A striped bass tearing line off your reel as it streaks for the shoals might change your fishing habits forever. Then again, most fly-fishers will never experience such a thrill. The fact is, saltwater fly-fishing is intimidating to most freshwater anglers. In Fly Rodding the Coast, Ed Mitchell lays out the basics, and while his stomping grounds are primarily the northeast U.S., his instruction is useful for any coastal situation. A good portion of the book is about reading water; individual chapters cover tactics for beaches, rips, points, estuaries, and man-made structures. Mitchell also discusses saltwater fly patterns, weather conditions, and several species of Atlantic game fish popular with fly-fishers.