phg 0 Report post Posted December 15, 2012 Man, when I was a kid, back in the last century (that does make me sound old, doesn't it?), I used to look forward to the occasional essay by Corey Ford that would turn up in the Reader's Digest. He had a great sense of humor and a very readable style. I hadn't thought about him in years! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kytroutbum 0 Report post Posted December 15, 2012 Used to read about the Lower 40, in the back of "Outdoor Life??). These are NOT FLY FISHING but for anyone with Interest and Knowledge of the Greater Yellowstone, Wyoming area I highly recommend any of C.J. Box's Joe Pickett series. The main character is a Wyoming Game Warden who in involved in Mysteries in the Yellowstone-Bighorn Mt. area. Having worked in that area I can identify with the types of characters and situations involved. April Christofferson, is a Cody Wyoming writer who has three novels based upon issues in the Greater Yellowstone. Alpha Female- Wolf Introduction, Trapped- Preditor trapping in the parks, Buffalo Medicine- Bison migration and Brucellois. (Her son was a Bear Biologist for YNP for 9 years, and currently does speaking engagments. He and his family camp in my campground several times a summer.) These are set in the Park area, her descriptions of locales, individuals, and situations are very accurate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hairwing 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2012 Sand County Almanac...Aldo Leopold...is a great look at the conservation movement. Lots of mental images, ie...... a dog with it's nose in the air sniffing "olfactory gold" on the bird hunt. The book is filled with written images. After reading the book through, I learned to respect the opinions of the scientist, they examine the ecosystem in a different way than layman and really proof the data before making decisions and offering opinions about mans good or bad influence. The Snowfly....Joe Heywood...fiction and a great story that will take you on a lifetime journey .E. Hemingway was alive and well and Heywood's image of the old man with his arms crucified on the river bank unable to master the hatch reminds me of the Pulitzer..."The Old Man and The Sea". Fly fishing in Vietnam during the war? The Riders of The Purple Sage....Zane Grey. His novel made it possible for him to fish without financial burden. Great story about the early American Cowboy west. Grey will bring you into the past with incite at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Grey was a prolific writer and a great fisherman. You can look farther into his writings and writings about him and it will keep you reading for quite some time. Where The Pools Are Bright and Deep...Dana Lamb...great east coast stories from an author that could handle his experiences with eloquent words and images. I would have loved to hunker down with him in a north country tavern during a spring blizzard and had his conversation augment some good ole Irish Whiskey. The River Why...David Duncan...took me some time to get into it, but I loved this one. There was something weird about the picture and conversation of someone floating... rescuing a dead fly angler and being dragged uncontrollably along the rivers banks but seems the whole novel is filled with these mental challenges. Your gonna have to float along with this one. Anyway, there's a few ideas from me. Seems the titles are endless and we don't have the time to read them all. At least not me. Hope you find some good ones to your liking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebfreeman_78 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2013 I have enjoyed reading a couple of books by William Tapply . ruminations and Everyday Was Special . written like short stories . good books on life and fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreamcaster4639 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2013 I just finished the book flytire mentioned Zipping My Fly. I bought it on ebay for $2.50. Pretty good reading Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2013 I would second the suggestion of John Voelker's (aka Robert Traver) books Trout Madness and Trout Magic, and I would add to that list his small collection of photos and essays called Anatomy of a Fisherman. This last is out of print and is a really sweet little book, so if you lay hands on a copy, either hold on to it or sell it to me. No one yet has suggested Thomas McGuane, so I will recommend his The Longest Silence -- he's a bit more crafty with the language than Gierach, but the humor and humility are still there, as is the essay format. Jim Harrison doesn't write "fishing books" per se, but he's a Yooper (from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) who grew up fishing for native brookies, and I don't think he's written a novel yet that didn't have some fly fishing in it, and you'll look long and hard to find better writing (poetry or prose), in my opinion. I would also second the suggestion of any of Jerry Dennis's collections of essays--The River Home is almost exclusively about fly fishing, but, like Harrison, almost everything he's written, if it isn't actually about fishing, is about wild places and other things that fly fishermen usually find rewarding to read and think about. He's a Michigan guy, too, and the only famous author I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and fishing with--he took a buddy and I fishing for carp on Grand Traverse Bay a few years ago, and it was one of the best days on the water I've ever had. Just a terrific guy. I've also enjoyed collections of essays by James Babb, William Tapply and Jim Enger, although I can't remember their titles at the moment. All very reminiscent of Gierach. Hope this helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Markbob 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 Thought it was time to revive this thread. I have read quite a bit of what was suggested and am getting to order another round. I want to thank y'all specifically for The River Why and The Earth is Enough. I often recommend them to others and describe The Earth is Enough as a cross between A River Runs Through It and Second Hand Lions. Oldtrout58, where did you manage to get your hands on a copy of Starlight Creek Anglers Society? Can't find it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottK 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 "Fly Fishing for Sharks" was a pretty good read. I liked it anyway: http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Fishing-Sharks-American-Richard-Louv-ebook/dp/B000FC0ON6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404908689&sr=8-1&keywords=fly+fishing+for+sharks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McGnat 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 Agree on Nick Lyons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RCFetter 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 "All Fishermen Are Liars" is a new Gierach book but I've yet to read it. It was released last April and gets good reviews. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryveradair 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 The compleate angler by izaac walton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RCFetter 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 The compleate angler by izaac walton A nice YouTube documentary in this thread: http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=65723&hl=%2Bcomplete+%2Bangler Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kimo 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2014 Thomas McGuane "The Longest Silence" is one of my favorites along with any articles he has in the "The Drake". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beadhead 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2014 Markbob I have the following books for sale if you are interested The Compleat Angler-Izaak Walton Where The Pools Are Bright And Deep-Dana Lamb PM me for prices if you are interested Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Markbob 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2014 I have The Compleat Angler, struggling to read it. Read the Longest Silence...not bad. All Fishermen are Liars I have and read in about three days, great as expected and I am heading out to pick up an autographed copy in a few weeks. Nick Lyons sounds great. Going to order some of his stuff. About to place an order for about 10 books from Amazon. Kind of thinking this thread should be pinned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites