This book is organized alphabetically; to give a sense of its scope it begins:aalmutter, abalone, akule, Alaska pollock, alga, anchovy, Artic char, ark shell, aspic (not a fish but useful for fish recipes), Atka mackerel, barnacle, barracuda ... in short, you'll be hard pressed to find in your fish market something not covered here.

For each fish, the book gives information regarding their looks (there are ample photos), where they grow, their culinary uses ... and for many of the fish, recipes. To take a simple example, for black sea bass it gives recipes for steamed sea bass, sea bass Lisbon style, and sea bass chowder.

The recipes are reliable - easy to follow and well proportioned. This is everything you'll ever need or want in a fish cooking resource.

this is hands down the best book for fish lovers

it is a valuable resource in my kitchen

A plethora of information about hundreds of species of fish- How they are classed and where they inhabit, historical and cultural importance of many fishes, identification of fish, quality of meat and how to cook them. Incredibly interesting and useful!

The book is the best in its field, as it contains plenty of information for the casual fisherman or for the expert angler.
Unfortunately is somewhat outdated. Great book that every angler should have in their library/

I have been an avid reader of A.J. McClane for some years now and have found this volume to be the best of the best. It is in my opinion the most detailed and factual reference to be found on catching fish. Of particular value is the section on angling methods which clearly explains the various means by which you can catch your quarry. Any fish, anywhere in the world can be found in this book along with it's life cycle, spawning habits, how to catch it and weather it is good to eat. No angling library is complete without this valuable reference.

A MUST HAVE BOOK, if you have a library of your own or not this is it, I have used this book many times when I go to a new area, state,location, or wherever, it tells where,when and what is needed,its great, one problem I found is I lost it now I cant find it and am lost without it. I have over 75 other books on fishing and this one I miss the most!!!

This book has been a constant companion on nearly all of my fishing trips, regardless of location. I am currently on my second copy- the first was worn out from repeated use ! When a question arises about habitat,water preference, etc., we whip out the ole' McClanes to settle the argument.The pictures offer a true rendition of the fish which aides in rapid identification.The descriptions give vital information, while remaining brief enough to allow the book to function as a true "field" guide.I highly recommend this book to any angler or saltwater fish enthusiasts in need of a pocket guide.

This book is very useful in every facet of salt water fishing, from fish physiology and habits to tackle selection. A must for every salt water fisherman.

McClane's saltwater fish identification guide is a must for every angler -- sunburned beginner or salty old pro -- who casts a line into our bays and oceans. The most outstanding among this guide's many strengths are its clear, concise writing in the description of each fish, and the strikingly life-like, full-color artistic renditions of most of the fish. The fish are organized by family; so where there are related species on the Atlantic and Pacific sides (e.g., among sea bass), the book does jump somewhat to and fro. However, with its thorough index and vivid illustrations, any saltwater angler should be able to locate that "mystery fish" in McClane's within less than a minute. This book accompanied me on every fishing trip in my years of angling in South Florida and the Keys; and many an unknown fish was revealed through McClane's pages. With this book, the difference between sheepshead and spadefish (for example) is obvious -- in feeding habits, location, water preferences and any characteristic of appearance. Whether you catch a Spanish mackeral, ladyfish, jack crevalle or even the ugly (but tasty!) guitarfish, McClanes can teach you all the important information about it, quickly. It's the perfect size for the tacklebox; but be sure to put it in a freezer bag to keep it dry.

This book is very useful in every facet of fresh water fishing, from fish physiology and habits to tackle selection. A must for every fresh water fisherman.

This book is equal as good as "McClane's Field Guide to Saltwater Fishes of North America."