This book has been decribed as "definitive" which is certainly the right one-word description. The handbook is encyclopedic, covering almost everything you never knew you wanted to know about fishing while cruising.

The Cruiser's Handbook of Fishing By Scott and Wendy Bannerot, International Marine/McGraw Hill, 418 pp, $18.95

The book covers the uses and maintenance of all types of gear, tackle, traps and nets. Techniques such as trolling, fishing at anchor, from a dinghy, wading, diving, even fly fishing are described and illustrated with photographs and diagrams. A chapter is devoted to modifying your vessel for fishing and another to "processing" or cleaning your catch.

Especially useful is a detailed guide to edible fish and invertabrates. Attention is paid to the real possibilities of medical consequences of fishing from your boat (hookings, slicings, poisonings).

The fresh food, the good will you inspire by giving a fresh fillet to a neighboring boat and above all the fun of fishing, the author insists, will grow on you. And then there are the recipes.

Bannerot holds a doctorate in fisheries biology and has worked as a research scientist, charter fishing captain and commercial fisherman since 1976. Wendy Bannerot has worked as a professional fisherman and diver. They live aboard the 41' sloop Elan. They are definitively into it.

However, the flip side of definitive is daunting. And this work is also that — at least to the neophyte. Neverthless, I am happy to have the book in my boat library. It's a great reference and who knows, I might just plop a hook over next summer.