Trout Friends and other Riff-Raff: Stories about the Passion and Madness of Fishing

by Bill Stokes

Book Overview

Contains a never before published essay, "Trout Flouderers". In these stories, popular Chicago Tribune outdoor columnist Bill Stokes gives himself over to his true passion, trout fishing. It is an activity, possibly a madness, that moves him, time and again, to stand knee-deep in cold and murky waters, offer himself up to clouds of hungry mosquitoes, and attempt to keep from snagging his line in overhanging limbs while trying to outwit a wily rainbow...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1542497353
• ISBN13: 9781542497350
• Release Date: January 2017
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Book

Bill Stokes has written a collection of stories running from his childhood through adulthood centered around flyfishing in Wisconsin. He tells the stories with humor and affection for his friends and those he has fished with (his dog also fishes). It seems to me that Bill must have been the prototypical straight man to play against the "characters" that he wrote about. Stokes tells his humorous stories with fishing as the subject, and what comes out is the importance of sharing experiences with friends, and a hometown feeling for the land and Wisconsin. I love this book!

A master looks back...and ahead

Here a treasure of memories and meaning, presented through the eyes of the writer as he traverses the span from childhood to grandfatherhood. All is spun around the idea of fishing --- particularly trout fishing --- and the various colorful family members, neighbors, buddies, cronies, children, and grandchildren who shared a host of adventures over many decades. Stokes has a wonderful sense of humor and insight and never misses a chance to turn the story of a mishap into something more: fun, learning, or simply human connections. It's great to see that Bill continues to work his wordsmithing magic, now that his professional career as a newspaper reporter in Wisconsin and Illinois has ended. To enjoy this book one need not be familiar with the Wisconsin lakes and rivers that are the backdrop for the tales; the hilarity, pathos, and wisdom that seep through transcends any particular landscape.