Pocket Water by Tapply
My favorite essays of Pocket Water were in the Trash Fish chapter, because it reminded me of a time when Dad took me fishing during a family camping trip. He rigged me up with a baited hook on a dock while we waited for the boat's gas tanks to be filled. And as he was pouring motor oil into the tanks for the two-stroke Evinrude boat motor, I managed to catch a whale. Well, it sure felt like a whale for a kid. Dad helped me net the fish, and exclaimed, "trash fish!" Yup, he threw him back into the lake. You know, I've never been interested in fly fishing for carp to this day because, well, they are nothing but Trash Fish...not for the dinner table, or sport. In my mind (and Dad's) anyway.
This was an enjoyable read, and any seasoned or new fly fisher would probably agree with that. Unfortunately, I'm running out of Tapply books to read. I'm saving a three-book series of his for when I'm stuck in the house for a time, and need a good read to escape from reality. There also is another Tapply fishing book waiting on the bedside table's bottom shelf...that book is reserved for an upcoming fishing trip of mine.
You read a great one. Bill passed too young. When he was ill, I saw that there was a double gun for sale, a 20 ga.Parker owned by a New England gent named Burton Spiller, considered to be the greatest grouse hunter who ever lived. Bill hunted with his Dad and Burton. Burton gave Bill his 20 ga. Parker when Bill was a teenager. Sadly, I believe the Parker that was for sale was Bill's. I suspect the expense of his medical treatments meant selling a priceless treasured heirloom. Fortunately, a Gent from New England purchased the Parker and will retain it for many years to come. Bill wrote a couple of upland hunt books where he spoke of hunting with his Dad and Mr. Spiller. Great reads. Also, if you can find it, Bill wrote a tribute book about his Dad, Tap Tapply which is a great read. The book is called Sportsman's Legacy. We have lost many fine sportsmen over the years. A segment of the greatest generation that saw the best of the outdoor sports at a time when life was simpler. Enjoy
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Sportsman's Legacy book recommendation...I found a 1st edition copy and snatched it up. Looking forward to the read. Yeah, Tap's generation had strong, admirable men who knew the outdoors...a great generation who looked death in the eye as they fought in WWII. My Dad was in that generation, and I feel lucky to have grown up under their influence and in that post war era.
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