Snow or no snow--make your way to the library tonight for the first session of Fish 2008, our annual series of fishing lectures. Lectures begin at 7 pm, but if you arrive between 6 pm and 7 pm you can enjoy angling videos, free fishing publications, fly-tying demos by members of Trout Unlimited, and more. Here's the line-up:

Thursday, January 3
6 pm: DVD: How to Surf Fish--Saltwater Fishing with Dr. Jim
Improve your catch rate along the shore. Learn to read the water to find schools and find out the best time to fish and what equipment you'll need.

7 pm: Fatal Forecast
What happens when a 90-foot wave hits two 50-foot lobster boats, 200 miles out at sea in November? Using slides from the actual storm and rescue, Michael Tougias tells the story, based on his book, Fatal Forecast. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Thursday, January 10
6 pm: DVD: Encyclopedia of Saltwater Sport Fish
Learn how to catch over 40 of the most popular sport fish. Covers trolling, casting, jigging, fish identification, and bait and tackle.

7 pm: The Seacoast’s Top 10 Striped-Bass Hotspots
Author, newspaper columnist, and longtime seacoast resident Steve Hickoff will cover where to go on the New Hampshire and southern Maine coastlines for striped bass. Steve’s advice about destinations, tackle, and other issues will make your angling more efficient and enjoyable.

Thursday, January 17
6 pm: DVD: Saltwater Fly-Casting Secrets
A selection of topics from this DVD that features Billy Pate, Steve Rajeff, Jamie Dickinson, Bob Hyde and others.

7 pm: Fly Fishing in New Hampshire
Jim Norton from Trout Unlimited returns with tips on catching wild brook, rainbow, and brown trout and landlocked and Atlantic salmon in New Hampshire rivers and ponds. Highlights include netting Atlantic salmon on the Pemigewasset River and making the most of the alder-fly hatch on the Androscoggin and the hex hatch on ponds.

Thursday, January 24
6 pm: DVD: Catch Big Fish from Small Boats
Techniques and expert advice from charter captains, small boat anglers, and tournament champions. Learn about boat options, safety offshore, rods and rigs, baits and lures, and more.

7 pm: In Concert: The Wildlife Refugees
If you or someone you love is afflicted with fishin’ fever, this concert’s the cure. With tunes like “Eat, Sleep, Drink, and Go Fishin’” and “Here Fishy-Fishy,” the Wildlife Refugees’ music is the soundtrack of your next fishing trip. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Thursday, January 31
6 pm: DVD: Rods, Reels, and Rigs
In-depth instructions from professional captains and experienced anglers covering the spectrum of saltwater tackle and rigs.

7 pm: Salmon Fishing on Cape Breton Island
Angus Boezeman returns to the library, this time to let us in on the joys of salmon fishing on scenic Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
7 pm, NPL Theater

Borrow It From Us
Did you know that the library has extensive collections of DVDs, videos, and books about fishing? Look them up in our catalog and check them out when you come to the next fishing lecture.