The Spawning Run

by William Humphrey

William Humphrey’s delightful chronicle of an angling holiday in Wales celebrates two equally astonishing the Atlantic salmon and the British fly fisherman  In order to mate in the same freshwater stream where it was spawned, the salmon swims one thousand miles or more and overcomes countless obstacles, from trawling nets to twelve-foot-high waterfalls. To catch the King of Fish at the end of its incredible journey, the Anglo-Saxon angler subjects his pride, his bank account, and his taste buds—poached milk, anyone?—to similar dangers. Nine out of ten salmon do not make it back to the sea once their spawning run is finished; nine out of ten sportsmen return to the hotel empty handed when the fishing day is done.   And yet, year after year, they return to the rivers and streams of Great Britain—fish and angler both. Why? Perhaps “poor Holloway,” who has yet to land a salmon after twenty spawning seasons but whose success rate with the bored wives of more skillful fisherman is scandalously impressive, knows the answer.   An elegant blend of fishing narrative, travelogue, and character study, The Spawning Run is a hilarious and heartfelt tribute to the irresistible passions that unite us man, woman, and salmon.   This ebook features an illustrated biography of William Humphrey including rare photos form the author’s estate.

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1970

About the author

William Humphrey was an American novelist, memoirist, short story writer, and author of literary sporting and nature stories. His published works, while still available in French translation, largely have been out of print until recently. Home from the Hill and The Ordways are available from LSU Press. In 2015, Open Road Media published the complete works of William Humphrey in digital form.
Of significant interest to readers of Humphrey are Wakeful Anguish, A Literary Biography of William Humphrey by Ashby Bland Crowder as well as Far From Home, Selected Letters of William Humphrey edited by Crowder, both available from Louisiana State University Press.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, funny tale about not catching salmon in Wales.