David A. Patterson taught high school biology for thirty-four years in Billerica, Massachusetts. Matt Patterson is a professional illustrator who trained at the Art Institute of Boston. He illustrated The Snake and the Salamander by Alvin R. Breisch and The Book of Turtles and Of Time and Turtles, both by Sy Montgomery.
“What a job Matt Patterson did with the illustrations. He knows his fish and he knows his art. The illustrations are absolutely splendid: accurately rendered and artistically striking. Moreover, the book’s designer created a handsome blend of art and text, and in places, even creates the appearance of fish migrating through the book. If you’re a serious fisher in the Northeast, or if serious anglers come to visit, this is a book you'll want lying on the coffee table.” * National Outdoor Book Awards *