Casting Close to Home
Urban recreation often centers on activities that are easy to access and low in cost, such as walking trails, cycling routes, and public parks. Fly fishing is rarely considered part of that mix. The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing, published by Chelsea Green, focuses on that absence and makes the case for city waters as legitimate places to fish.
The book presents urban fly fishing as an accessible and practical pursuit. It documents how rivers, streams, canals, and lakes within city limits support viable fisheries and active angling communities. These waters, shaped by more than a century of development, form distinct ecosystems that require anglers to adapt their approach rather than rely on traditional assumptions about where fly fishing belongs.
Tom Rosenbauer situates the book as a resource for a wide range of anglers: “Whether you are totally new to fly fishing or a seasoned trout angler eager to give your fly rod a workout without the need to drive for hours, this book will be your complete guide.” The statement reflects the book’s dual focus on accessibility and experience level.
Rather than reinforcing perceptions of fly fishing as exclusive or elite, the guide outlines why fishing close to home works. It emphasizes proximity, affordability, existing public access, and the presence of established urban fishing communities. It also explains why fly fishing, in particular, is effective in urban environments, where altered waterways and diverse species reward observation and versatility.
The book functions as both an introduction and a reframing. New anglers are offered a starting point that does not depend on remote destinations, while experienced anglers are encouraged to reconsider overlooked city waters. Practical instruction is combined with firsthand perspectives from urban anglers in cities including Los Angeles, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, New York City, and Columbus.
The author, Marc Fryt, is a US Army veteran who began fly fishing during his military service as a helicopter pilot and operations officer. After leaving the Army and moving to Columbus, Ohio, he was introduced to urban fly fishing through local anglers and mentors. He is now an urban fly-fishing guide in Spokane, Washington, the state’s second-largest city. Fryt brings professional experience as a writer and photographer, with work published in The Drake, Flyfish Journal, Backcountry Journal, Fly Culture, Covers, Project Upland, Kayak Angler, and American Fly Fishing. For this book, he gathered perspectives from urban anglers across multiple cities, consulted experts in several fields, and conducted research using scientific studies and textbooks.
The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing goes on sale April 28, 2026.
