This Wonderful World of Trout by Charles K. Fox

[WildTigerTrout]

I recently found and purchased a very nice 1971 revised edition copy of the 1963 classic " This Wonderful World of Trout" by Charles K. Fox. I glanced through it and managed to read a couple of chapters. Two words to describe what I have read so far would be entertaining and informative. I can see why this book along with "A Modern Dry Fly Code" by Vince Marinaro have become flyfishing classics. IMO these two books should be present in the library of every serious fly angler. Anyone care to express their opinion of this book? Thanks WTT

 

[Fishidiot]

Anyone care to express their opinion of this book? Thanks WTT

Love it - great storytelling and perspective on a different era.

I had the good fortune of knowing Charlie and spending a good bit of time chatting with him about various topics (he loved WW fish and muskies in particular!) - he was always open to spending time chatting with an inquisitive teenager. Heckuva nice guy.

 

[rrt]

I agree. This Wonderful World... is a wonderful fly-fishing book. It was one of the first books about ff that I bought, and it certainly helped shape the way I think about fly-fishing. I believe his opinions were formed over many years of fishing, and they certainly influenced me. I profited from the informational chapters of the book. Even more, I enjoyed the fictional stories that Fox wrote. His cast of characters was probably based on fishermen he encountered, and even today they resonate as pretty realistic, not overly exaggerated caricatures. I re-read parts of this book and his companion fly-fishing book, "Rising Trout," each winter.

I also met Fox a couple of times when I was young, and I found him to be a gentleman. He was gently persuasive in urging sportsmanship and conservationism when he spoke with me. He remains one of my fly-fishing heroes, a true icon of the sport.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I own a nice copy and really enjoy it. It seems like flyfishing in that time period was the sport of quirky individuals who applied their unique sensibilities based on their observations of nature. It seems like a simpler and less hurried way of approaching fishing and life.

The unsmiling guys I see today rushing around wearing what looks like a Simms grey space suit and mirror bug sunglasses don't look like they are having much fun.

 

[dryflyguy]

I came across this book while browsing an antique store with my wife.
And bought it for like $5 if I remember correctly. It's a great read for sure - although I wasn't real crazy about the fictional stores in the 2nd half of it.

Shortly after I finished reading it, I purchased his second book - "Rising Trout". and I like it even better.
It's filled with solid fishing information - and his fascinating experiences on the water - from beginning to end

 

[WildTigerTrout]

dryflyguy wrote:
I came across this book while browsing an antique store with my wife.
And bought it for like $5 if I remember correctly. It's a great read for sure - although I wasn't real crazy about the fictional stores in the 2nd half of it.

Shortly after I finished reading it, I purchased his second book - "Rising Trout". and I like it even better.
It's filled with solid fishing information - and his fascinating experiences on the water - from beginning to end

I will have to keep an eye out for a copy of Fox's "Rising Trout".

 

[just_jon]

My winter reading include This Wonderful World of Trout, Modern Dry Fly Code and Fishing The Midge by Ed Koch every year. Ive been successful fishing CV linestoners using the simplistic fur and feather midge patterns in Ed's book. Think I'll read that first and fill a fox with old school midges.