by a “make you want to go there now” photograph. From the relative indolence of cruising the Dodecanese or the British Virgin Islands, to the white-knuckle adventure of rounding Cape Horn, to the thrill of partaking in the regatta off Newport, Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die captures the rich and varied world of recreational sailing—and may just inspire you to set sail on some new adventures of your own.

A breathtaking guide to fifty of the world’s greatest locations to hike, as selected by the experts who have been there. Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die is the latest offering in the bestselling Fifty Places series. Chris Santella, along with top expedition leaders, explores the world’s greatest walking adventures. Some, such as the Lunana Snowman Trek in Bhutan and the Kangshung Valley Trek in Tibet, are grueling multiweek adventures at high altitudes. Others, such as Japan’s Nakesando Trail, move leisurely from village to village, allowing walkers to immerse themselves in the local culture. Whether it’s climbing the Rwandan mountains to view mountain gorillas or strolling through bistros along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, there’s a memorable hike at everyone’s level within these 50 chapters. With commentaries from expert trekkers and insider tips that lead the reader off the beaten path, Santella has again captured the special characteristics that make these must-visit destinations.

This will not be a book that will attempt to simply detail courses where major championships have been played, but courses whose architecture, noteworthy holes, location, and ambiance make them must play venues for passionate golfers. It includes Royal County Down (Ireland), Pebble Beach (California), Bandon Dunes (Oregon), Cape Kidnappers (New Zealand), and the National Golf Links of America (New York). Each chapter will be linked to a golf guru or celebrity personality; the featured course will be presented as the individual's recommendation for one of their favorite courses in the world. The expert golfers will include Peter Jacobsen (pro golfer), Pete Dye (famous golf course architect), Brian McCallen (former travel editor of Golf magazine and author of Top 100 Courses You Can Play), Christie Kerr (pro golfer), and Donald Trump. There will also be a foreword by golf pro Mark O'Meara. Chapter contents will include interviews from the recommending personality, a brief bio, a history of the course, an experiential account with as much local colour as possible, and some if you go information. This will be the perfect gift for avid golfers and armchair travellers alike.

SCUBA in Cuba? Find seashells in the Seychelles? Discover the must-dive destinations recommended by the experts—includes beautiful underwater photos. The earth’s oceans hold many wondrous surprises—be they the small, colorful critters off the coast of Papua New Guinea, opportunistic red demon squids in the Sea of Cortes, or naval wrecks in the lagoon of Bikini Atoll. In Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die, Chris Santella has invited diving experts from around the world to share some of their favorite destinations, so ardent divers can experience these underwater wonders for themselves—either on location in their SCUBA gear, or at home in their armchair. Part of the bestselling Fifty Places series, the book takes divers from hot-spot destinations like Raja Ampat (off the coast of West Guinea) to old Caribbean favorites like Grand Cayman. Swim among whale sharks off Myanmar, befriend wolf eels off the coast of Maine, and marvel at the giant mola mola of Lembognan, Indonesia. These wonderful creatures—plus the brilliant coral reefs that often provide their backdrop—are captured in forty gorgeous color photos from the world’s greatest underwater photographers. And for those who want to travel to these breathtaking locales, Santella provides complete “If You Go” suggestions to help you plan your trip.

A beautiful guide to fifty of the world’s best places to ride a bicycle, as chosen by expert cyclists who have been there. Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die is the ninth addition to the bestselling Fifty Places series by Chris Santella. Biking has grown increasingly popular in recent years, as both a leisure and an extreme exercise activity, and Santella covers trips for cyclists of every level. Fifty Places to Bike covers environments as varied as the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, the Indochina Trail in Vietnam, and the urban jungle of New York City. With a healthy mix of international and national locations, the 50 chapters capture the breathtaking vistas cyclists will enjoy around the world. As always, the places are brought to life with more than 40 stunning color photographs. Praise for Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die “OMG views, killer hills and open road—the routes in Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die (in bookstores this month) have everything a pedal pusher could ask for.” —Fitness magazine “If you know someone who can’t view a landscape without visualizing themselves traversing it on two wheels, Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die is a sound gift choice.” —The San Francisco Chronicle “Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die gets adventurous cyclists going in the right direction.” —The Boston Globe “50 chapters capture breathtaking cycling trails around the world.” —Metrosource magazine

A look at the development of the sport over the past six centuries. Once limited to trout and salmon, today fly-fishing techniques are used to catch every fish species from minnows to marlin in rivers, lakes and oceans from the Amazon to the Arctic. From the many thousands of fly patterns developed over the centuries, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies focuses on fifty iconic flies chosen to represent the evolution not only of fishing flies and fly tying but also the sport itself. Filled with illustrations and photographs of the flies (the fifty are just the starting point—more than 200 flies are mentioned or shown in the book), as well as profiles of key characters, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies charts the growth and diversification of this fascinating sport from the fifteenth century to the present day and its spread from Britain, Europe and Japan to North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, and now to every country in the world. The evolution of fly-fishing tackle—rods, reels, lines and hooks—is also covered in a series of essays spread throughout the book. Praise for The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies “A delightful ramble along the stream of fishing history.” —Star Tribune “This glorious book of lures will get you itching for a new toy, a new boat, a new rod—anything to experience the relaxation of this old hobby.” —Foreword Reviews