Rosenbauer Writes the Bible on Small Stream Fly Fishing

May 11, 2011 By: Alex Cerveniak

Tom RosenbauerSaturday evening, nearly 40 people packed into the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont to watch a presentation by Tom Rosenbauer, who was promoting his newest book on fly fishing small streams. Rosenbauer, who has been with the Orvis Company for over 30 years, is currently the Marketing Director for Orvis Rod and Tackle. He is the host of the Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast, which according to its producer, James Hathaway, is currently the second most downloaded outdoor podcast on iTunes. He was named Fly Rod & Reel‘s 2011 Angler of the Year for among other things, “an unrivaled enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing.”

Rosenbauer’s new book, The Orvis Guide to Small Stream Fly Fishing, provides all the information you’ll need for finding and fishing unspoiled gems found everywhere from wilderness areas to suburban backyards. These often overlooked streams are abundant throughout the United States. New Jersey alone, the most industrialized state in the U.S.A., has over 150 small streams holding wild brook trout.

Tom has previously penned 10 books on various fly-fishing-related topics, but his latest may top them all. The hefty, 11.1 x 8.7 x 1.2-inch book is a fully illustrated guide to fly fishing small streams. It covers everything from how to find the best small streams, to how small-stream trout behave, to food sources, to fly selection and casting. Rosenbauer even unveils an improved bow-and-arrow cast he learned from Joe Humphries that is worth the price of the book alone. This book should probably be regarded as the bible of small stream fly fishing, as Rosenbauer has left no stone unturned in giving the reader a complete breakdown of all things pertinent to fly fishing small streams.