Synopses & Reviews
John Gierach, "the voice of the common angler" (The Wall Street Journal) and member of the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, brings his sharp sense of humor and keen eye for observation to the fishing life and, for that matter, life in general.
John Gierach is known for his witty, trenchant observations about fly-fishing. In A Fly Rod of Your Own, Gierach once again takes us into his world and scrutinizes the art of fly-fishing. He travels to remote fishing locations where the airport is not much bigger than a garage and a flight might be held up because a passenger is running late. He sings the praises of the skilled pilots who fly to remote fishing lodges in tricky locations and bad weather. He explains why even the most veteran fisherman seems to muff his cast whenever he's being filmed or photographed. He describes the all-but-impassable roads that fishermen always seem to encounter at the best fishing spots and why fishermen discuss four-wheel drive vehicles almost as passionately and frequently as they discuss fly rods and flies. And while he's on that subject, he explains why even the most conscientious fisherman always seems to accumulate more rods and flies than he could ever need.
As Gierach says, "fly-fishing is a continuous process that you learn to love for its own sake. Those who fish already get it, and those who don't couldn't care less, so don't waste your breath on someone who doesn't fish." From Alaska to the Rockies and across the continent to Maine and the Canadian Maritimes, A Fly Rod of Your Own is an ode to those who fish--and they will get it.
Review
“John Gierach is the American Turgenev, that is, if Turgenev had a sense of humor, fished like Lee Wulff, and was as wise as Marcus Aurelius. This means that no one is in Gierach’s league when it comes to writing about trout fishing. A Fly Rod Of Your Own makes you feel you are having a beer with your best friend who is not only funny, companionable, but just great to hang out with. When it comes to fly fishing, Gierach is like a sex therapist. He has seen it all.” Craig Nova, author of All the Dead Yale Men and The Constant Heart
Review
"Noted fly fishing writer Gierach (At the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman) chronicles his adventures with rod and reel on some of the most remote lakes and streams in North America from the Labrador taiga to the grizzly infested forests of the Alaskan outback (as well as favored spots closer to his Colorado backyard). These undertakings generally involve pre-dawn risings, four wheel drives, floatplanes, taciturn guides and of course fish, although—as Gierach practices catch and release—they’re all the ones that got away. Twenty-one chapters explore the realms of fly fishing from camp cooking to casting strategies. Gierach’s deceptively laconic prose masks an accomplished storyteller. He isn’t a humorist per se but his alert and slightly off kilter observations place him in the general neighborhood of Mark Twain and James Thurber. He’s dead serious about fly fishing but he also recognizes its inherent contradictions and is astute enough to project those absurdities onto the larger range of human aspirations and endeavors. This voice of a thoughtful cantankerous and tolerant fisherman in late middle age unifies the various chapters and keeps the pages turning. In his introduction he writes “Those who fish already get it... don’t waste your breath on those who don’t.” Yet even for those whose idea of paradise isn’t standing thigh deep in an icy stream for six hours hoping for a bite Gierach is charming company. (Apr.) " Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
About the Author
John Gierach is the author of numerous books on fly-fishing, including A Fly Rod of Your Own. His work has appeared in Field & Stream, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and Fly Rod & Reel, where he is a regular columnist. He also writes a column for the monthly Redstone Review. He lives in Lyons, Colorado. Visit JohnGierachBooks.com.