Any time a new fly-fishing book comes across my desk for review, it is a treat.
When it lands on my desk at the beginning of December, well, that’s more of what I would call an early Christmas gift. And when it’s a new book by fly-fishing author Brian Smith, it’s all the more special.
Smith has become one of my favourite B.C. outdoor writers, for the plain and simple reason that his books are about fishing B.C. waters. His newest book, Seasons of a Fly Fisher – Fly Fishing Canada’s Western Waters, takes the reader on a year-long fishing trip of sorts. The journey goes from the Pacific Northwest, where they experience the thrill of fishing for salmon and cutthroat trout; to the lakes, rivers and streams of the Central Interior, where they tie into bright, shiny silver rainbow trout; on to the Bulkley Valley for powerful steelhead and, finally, to the East Kootenay and southern Alberta for even more trout fishing.
Throughout the seasons, Smith teaches, entices and takes the reader along on his travels throughout the province.
“When the first fair winds of March caress the B.C. Interior, our natural world awakens from winter’s grasp. Animals stir from their dens, the earliest migratory birds begin to appear, insects hatch from shallow ponds to nourish arriving bird life, lakes and rivers break from the long spell of ice-laden water and fly fishers look eagerly toward a fresh new year.”
From season to season, from coastal waters to lakes and rivers throughout the province, Smith discusses both strategies and fly patterns. The book includes 32 pages of fly patterns, as well as page after page of when, where and how.
“One of the prettiest little ‘fly fishing only’ lakes in the North Caribou, beckons fly fishers to its beauty every spring and summer. Not because its trout are large and plentiful, or it’s a famous and adulterated fishery like some others, but for the reason that it’s a special fishery, one with spectacular open scenery which attracts fly fishers who appreciate a quiet and restful place…”
I know just what he means. I fished such a lake for 20 years with my old dog Duff. I experienced true peace and tranquility up there.
“When I return to the Stellako after a few months’ absence, it becomes more and more like an old friend to me – predictable and reliable, like a pair of well-worn shoes. I’m not in a hurry to get my rod in the water, preferring to linger a while at the bridge, watch the river move, study the flow and think of my experiences, because I know that even if I am treated unkindly (which means if I get skunked), it’s still one of the finest rivers in North America, and a privilege to be near it once again.”
In reading Seasons of a Fly Fisher, it is necessary to not only take in all the technical information that Smith has to offer, but also read between the lines and appreciate the experience of casting a line to the many water bodies he writes about. There is a lot in this book that one can learn. There is also a lot to simply sit back and enjoy.
I am sure that Seasons of a Fly Fisher would be a much-appreciated gift for any angler who fishes B.C.’s waters. I would also highly recommend Smith’s previous volume, Fly Fishing BC’s Interior – A Fly Fisher’s Guide to the Central Interior.
Both books are the kind that will inevitably find their way onto a lot of fly tying desks, not to mention a lot of anglers’ gear bags.
For now, however, my copy will be staying on my night table so that I can enjoy reading it while the cold winds howl outside, and I await the coming fishing season.
