Fly fishing in salt water dates back to the 1800s, but the sport's enormous popularity in recent years has inspired an explosion of new patterns from some of the most creative and gifted tiers in the world. This is a record of their contributions. This sumptuously illustrated reference documents more than 270 of the most effective and innovative patterns yet developed for salt water and profiles the men and women behind them. Each chapter is devoted to a tier and includes highlights of his or her fishing history, along with comments on the development of favourite patterns and advice on how to fish them. The patterns range from tiny crab imitations to giant streamers, from variations on classics to radical new creations. The range of techniques and materials, both synthetic and natural, seems limited only by the imagination, and the thirty-seven tiers here represent the elite of today's innovators.