The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life

David Coggins celebrates, reflects on, nerds out about, agonizes over, and fiercely defends the tradition of fly fishing. Coggins, 'a confirmed obsessive,' travels to one fishing paradise after another, including the great rivers of Patagonia, private chalk streams in England, remote ponds in Maine, and New York City’s Jamaica Bay. In each setting, he chronicles his fortunes and misfortunes with honesty and humor while meditating on how fishing teaches focus, inner stillness, and a connection to the natural world