June. July. August. Summer means bass chasing poppers, stripers crashing in the surf, and long hikes to still-chilly mountain trout creeks. These three months have a lot going for them. I’m not too fond of the heat, but I’m quite partial to the fishing… and the vacations, the evenings on the deck, and the ever-so-subtle …
“Everything that can be said, can be said clearly.” This quip from philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein should be taken to heart by politicians, lawyers, and anglers. A great gulf exists between common linguistics and the semantics needed in the tackle aisle at the local sporting goods store. And not even Merriam-Webster can help a beginner fisherman …
Digital media is phenomenal. Even for an activity as niche as fly fishing, there are streaming videos, eBooks, and a cornucopia of online options. The information is dynamic, engaging, and relevant. But a day will come when the power is out and the devices aren’t charged. Alternatively, you might want something that is a little …
Sometimes a really good book doesn’t check all the boxes that you assume it should. For example: a book on birds might be what you, a fly fisher, needs. Or, a Rocky Mountain angler could benefit from a book about Pennsylvania fly fishers. Or, a book about buffalo may very well be the best book …
Nothing beats a good copy of a good book. There is a sensory aspect to reading words off a tangible, printed page. Furthermore, that is the way that it has been done for nearly three millennia. But a digital book is not only the next best thing; sometimes it is more convenient. I can say …
Why would I read it if… I could watch the movie? The information is 20 years old? I could get the same information from YouTube? There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other books like it? These questions are legitimate. But if you’ve ever read a good book, you know how the written word has …
I wasn’t looking to read a book. My goal was to use books to gather information. But despite my best efforts I was turning page after page, laughing, and getting a lot more than fishing tips. All thanks to John Gierach. As a child I was a vociferous reader. Books assigned in school were merely …
“Headwaters.” Dylan Tomine said the name of his book. I asked him why he chose that title. He repeated headwaters out loud not because he was thinking of an answer, but because the title and the word have meaning. “Headwaters to me is all about tracing the beginning of something. The book is not so …
What are you reading? That is a great question to ask someone. It opens up so many doors for conversation. Within the fly fishing community, there is a good chance that everyone has read something recently. Books, blogs, and even marketing emails use language to communicate our shared passion. But there is something special about …
“What do you want?” Whether it is Christmas, a birthday, or an anniversary coming up, you know you’re going to get this question. You might have some really practical thing that you need. Or, you might want something fun. Something fly fishing-related, even. But for many, picking out gear is an incredibly personal process. It …
