Talk about keeping cool

The ties that bind

Trout Hunter

Rene Harrop

Pruett Publishing, $39.95

Rene Harrop knows trout. But, as he demonstrates in this collection of fly-fishing articles and essays, his five decades’ worth of expertise are the result of learning.

A Native American writer, innovative fly-tier, painter and guide who lives in eastern Idaho, Harrop came of angling age during the post-World War II years. He wasn’t always a pro, but he observed, learned and began creating. He listened to the selective trout of his home waters and created designs that have become standards for picky flat-water trout. The book includes indispensable pattern recipes that rely on natural materials in an age of sandal foam.

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-- Darrell Kunitomi