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Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 7:28 am
by tie2fish
This is as good a place as any to make a case for finding and reading Steve's book Upper Columbia Flyfisher by Steven Bird (2010, Frank Amato Publications, Portland, OR). It is a gem of a tome describing what it's like for a guide and dedicated soft hackle fisherman to live next to and fish in a wild trout factory.

Suggested Source: https://www.amazon.com/Upper-Columbia-F ... 1571884483

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:16 am
by letumgo
Bill,

I second your suggestion. Great book.

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 3:38 pm
by ronr
thank you Steve... that's terrific. I'm sure you enjoy the peace and quiet.... and thanks to the other forum guys for the link to your book... My daughter and son-in-law live in WA. and we get to fish together from time to time. Other than the Yakima, I've not fished too many trout streams in your fair state... I'll have to do some homework.
Happy Holidays...

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 3:46 pm
by ronr
Steve PS just ordered your book... :)

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 5:43 pm
by UC Steve
Thanks for the plug, Bill, Ray.

Ron, hope you enjoy the book. I think the essays have held up well, however if I had it to do over the fly section would be different, as it reflects a cross-section of what I was tying & fishing 25 years ago. I stayed with the original patts I came up with specifically for meeting the UC, leaving out the traditional North Country spiders & Liesenring/Hidy patts I was fishing at the time, feeling those had already been amply covered. I had mixed feelings regarding writing about my home water, as I'd of preferred to keep it secret, however keeping it secret was not exposing the serious problems confronting the river... The last chapter has to do with smelter/mining pollution coming down from Canada, & a year after I published the book Canada cleaned up its act, happy to say. Since that time we've seen an increase in mayflies & mayfly species, as well as the return of stoneflies missing from the system for many years.

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:12 pm
by ronr
Steve... I devoured the book.. and posted a few comments in another part of the forum on your post of the deer fly... I appreciate you telling it like it is and there's way too many stories about the damage to our environment that many folks will never hear unless folks like you speak up. My daughter and fishing partner at times lives in the suburbs of Seattle and has a love of the outdoors. I plan to share your book with her and her husband so they can experience the Upper Columbia.

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:23 am
by UC Steve
ronr wrote: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:12 pm Steve... I devoured the book.. and posted a few comments in another part of the forum on your post of the deer fly... I appreciate you telling it like it is and there's way too many stories about the damage to our environment that many folks will never hear unless folks like you speak up. My daughter and fishing partner at times lives in the suburbs of Seattle and has a love of the outdoors. I plan to share your book with her and her husband so they can experience the Upper Columbia.
Ron, thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the book. Cool you got a signed hard-cover. I don't sell them myself, so you probably got as good a deal as one might get. If you get a chance, steal a copy. Dividend checks from Amato flow like extinct glaciers. ;)

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:35 pm
by ronr
My daughter is a free lance book editor.... she's been in the book business all her career and understands how difficult it is to get a book published...making a buck afterwards seems even harder. You deserve the rewards of your efforts aside from the pleasure of writing. Thanks for sharing your story.

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:23 pm
by swellcat
". . . steal a copy."
"Steal this book."

Rough out there, in quasi-capitalist land.

Re: Spruce Spider

Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:59 pm
by UC Steve
swellcat wrote: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:23 pm
". . . steal a copy."
"Steal this book."

Rough out there, in quasi-capitalist land.
:lol: