The Fly and the Fish ─ Angling Instructions and Reminiscences

The classic book from a revered artist and fly-tying master.

An internationally renowned artist, John Atherton (19001952) was also a legend in the world of fly fishing. This lost classic, originally published in 1961, combines his evocative memoirs of Vermont fishing expeditions with practical directions for fly-tying. Atherton’s reminiscences and instructions are complemented by his exquisite sketches of tools and scenes from the angler’s life.

The author’s wife, artist Maxine Atherton, notes in her introduction that in addition to his skills as an accomplished artist and fine sportsman John Atherton was a romantic realist, whose exuberant outbursts of wonder over natural phenomena celebrated our planet’s everyday magic. Indeed, Atherton’s work was featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s 1943 exhibition of American Realists and Magic Realists. On a more practical note, Maxine Atherton adds that the Impressionistic fly patterns such as those featured in this book have worked wonders for her fishing, fooling trout in rivers throughout North America and Europe.

John Atherton first gained fame after moving from San Francisco to New York City to stake his claim as a commercial artist. Encouraged by a fellow artist, Atherton eventually moved away from the commercial art scene and became immersed in the realist approach to painting landscapes. Atherton would go on to win several prestigious awards during the Second World War for his patriotic artwork, at which point he went on to create covers for numerous publications, most notablyThe Saturday Evening Post. Along with his many works of art, Atherton became famous among the fly-fishing community for his beautiful fly patterns. He lived in Arlington, Vermont.