Tales of Fishes

A morning on the Panuco River near Tampico introduces Zane Grey's accounts of fishing, where watching the water can be as memorable as landing a catch. With his guide Attalano, he observes tropical birds, changing tides and tarpon that leap and roll while refusing the bait. The opening gives close attention to the surroundings and to the mixture of hope, patience and frustration that shapes a day with rod and reel.

The collection ranges across tarpon, sailfish, swordfish, bonefish and tuna, with chapters on Gulf Stream fishing and Avalon. In one passage, Grey and R. C. work together from a canoe as a strong fish circles them and floating seaweed threatens the line. These personal sporting accounts combine descriptions of fish behavior with the practical difficulties of handling tackle in wind and waves. Readers interested in angling or accounts of life outdoors will find both fishing detail and the author's reactions to the sea.