We go fly fishing to catch fish, to experience the rush of adrenaline when a trout rises to the surface, grabs the fly, and the line goes taut. But the fly line is more than a way to connect human beings to fish. Each cast of the fly line connects us to nature, to others and to the Divine Presence.
In this unique exploration of fly fishing as a spiritual practice, a rabbi and an Episcopal priest illuminate what each step on a fly-fishing trip has to teach us about reflection, awe and wonder of the natural world, the benefits of solitude, the blessing of community and the search for the Divine. Tapping the wisdom in the Christian and Jewish traditions, they outline seven steps of a typical fly-fishing trip and the lessons found within:
* The Off-Season and Fly Tying: Anticipation and Preparation
* The Drive to the River: Unplugging from the World
* Wading into the Stream: Finding Our Place in Nature
* Fly Casting: Searching for God at the End of the Line
* Setting the Hook: Life and Death on the Stream
* The Drive Home: Contemplation and Reflection
* "It Was This Big": Sharing Our Stories
For people of all faiths and all levels of fly-fishing experience-- or none. Includes "Getting Started," guiding first-time anglers through the basics of fly rod and fishing gear, casting a fly, places to fly fish, and suggested readings and websites.
