The Pleasure of His Company

The Fishing Diaries of Jack Shaw

978-0-9811148-0-4 · Hardcover · 8.5" x 11" · 232 pp

Compiled by Ralph Shaw – Edited by Robert H Jones – Illustrated by Larry E. Stefanyk

$39.95 Buy It Now!

In his lifetime, internationally-known fly fisherman Jack Shaw changes the face of fly fishing in British Columbia, he authored two best selling books on fly fishing and inspiration fly fisherman around the world.

Readers will learn intimate details about Jack's fishing experiences through his personal diaries, which span 19 years. Readers will find out how Jack discovered the secrets of making the imitator fly patterns which he is famous for he, shares his fishing secret fishing tips and personal observation and his diaries are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the sport of fly fishing.

About three years ago Ralph embarked on a journey to write a book based on the Jack diaries who was his friend and teacher. Little did he realize what he was stepping into when he took on this monster task.

He started the project with funding from the BC Fly Fishing Federation, Doug Robertson, Dorothy Shaw, and fly fishing clubs and members. When Ralph had them transcribed the diaries he had staggering 322,000 words, thousands of 35m/m slides, additional stories, letters and fly fishing patterns.

With Bob Jones professional editing, and a great deal of deleting by Ralph, he reduced the treasure of material to a book he is pleased and more than a little proud of. Ralph thinks that he has captured much of the magic of the conversion of the attractor patterns of the Bill Nation era to the transition period of imitation patterns by Jack Shaw and many of his pioneer colleagues such as Barney Rushton, John Dexhiemer, Hebe Smith, Cyril Pinchbeck, and many others who fished with this group. They were pioneers in a new method of fly-fishing. The diaries tell of successes and failures but throughout the years they reveal the wisdom of this talented man and his colleagues.

Ralph self publishing this book., because he felt the work is special, he printed a limited edition of 150 copies at a cost of $135.00 each The limited edition, numbered; signed by himself, Larry Stefanyk with a copy of Bob Jones signature who sadly passed away this summer before publication. The limited edition is leather bound, hardcover, in a card board shipping case, with a copy of Jack's famous black and gold chironomid with a red tail displayed in the front cover. The limited edition has been fully subscribed. The profits from the sales of the limited editions are being used to subsidize the cost of printing the regular first edition.

The book has seventy watercolour painting of flies hand done by Larry Stefanyk, plus over 130 photographs of flies, fisherman, and scenery, most of which were taken by Jack Shaw. Ralph believes this special book on fly fishing development, history and fly fishing that will make a great present for any fly fisher. The book is printed on environmentally sensitive green paper.

This book is conservation project with all proceeds going to McQueen Lake Environmental Centre in Kamloops and the Freshwater Fisheries of BC, to assist in teaching children about the environment and how to fish.

$39.95

Sorry. NO US or International orders available. Shipping only in Canada.

Distribution on British Columbia
The Friends of McQueen Lake: McQueen Lake Environmental Education Centre
245 Kitchener Crescent
Kamloops, BC V2B 1B9
250–376–2266

Distribution on Vancouver Island:
Island Fisherman Magazine
Larry E. Stefanyk
610 Azalea Place
250-923-0939
Email ifmm@telus.net

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