# Andy Mill's "A Passion for Tarpon"



## Guest (Feb 28, 2019)

If any of you have ever seen tarpon expert Andy Mill's book, "A Passion For Tarpon", you know it's a "must have" for your fishing bookshelf. I first saw a copy at El Pescador in Belize and wanted a copy ever since. 

Looking online, at sites such as Amazon, quickly changed my mind as prices run the gamut from about $700 to over $1,200. Oddly enough, the book is not out of print as many people say. I bought a copy directly from the publisher, Wild River Publishing, for $100.


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## Mike Geer (Nov 22, 2018)

This book is absolutely amazing. I gave it a several of my friends one Christmas.

Mike


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

Greg Lyles said:


> I bought a copy directly from the publisher, Wild River Publishing, for $100.


I believe it's Wild River Press.

https://www.wildriverpress.com/product-category/saltwater-fishing/


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2019)

FlyBy said:


> I believe it's Wild River Press.
> 
> https://www.wildriverpress.com/product-category/saltwater-fishing/


Yes sir, you are correct.


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

Awesome! Thanks so much for posting. Just ordered a copy.


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## R-Factor (Mar 30, 2018)

Andy was up here as a guest at LL Bean probably around 5 years ago. Obviously, a very intense individual, but I found him very down-to-earth as well....just a pleasure to talk with. Being "cheap", I didnt pick up one of these signed books that day....I regret that one! You're right....its a special book.


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## shb (Oct 29, 2013)

I wonder if that publisher is wondering "what the heck is going on with these tarpon books"?

Hasn't sold one in months, and now 20 in one day.


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

what about the Rob Fordyce book? I am looking for that one as well- $80+ for a paper back on amazon.....


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

Forgottencoast said:


> what about the Rob Fordyce book? I am looking for that one as well- $80+ for a paper back on amazon.....



scratch that, I just looked up the publisher.

if yall are interested: http://www.amatobooks.com/mm5/merch...Product_Code=9781571882707_TOF&Category_Code=


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## Flyguy22 (Feb 23, 2008)

Many Thanks, just ordered as well!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

R-Factor said:


> Andy was up here as a guest at LL Bean probably around 5 years ago. Obviously, a very intense individual, but I found him very down-to-earth as well....just a pleasure to talk with. Being "cheap", I didnt pick up one of these signed books that day....I regret that one! You're right....its a special book.


Your right! Andy is a great guy to talk to, just in general and about the sport. He also loves to teach people and he's personally taught me things about it, one on one, that I never knew.

The thing that separates him from the rest is not just a passion for the sport, but his particular passion and obsession for the pursuit of a fish that he truly loves and the love of the art of subduing it with a fly rod. He's definitely earned his rank as one of the top "tarpon fly fishing" icons.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

He gave an interview not too long ago where he talks about how much money he's spent on Tarpon guides. It makes head hurt.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Forgottencoast said:


> what about the Rob Fordyce book? I am looking for that one as well- $80+ for a paper back on amazon.....


Buy it! Rob does a great job being very technical about when, how and where to lay out your cast. He gave me one as soon as he released it and it said more stuff to people than I had to explain to them, in order to understand the entire process. If Andy is one of the top tarpon on fly icons out there, Rob is the King of Tarpon on Fly. He is the machine that makes it happen. That is a fact!

Here's Rob with a client I referred to him. At the time, Rob was guiding Flamingo and Florida Bay and I wasn't. He got em on the poons and a huge snook on fly too. That was back in the days when we didn't know any better about picking up fish for a pic. That was about 120lbs and he was strong enough to hoist them up even back then. Today he's a solid block of concrete with years worth of weight training.








Circa 1998


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

Backwater said:


> Buy it! Rob does a great job being very technical about when, how and where to lay out your cast. He gave me one as soon as he released it and it said more stuff to people than I had to explain to them, in order to understand the entire process. If Andy is one of the top tarpon on fly icons out there, Rob is the King of Tarpon on Fly. He is the machine that makes it happen. That is a fact!
> 
> Here's Rob with a client I referred to him. At the time, Rob was guiding Flamingo and Florida Bay and I wasn't. He got em on the poons and a huge snook on fly too. That was back in the days when we didn't know any better about picking up fish for a pic. That was about 120lbs and he was strong enough to hoist them up even back then. Today he's a solid block of concrete with years worth of weight training.
> View attachment 62880
> ...



Backwater, a friend of mine and I had the pleasure of meeting Rob a few weeks ago for a podcast we recorded with him. He was one of the coolest guys I've ever met. He is an intense, technical guy, and you can tell that goes into his tarpon fishing. Wish I had a copy of his book at the time, I would have gotten him to sign it. We have some mutual friends, so im sure there might be more opportunities. Can't wait to read it over and over and over and over and over.....


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

jmrodandgun said:


> He gave an interview not too long ago where he talks about how much money he's spent on Tarpon guides. It makes head hurt.


I think I heard the same interview. Wasn't it April Vokey's podcast and he said he's spent in excess of a million bucks over about 25-30 years chasing tarpon? It was pretty crazy- I want to say it averaged to about $30K per year on guide fees for poon alone.

My wife bought me a copy of "A Passion for Tarpon" a couple years ago. It's amazing. I also have Bill Bishop's book, "High Rollers" and it's been tremendously helpful too.

And this past Christmas my parents bought me a first edition of this book by Ted Williams. It's not really a how-to anymore but it's still pretty cool.


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## WillyF (Mar 5, 2019)

Forgottencoast said:


> scratch that, I just looked up the publisher.
> 
> if yall are interested: http://www.amatobooks.com/mm5/merch...Product_Code=9781571882707_TOF&Category_Code=


I ordered because of this thread and it sounds like quite a few of you did. Just got a call from Amato. They don't have the book in stock. They noticed the recent uptick in demand, and they're trying to figure out what they can do. An eBook/Kindle version may be an option. The woman I spoke with said she'd keep me updated.


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

Forgottencoast said:


> what about the Rob Fordyce book? I am looking for that one as well- $80+ for a paper back on amazon.....


It’s weak


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Seymour fish said:


> It’s weak


What do you mean by weak? I found a copy for cheap but haven't gotten to read it yet. I know it's a little older, so I'm expecting some of the material to be kind of dated, but was hoping it would help as far as figuring out when/where to cast in different scenarios.


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

Seymour fish said:


> It’s weak


Do you have a copy and can I buy it from you?


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

My copy showed up today, with a complementary copy of "Tying Steelhead Flies With Style". I guess I'll put it on my shelf of fishing books...I might even unwrap it so people think I've read it.


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

Seymour fish said:


> It’s weak


Do you have a copy and can I buy it from you?


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2019)

Tx_Whipray said:


> My copy showed up today, with a complementary copy of "Tying Steelhead Flies With Style". I guess I'll put it on my shelf of fishing books...I might even unwrap it so people think I've read it.


Yep, I got the same complimentary book. Thankfully our son fishes for steelhead so I sent it to him.


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## Fisherman-nl (Apr 12, 2018)

The last time I was in the World Wide Sportman (BPS) in Islamorada they still had copies of Rob Fordyce's book. This is where I bought my copy for something like $ 15-20. They might still have some copies!
Andy M's book still on my shortlist although the postage to Europe is a bit of a killer


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## Clubhunter (Jan 22, 2019)

Bought the book the other day and it’s a great read


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Wait, do you guys say your having a hard time finding Andy's book for sale?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I just looked it up on Amazon. $600-$1,200
No thanks


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

WillyF said:


> I ordered because of this thread and it sounds like quite a few of you did. Just got a call from Amato. They don't have the book in stock. They noticed the recent uptick in demand, and they're trying to figure out what they can do. An eBook/Kindle version may be an option. The woman I spoke with said she'd keep me updated.


Me too haha. Let me know if they come out with a e-book


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## Guest (Mar 21, 2019)

Here you go - $100 for the standard edition or $250 for the limited edition- https://www.wildriverpress.com/product/a-passion-for-tarpon/


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Greg Lyles said:


> Here you go - $100 for the standard edition or $250 for the limited edition- https://www.wildriverpress.com/product/a-passion-for-tarpon/


I just texted Andy for ya'll to see where he thinks the best source will be to buy his book and he also said to go direct to the publisher Wild River Press and buy it direct from Tom Pero, the publisher on his site (the one Greg gave a link to above).

Here is the link to it again. It's direct to the source. Thanks Greg for sharing that.
https://www.wildriverpress.com/product/a-passion-for-tarpon/

Ted Haas


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Thanks for the link, got one on order. Figured it can't hurt. I would gladly pay $100 to know what that man knows about catching tarpon!


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## sidelock (Jan 31, 2011)

Backwater said:


> I just texted Andy for ya'll to see where he thinks the best source will be to buy his book and he also said to go direct to the publisher Wild River Press and buy it direct from Tom Pero, the publisher on his site (the one Greg gave a link to above).
> 
> Here is the link to it again. It's direct to the source. Thanks Greg for sharing that.
> https://www.wildriverpress.com/product/a-passion-for-tarpon/
> ...


It's Tarpon On Fly, Fordyce's book that every one is having a hard time finding not Andy's book. Amato is out of stock and the printing rights went back to Rob.


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## g8rfly (Oct 9, 2011)

sidelock said:


> It's Tarpon On Fly, Fordyce's book that every one is having a hard time finding not Andy's book. Amato is out of stock and the printing rights went back to Rob.


There's used ones on Amazon for sub 100.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

https://www.amazon.com/Tarpon-Fly-D...PSVGGE5H028&psc=1&refRID=V206GZ1ZSPSVGGE5H028


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