Steal This Book

Fly Fishing the Burning Mountains

Are you like me lately? Does your Board of Trustees suck? Does the NCAA say that you suck? You can't help but notice that Mark Emmert looks a lot like Newt Gingrich? Were you sanctioned at work last week for parking in the wrong parking space? The last nine months around here have been filled with feelings of anger, outrage, disbelief, frustration and sadness. Well I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore, so I'm buying a book. This book right here.

New York Times columnist and native Montana son, Nate Schweber has written an entertaining new book in which my good friend and fishing buddy Greg Glitzer and I had an opportunity to play a small part. Contrary to the plethora of Yellowstone fishing books that are already out there, Nate takes a vibrant and refreshingly different approach to fly fishing in America's number one trout fishing theme park. He collected short stories, amusing anecdotes, historical facts, lifelong memories and current doctrine from a diverse group of anglers, rangers and biologists from around the country for many of Yellowstone's already well storied waters. Both, back country and front country waters are covered in the book.

Journey to the bottom of Yellowstone's Grand Canyon at Seven Mile Hole with Tom McGuane. Fish Baker's Hole with Doug Peacock. Experience the ferocious and remorseless 1988 Clover-Mist fire that roared up Cache Creek to the head of Republic Pass from the horseback of longtime Cooke City outfitter, Ronnie Wright . Read never before published insights on the 1877 flight and fight of the Nez Perce tribe, led by Chief Joesph, with the Cowan party at the headwaters of the creek that bears their name today, from present day descendants of both parties. All of these stories and more are woven into a tapestry and set against the backdrop of modern day conservation challenges in the world' very first national park. Specifically, the declining stocks of Yellowstone and west slope cutthroat trout.

Caveat: The chapter on fishing Fan Creek in the northwest corner of the Park is all lies. Except for the part about the Bigfoot sighting from long time backcountry ranger Bob Jackson. Just keeeeeeeeding, it's the truth.

Besides just being a delightfully engaging romp through fly fishing heaven, an additional incentive to purchase the book is that a portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to the East Yellowstone Chapter of Trout Unlimited for research into methods to control lake trout and enhance cutthroat trout populations in the Park. You might even say it's a challenge of Mammoth proportions.

Ok, I'm dunraven for now.

Buy this book:
Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park