Robert H. McConnell was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. It was in the shadow of the Allegheny Mountains where he developed an affinity for fishing and the outdoors. At college, Robert pursued a degree in geology, which was one of the only classes that offered frequent field trips to the great outdoors. After graduating, Robert began a career in the oil and gas industry, which brought him to the wilds of northern Pennsylvania. He began fly fishing in earnest after discovering the joys of hiking into remote freestone streams in pursuit of native brook trout. Spring and summer weekends were spent exploring the vast network of streams and rivers along the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. In 2014, Robert and his wife, Ellen, moved from their home in rural Pennsylvania to the bustling city of Houston, Texas, the “Energy Capital of the World,” where they reside today. Robert continues his passion for fly fishing, but instead of chasing native brook trout, he now pursues the multitude of warmwater fish species that live in the surrounding waterways of Houston, Texas. Robert especially enjoys exploring the more remote waterways, including those found in the Pineywoods of East Texas. Fly Fishing Houston & Southeastern Texas was published on February 7, 2023 and is in fly shops and wherever fine books are sold.

“This fine guide includes everything you need to find these forgotten streams: maps and descriptions, helpful information on fly patterns, behavior characteristics of the fish, QR codes showing the best place to park, and GPS coordinates for legal access points. Everything you’ll need for an hour, an afternoon—or a full day of fly fishing fun.”—Ron Watters, National Outdoor Books Award (NOBA).

A podcast, discussed urban fly fishing in Houston with Robert on The Feather Mechanic, hosted by South African fly fisherman and host Gordon Van Der Spuy interviews Robert in February 2023.

“If you fish in Houston, you definitely need this guidebook. It’s the essential source on freshwater angling in Southeastern Texas, complete with handy maps, captivating photographs, and enough savvy insider tips to ensure a place in your dry bag for years to come.”–Wes Ferguson, former Senior Editor for Texas Monthly (06/09/2022)

“Houston, Texas is most likely not the first destination that comes to mind when one thinks about fly fishing. However, Houston and the surrounding area boasts a diverse array of fisheries and fish species that are worthy of every fly angler’s time. Fly Fishing Houston and Southeastern Texas is an essential resource to anyone who intends to fly fish the greater Houston area. From local, urban fisheries to remote destinations buried in nearby National Forest, this book covers it all in surprising detail! You will most likely add a few destinations to your “bucket list” after exploring the pages of this book – I know I did!”–Chris Johnson, Owner Living Waters Fly Fishing, Round Rock Texas (07/11/2022)

“Fly Fishing Houston takes an extremely thorough and detailed look at the diverse fishing opportunities available in Houston’s myriad bayous, creeks, and lakes and highlights the incredible array of species available to the intrepid angler. With detailed descriptions of access points, wading trips, ideal flow and discharge rates for each creek, and fascinating notes about the biology and ecology Houston’s local species, Fly Fishing Houston is an invaluable resource to anglers of any skill level looking to explore Houston.”–Travis Richards, Fisheries Biologist, Texas A&M University at Galveston (07/06/2022)

“Robert McConnell may be a Pennsylvania mountain trout angler at heart, but when his career brought him to the wooded lowlands, creeks and swamps of southeast Texas, he made due. Rob is innately curious, and his new book, Fly Fishing Houston and Southeast Texas, is a marvelous product of that curiosity. It’s also the next best thing any fly fisher living in, or visiting, the region can acquire, save for a day on the water with Rob himself. With this book and a sense of adventure, any “creek freak” fly fisher willing to step over copperheads and wade mysterious waters can tie into some of the most exciting freshwater fly fishing Texas has to offer — it’s a challenge to anglers who claim they’ll go anywhere to fish. The best part? Anglers who live in southeast Texas don’t have far to go at all. This guidebook should find its way into the glove compartment of every fly fisher who wanders the woods and waters of southeast Texas. With it, they’re almost certainly within reach of fishable water in some of the most surprising places.”–Chris Hunt, journalist and author of Catching Yellowstone’s Wild Trout: A Fly Fishing History and Guide. (05/18/2022)

“Robert has taken the guesswork out of fishing our local waters, telling you how to prepare, where to go, and what to bring. School is out, homework is done (by Robert), time to go fishing!”–Don C. Puckett, President, Texas FlyFishers.org (06/17/2022)

“Fly fishing is sustenance for many of us, and Rob McConnell has prepared a sumptuous feast of angling opportunities featuring an incredible diversity of waterways and species for our consumption. Exhaustively researched, Fly Fishing Houston and Southeastern Texas reveals where and how to pursue “lunker” largemouth bass in sprawling lakes, massive carp from urban concrete canyons, and gorgeously-colored longear sunfish from remote Pineywoods streams. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This is a fun, informative read and an invaluable resource.”–Terry & Roxanne Wilson, authors of The Bluegill Diaries: A Fly Fishing Chronicle, Largemouth Bass Fishing, Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing, Crappie Fly-Fishing and Bluegill Fly Fishing & Flies (05/31/2022)

“What a wonderful resource! Robert has described, mapped and critiqued so many accessible areas in and around Houston that have been overlooked in the past. Getting to know him while we worked together was a real pleasure. Anyone who wants to learn about this area, must have this book! I’m proud and flattered that I was able to fish with him and look forward to new adventures in the future.”–Mark Marmon, professional guide at MetroAnglers.com and the original pioneer for fishing Houston’s urban waterways. (05/19/2022)

Paperback:  $27.95 US / ISBN:  9781945501609– First Edition:  February 2023  376 pages
E-book: $17.99 US /        ISBN:  9781945501616

38 wades and paddles, 94 access points. 3 orientation  maps, 1 area map; more than 300 Color photos.   On-Sale:  February 7, 2023