This โelegiac tribute to the elusive art and ineffable pleasure of fly-fishingโ (Kirkus Reviews) shows us why lifeโs most valuable lessonsโand some of its best experiencesโare found while fly-fishing.
For John Gierach, โthe master of fly-fishingโ (Sacramento Bee), fishing is always the answerโeven when itโs not clear what the question is. In All Fishermen Are Liars, Gierach travels around North America seeking out quintessential fishing experiences, whether itโs at a busy stream or a secluded lake hidden amid snow-capped mountains. He talks about the art of fly-tying and the quest for the perfect steelhead fly (โThe Nuclear Optionโ), about fishing in the Presidential Pools previously fished by the elder George Bush (โI wondered briefly if Iโd done something karmically disastrous and was now fated to spend the rest of my life breathing the exhaust of this elderly Republicanโ), and the importance of traveling with like-minded companions when caught in a soaking rain (โAt this point someone is required to say, โYou know, there are people who wouldnโt think this is funโโ). And though Gierach loses some fish along the way, he never loses his passion and sense of humor.
Wry, contemplative, and livelyโthat is to say, pure GierachโAll Fishermen Are Liars is a joy to readโand, as always, the next best thing to fishing itself. โFrom the early daysโฆto his present cult status, Gierachโs candor and canniness at the waterโs edge have been consistentโฆHis grizzled, laconic persona is engaging and the voice of the common anglerโ (The Wall Street Journal).