I love fly fishing. I also love books. I don’t have to work very hard to convince myself, or anyone else for that matter, that these two things go together quite well.
There are many new and good books out there. Hopefully they are available at your local fly shop; they are definitively within reach online. But the latest and most noteworthy only represents a small fraction of the catalog of angling literature. There are plenty of classics that are not in print. And there are countless quality volumes that have faded to relative obscurity.
More exciting, and potentially more of a deal than online shopping, is stalking the stacks of a used book store.
On vacation, I took my wife out to lunch and a small-town secondhand book safari. Three destinations were on the list, and they each yielded up trophies for the shelves at home.
Check out some images from my hunt, as well as a description of my spoils, below:
The first stop yielded this remarkably underwhelming selection. Hatches was intriguing, but not compelling enough to warrant a purchase on this trip.
In the same store, far from the anemic fishing section, was the “old books” display. Here is where I found a second edition of Bergman’s Trout. I have a later, much uglier copy. Even sans dust jacket, it was a no-brainer at $13.
The second store on the itinerary had a much more robust outdoor section. It featured the usual assortment of Gierach paperbacks, mildly popular works from the 80’s and 90’s, and obscure regional guides. I found Rinella’s Meateater in hardcover, which I have wanted to read for a while now. I also saw Trout Hunting by a gent named Woolner. Even though I’m 500 miles from New Hampshire, this heretofore unknown to me book seems to be about his experiences in New England.
The final destination was the most polished of the bunch. A modest fishing and hunting section yielded Fly Fishing the 41st, the only book by James Prosek I didn’t own. Sadly, there were no trout prints in their extensive 19th century offerings.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a few hours. And for under $40, I have a few new books that are worth space on my shelves.
Want some ideas of what to look for in a new or used book?
Check out the dozens of recommendations from years of articles on Casting Across.