Endorsements
By Organizations
The Spirituality of Fly Fishing has been endorsed by four organizations that use fly fishing as part of a mentoring or healing program: Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Casting for Recovery, Reel Recovery, and Joey’s Foundation. Proceeds from the book support both Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery. For a description of these and other similar organizations, go to “Organizations that use Fly Fishing as Therapy.” I would be glad to learn about other similar organizations that use fly fishing as a form of healing or therapy, so please use the “Comments” section to send me information about them, and thank you!
By Individuals
What People Are Saying About The Spirituality of Fly Fishing
“A perfect introduction not only to the mechanics of fly fishing but to the awareness of something beyond ourselves that many long for in today’s frenzied and often complex world."
- Rev. Dr. Michael Attas, coauthor of Fly Fishing: The Sacred Art – Casting a Fly as a Spiritual Practice
“. . . Priceless. Very well written and thought provoking.”
- Ralph Cutter, Director of the California School of Fly Fishing and author of Sierra Trout Guide
“Jody Martin’s book, The Spirituality of Fly Fishing, has explored spirituality as the element that connects all of us with the sport . . . I will certainly make his book “Required Reading” for all of the participants and volunteers of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.”
- Ed Nicholson, Founder and President, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.
“I cannot remember seeing anything similar in fly-fishing. Primer, inspirational and prompt for discussions, for individuals or groups: that’s new.”
- Seth Norman, book reviewer and Contributing Editor for Fly Rod & Reel and Associate Editor for California Fly Fisher
“I know the power and violence of the treetops shaking in a windstorm alongside a trout stream, but Jody knows far more than I do about Who makes them shake.”
- Dave Hughes, author of Trout Flies, Handbook of Hatches, Reading Trout Water, American Fly Tying Manual, and more than 20 other books on fly fishing and fly tying
“I really enjoyed reading this! The introduction is wonderful - easy/fun to read. In fact, I really like the tone of the whole book. Your writing style is perfect for a book like this – it’s reflective, yet 'light' enough to be casually read, flipped through, or returned to as a resource. I found all of your tips helpful and easy to understand, and all of the quotes inclusive and universal.”
- Whitney Milhoan, Executive Director of Casting for Recovery
“. . . a wonderful introduction for most beginning fly fishermen! It’s an easy read and will be great for a basic reference to refer back to in the pursuit for perfection in this great sport.”
- Joey Puettman, Founder and Director of Joey’s Foundation
“I think that this book will be helpful to anyone who enjoys the beauty of fly fishing and who might be searching for something bigger than just a technical manual.”
- Rev. Rob Douglas, Pastor of Lightshine Church, Thousand Oaks, California
“Dr. Jody Martin has a perspective I almost missed. Fly fishing is fun and a skill to be learned but it is more. There is a rhythm, a reaching out and drawing in that promotes meditation. I recommend his book to you and most of all the discovery of fly fishing as a means to get in touch with God's world and all within it.”
- Rev. John Burnett, former Pastor (retired), Westminster Presbyterian Church, Westlake Village, California
“Here is an important and interesting approach to learning, understanding and practicing fly fishing from the different point of view of spirituality. Jody Martin introduces the spirituality very gently and with finesse. He makes a very nice connection between what fly fishing means for most people and his sense of spirituality which will appeal to all fly fishers with and/or without a strong feel for spirituality.”
- Fanny Krieger, president of Golden West Women Fly Fishers and producer of the DVD Tomorrow's Fly Fishers, winner of the 2011 Kudo Award from Fly Rod & Reel magazine
“The Spirituality of Flyfishing . . . is both pragmatic and uplifting in its approach to fly fishing. Jody teaches you that fly fishing is an art, but he also demystifies the "aura" of complexity. The spirituality of the sport is experienced in the natural surroundings of God's beautiful world. Jody teaches us that fly fishing does not have to be difficult and can lead to a deeper connection to God through patience, quiet, and communion with nature.”
- Rick Chavez, co-owner and CPO of Vogue Prosthetic Orthotic Center, and past president of the California Orthotic and Prosthetic Association