What avid fly angler who also likes to read has not enjoyed books written by John Gierach? His humor, including subtle yet catchy bits of wisdom gleaned from a life of chasing fin on the fly and then sparingly woven into his stories, is what hooked me. Gierach is also good at sliding in low-key fly rodding education disguised as storytelling. He was my initiation to fly fishing entertainment in print. What an introduction!
After this, the book A Different Angle, edited by Holly Morris, was given to me by a male fly angler. I think he felt I'd relate to it since all of the fly fishing stories in the book were written by women. While I relate more to my fishing companions by their personalities and how we approach the sport than by their gender, I did enjoy the book and feel both men and women would appreciate it.
Over the last few years I've become enamored with listening to audiobooks during my 2 to 8 hour one way road trips in search of trout, smallies, musky, etc. The 20 minute trip to and from work is also more entertaining with a book on cd than listening to the local radio stations. I've also returned to reading and am nearly finished with the Cork O'Connor series of books.
I've become a frequent visitor to the library. But, obviously specific print and audio library materials don't have their own fly fishing section. I've never seen an outdoorsy person fiction section, let alone the section further subdivided into regions the reader might like to fish or hike. Since it has often been a fluke that I've found books with fly fishing subject matter (not "how-to" books) or books relating to outdoor adventure in specific regions that hold an attraction for me, I thought I'd list on my blog the books I've discovered and enjoyed. I tend to enjoy murder mysteries with a strong and honest lead character who is also independent and adventurous. Perhaps those who have so kindly taken the time to become a Follower on this blog and other visitors to this blog might appreciate the book list and may, perhaps, have suggestions of their own to share.
1) Books authored by John Gierach. The intrigue created by titles such as Sex, Death, and Fly-Fishing and Even Brook Trout Get the Blues, simply prepares the reader for great content between the covers. Certainly, you will learn a little something about fly fishing or a particular region of the country, and Gierach will pass on bits of wisdom gleaned from days on the water. But Gierach's strength is simply that he's an excellent storyteller again and again and again. He knits together a real-life cast of characters, places, and adventures that most fly anglers would like to know, and in a way, we ultimately feel we do know after laughing and smiling our way through his books.
2) Time Is A River, by Mary Alice Monroe. After my Aunt Nancy, who lives near Asheville, NC, and my fly fishing friend Kate had each struggled through breast cancer treatments, and then Kate and my friend Ruth (also my aunt's friend), and I particpated in Casting for Recovery, I discovered this book on a library shelf. Talk about timing!
The main character is Mia, a recent breast cancer survivor. She escapes to a long-shut cabin near Asheville, NC, offered to her by her Casting for Recovery (CFR) leader after Mia suffers family trauma after the CFR retreat. Mia's escape soon becomes her self-discovery when she finds the diary and fly fishing journal from Kate, the cabin's previous owner who was a feminist and fly fishing guide much ahead of her time. Self-discovery evolves into a murder mystery, along with Mia's added discovery of bugs, water, and bamboo.
3) The Sean Stranahan book series by Keith McCafferty. The Royal Wulff Murders and The Gray Ghost Murders introduce Sean Stranahan, fly fishing guide, artist, and private investigator, to the readers. The author develops Stranahan's and other characters in a manner that helps the reader to feel a connection with them. These first two books have a direct tie-in to fly fishing! McCafferty's next two books in the series, Dead Man's Fancy and Crazy Mountain Kiss, retain a looser tie-in to fly fishing but still feature Montana country and personalities, and grow characters introduced in the first two books. All books have been very good Montana-based murder mysteries. Buffalo Jump Blues is the 5th book of the Sean Stranahan series, and I suspect it will be every bit as entertaining as the rest.
4) A Different Angle, edited by Holly Morris. This book of fly fishing stories was written by women. It has likely been two years since I have read it, but I remember how much it was enjoyed. While looking over a few stories to jog my memory, I decided I wanted to read it again after I finish my book in the Cork O'Connor series. What mostly strikes home with me is that these stories feel intimate, personal. To me, that is also how fly fishing feels. Tales about coming to terms, in her own way (I bet you know how), with a parent's death; and about the joy felt when one realizes she will love to fish, about a One-Fly tournament, and more, are found in this book with a fly fishing theme.
5) The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. It's not fly fishing, but it's fishing and so much more than that. This classic is a good read on many levels. I've also enjoyed reading Hemingway's Nick Adams stories.
6) The Anna Pigeon book series authored by former park ranger Nevada Barr. Currently, there are 19 books in the series. I was completely hooked by these murder-mysteries while listening to the audiobooks Blood Lure and The Rope. Pigeon, a law enforcement ranger with the United States National Park Service, is a fiercely independent woman who is prone to little talk and much action and either finds trouble or is asked to fix known trouble. The readers tag along with Anna after she takes assignments and job duties at various national park across the United States. The ranger uses her intelligence and cunning to solve park mysteries while protecting park wildlife and keeping herself from becoming the next murder to solve. That isn't to say that Anna doesn't suffer her share of hard knocks...
7) The Cork O'Connor book series by William Kent Krueger. I read and enjoyed Tamarack County a couple years ago, but then headed on to supernatural mysteries. Last year my friend Kate recommended and let me borrow Iron Lake, the first in the Cork O'Connor series. While I have since elected to read, not listen to, each of Krueger's books in the series, tonight I will begin Windigo Island, which is book #14/15. When I put a reserve on the latest book, Manitou Canyon, at the library, I learned there are 19 people ahead of me waiting to get their hands on this book.
While there are only a few mentions of fishing by Cork and others in the books, the book series does relate heavily to this Midwestern fly angler. Cork, a sheriff, private investigator, owner of Sam's Place, white and Anishinaabe, and most importantly, a family man, is a native of Aurora, Minnesota. Cork's life is centered around the Northwoods, its lakes, rivers, wildlife, Native American culture and reservations, the struggle for employment and a way of life. His travels take me to places and personalities with which I am already familiar due to my fishing travels. I think many anglers and hunters who visit the Northwoods will enjoy these books.
Cork is part white (Irish) and part Anishinaabe (Ojibwe). His varying roles as sheriff and later, as private investigator often working with the sheriff's department, put himself and his family in danger as he works to solve the who and why of local murders while managing the delicate balance between white and Native American race relations. Anishinaabe traditions and the role of Henry, the near-ageless mide, help guide Cork and his family along a path of acceptance, wisdom, and truth. Strong morals and family values often clash with violence, greed, and murder in a land that is often as harsh as it can be beautiful. While there has not been a poorly written book in the lot, Boundary Waters, #2/15, remains my favorite.
8) The Kate Shugak book series by Dana Stabenow. I have only read a few of the 20 books in this series featuring yet another much-needed strong and intelligent female role model. I am happy to write that this book series takes the readers to the region of Niniltna, Alaska, where they are introduced to Kate Shugak, a highly-respected and sometimes feared 5-foot Aleut woman who lives on a homestead in an un-named national park in the Alaskan Bush. Kate's constant companion is Mutt, a half-wolf/half-husky dog.
Former investigator for the D.A, in Anchorage and private investigator, who also hunts for morels, and who has worked undercover on fishing boats and the TransAlaska Pipeline, tackles murder-mysteries in the Alaska Bush and generally finds a way to ensure justice is served. The rough-voiced woman with a neck scar travelling ear to ear demands and receives respect from law enforcement, Alaska natives and others, including the "Park Rats,", and takes the readers on adventures on fishing boats, pipelines, mines, the bush, and elsewhere.
Other Recommendations:
(most recent first)
From Nate on 5/3/20
Author William Tapply, the Brady Coyne series and "Bitch Creek". Thanks again, Nate!
Nate, a member of our Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association club, provided some suggestions for further outdoorsy-types of reading. I'm copying the bulk of his text below. Thanks Nate!
"Just got caught up on your blog again.
Here are a few fishing authors you may want to take time to look for.
M.W. Gordon has 7 books
Royal J. Horton has 3 books
Raymond Kieft has 4 books
Joe Perrone Jr has 4 books
Michael Wallace has 4 books
Ronald Weber has 3 books.
Victoria Houston has 16 books.
The Houston books are addictive. The setting is a small town on a lake in Wisconsin somewhere near Boulder Junction (if you can imagine that). The retired town dentist has developed a love interest in the Town Police Chief who is an avid fly fisher. The author is originally from Rhinelander and a few years ago moved back to her home town. She release a book a year on average.
After you read 5 of the books you will come to the conclusion that Loon Lake would be a fun place to visit but a dangerous place to live!
Not about fishing but about Minnesota you should look into the three books by Cary J. Griffith.
Also look at the Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers cop mysteries by John Sandford. All based in Minnesota. Davenport has a cabin on a lake so how can he be bad? Flowers is a fishing nut trailering his Lund along on cases. Alas neither seems to fish enough.
An author with books that have nothing to do with fishing but everything to do with addictive reading is Louise Penny. Great for camping."
