Header Illustration


Starting Smarter book cover

‘Starting Smarter – Fishing for Trout’

First Published 2004 by The Halcyon Press
ISBN 1-877256-38-2

Publisher’s Blurb

Starting Smarter – Trout Fishing is for the beginning trout fisherman and teaches all the skills necessary to become successful. Rather than repeat the same dreary platitudes that other instructional books have provided, Tony involves the reader and deals in an innovative and new way to explore the act of fishing from different perspectives with the one object of catching fish.

Tony Bishop has fished for over sixty years and written monthly fishing columns for over 12 years for the New Zealand Fisherman and the New Zealand Fishing News magazines.

Tony is the author of the highly successful, Fishing Smarter, Fishing Smarter for Trout, Tips and Tricks to Catch More Fish, and Starting Smarter – Fishing in Salt Water. His first saltwater fishing book ‘Fishing Smarter’ has been reprinted every year since it was first published in 1997 (now rewritten and released as ‘Fishing Even Smarter’).

Most of Tony’s articles and stories have a recurrent theme; an exploration of the many factors that determine the difference between success and failure to catch fish.

He has appeared on numerous fishing programs on television, and hosted radio programs.

Tony started fishing as a youngster around Christchurch, and then around the mouth of the Waimakariri River, where his family lived. In his late teens the family moved to Auckland and the rocks and beaches of Auckland and north Auckland became his fishing grounds, before heading out off-shore.

Despite working in the hectic world of marketing and sales management and helping to raise three sons, Tony managed to fit in plenty of fishing, both around New Zealand and overseas.

Finally opting out of the corporate rat-race – he opened, owned and operated one of New Zealand’s most well known tackle shops, Just Fishin‘, in Auckland, for ten years till 1998.


Viva wet fly


Article written by Tony Bishop


book image link to free bookBishfish Facebook siteBlogemail BishMaori Greenstone (NZ Jade) Hook Ornament

My first trout fishing book Fishing Smarter for Trout is now up on this site and free to read. Includes regular updates and new stuff.

Read More