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Bush Pilot Angler
Most people know the late Lee Wulff as the world's foremost salmon angler. Few, if any, think of him as a skilled bush pilot and explorer. But he was both, as Lee reveals in this extraordinary memoir. Based on an unpublished manuscript that was rediscovered only recently by his widow, Joan Wulff, this book tells the story of Lee's years pioneering the Atlantic salmon and brook trout fisheries on the remote coasts of northeastern Newfoundland and Labrador.
Having established a handful of outpost sporting camps by boat, Wulff quickly realized that getting clients and supplies in and out efficiently would require an airplane. So he cut a deal with Piper Aircraft and learned to fly a new bright-yellow J-3 Cub equipped with floats. Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, he ferried his sports one-by-one into isolated lakes and rivers where the fishing went beyond their wildest dreams.
Soar with Wulff through unpredictable mountain gusts, low over muskeg bogs, and blind through thick fog and smothering darkness. Meet his sons, Barry and Allan, and feel their father's pride as both become good anglers and valuable contributors to the operation of the camps. Get to know the warm, hard-working Newfoundlanders recruited as guides and camp staff. And share salmon pools with some of World War II's most notable generals, who fished with Lee during brief breaks from the horrors of the European front.
Bush Pilot Angler is an unforgettable story of courage, flying, love, and fishing. It is a fitting tribute to Lee Wulff, an extraordinary man who fought tirelessly for the conversation of his beloved Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland and throughout North America.
Having established a handful of outpost sporting camps by boat, Wulff quickly realized that getting clients and supplies in and out efficiently would require an airplane. So he cut a deal with Piper Aircraft and learned to fly a new bright-yellow J-3 Cub equipped with floats. Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, he ferried his sports one-by-one into isolated lakes and rivers where the fishing went beyond their wildest dreams.
Soar with Wulff through unpredictable mountain gusts, low over muskeg bogs, and blind through thick fog and smothering darkness. Meet his sons, Barry and Allan, and feel their father's pride as both become good anglers and valuable contributors to the operation of the camps. Get to know the warm, hard-working Newfoundlanders recruited as guides and camp staff. And share salmon pools with some of World War II's most notable generals, who fished with Lee during brief breaks from the horrors of the European front.
Bush Pilot Angler is an unforgettable story of courage, flying, love, and fishing. It is a fitting tribute to Lee Wulff, an extraordinary man who fought tirelessly for the conversation of his beloved Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland and throughout North America.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 27, 2022
A Reason to Listen
The author brings my two favorite activities into perfect harmony, fly fishing and flyin. Listening to my father read Wulff's stories in the early 1950s encouraged me to read at an early age. Conservation made sense even back in those days! Conversely, my career began with flying and only late in life did I take fly rod in hand to accomplish my last pursuit! I can recommend "Bush Pilot Angler!"
The author brings my two favorite activities into perfect harmony, fly fishing and flyin. Listening to my father read Wulff's stories in the early 1950s encouraged me to read at an early age. Conservation made sense even back in those days! Conversely, my career began with flying and only late in life did I take fly rod in hand to accomplish my last pursuit! I can recommend "Bush Pilot Angler!"
April 6, 2022
What a dream job!
February 8, 2015
While some fisherman enjoy reading about the size of the fish caught, those tales bore me. The value of the book, is the documentation of a bountiful resource, and how the fishery is managed by the local residents and the governing bodies. Details of the fish bounty are needed to understand how the fishery can be abused or lost. Sadly, this same scenario applies to every fishery.
The social and business interactions between Wulff, the local guides, and the (paying for the fishing thrill) sports is described with enough anecdotes and memoirs so lessons can be learned. The memoir covers the period from the late 40's to early 50's when Lee Wulff was inspired to access the fishery by float plane. The use of guides to fish similar waters in Newfoundland or Labrador or the Canadian maritime promises had been going on before Wulff's time. My personal interest would be to hear additional memoirs before float plane time. It is probably safe to say the use of float planes accelerated the changes to the fisheries and the local communities.
The historical pictures give a great face to the memoir.
Enjoy the read! I did.
The social and business interactions between Wulff, the local guides, and the (paying for the fishing thrill) sports is described with enough anecdotes and memoirs so lessons can be learned. The memoir covers the period from the late 40's to early 50's when Lee Wulff was inspired to access the fishery by float plane. The use of guides to fish similar waters in Newfoundland or Labrador or the Canadian maritime promises had been going on before Wulff's time. My personal interest would be to hear additional memoirs before float plane time. It is probably safe to say the use of float planes accelerated the changes to the fisheries and the local communities.
The historical pictures give a great face to the memoir.
Enjoy the read! I did.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews