Pocket Water A BOOK FOR THE AGES:
The Catch of a Lifetime, Moments of Flyfishing Glory Edited by Peter Kaminsky (Artisan Books, $35)
P
eter Kaminsky is one of the Hutcheson, Linda Leary, and on, and world’s most revered angling on. You’ll even find contributions from journalists and authors. His familiar names from TROUT magazine, Outdoors column has appeared in though almost ironically, most of those The New York Times for 35 years, and he’s stories aren’t about trout. written for myriad classic publications The book spans the world of fly fishfrom Field & Stream to Smithsonian and ing, from trout and salmon to exotic GQ, as well as most of the endemic fly- jungle fish, to the flats, inshore, offshore fishing magazines. Beyond that, he was and beyond. I can’t help but shake a managing editor for National Lampoon, Forrest Gump’s “Box of Chocolates” and his television credits include being metaphor, because no matter where you the creator and executive producer of The crack the pages, you land on a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and The savory little nugget of storytellLibrary of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular ing that stimulates the senses. Song. He’s also the author of numerous Kaminsky’s own words books, including The Flyfisherman’s Guide are the connective tissue, to the Meaning of Life, and The Moon Pulled beginning with a haymaker Up an Acre of Bass. introductory paragraph: But this book he’s edited—The Catch “There are fish I have caught of a Lifetime—may well be the ultimate that I remember more fully reflection of just how well-respected than whole years of my life— and appreciated he is, because some- moments as peaceful as the how, Kaminsky managed to get over rhythm of a trout sipping Pale 70 notable storytellers to contribute short Kaminsky managed to get over 70 pieces on certain fish, notable storytellers to contribute people and places that indelibly changed them short pieces on certain fish, as anglers. people and places that indelibly It’s a starry—and changed them as anglers. wonderfully eclectic— lineup ranging from iconic fishing literary names like McGuane and Lyons to less-expected aficionados like musicians Brittany Howard and Roger Waters. There are magazine editors like Garden & Gun’s David DiBenedetto, Anglers Journal founding editor William Sisson, and Jason Rolfe of The Flyfish Journal… noted authors Peter Heller, Carl Hiaasen, David James Duncan, Charles Gaines, Monte Burke and John N. Maclean… legendary guides, artists and gifted storytellers like Mary Rolland, Hilary T R O U T
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Morning Duns in a meadow stream or as pulse pounding as double-hauling into an acre of stripers in wind-whipped seas. At such moments, time, or its passage, seems to go away. To find something in this world that takes you out of time, when seconds cease to slip through life’s hourglass, is as close as I’ve come to a state of grace.” This book is brilliant in concept, and even greater in execution. It’s
beautifully formatted, with the perfect balance of alluring photographic images (also from a who’s-who list of outdoor photographers). It isn’t heavy, but it’s deep. It’s a mosaic. It’s why we fish. My gratitude and kudos to Kaminsky could not be more heartfelt, nor could my recommendation to get this book for yourself, someone else who loves fishing, or both. —Review by Kirk Deeter
