The Next Valley Over: An Angler's Progress

by Charles Gaines

Acclaimed sporting and adventure writer Charles Gaines has spent much of his life on the water, around the world, fishing rod in hand, angling for trout, redfish, salmon, bonefish, bass, marlin, tuna, and practically everything else that swims. Just about any place where there's water to fish and eccentrics to keep him company, Charles has been.

The Next Valley Over , a collection of his best writing on fishing over the years, culled from the pages of Men's Journal , Forbes FYI , Sports Afield , and other journals, is about the heart of the sport. While his stories are lined with the accoutrement of angling--the art of technique, the equipment, the lodges, the fish themselves--they're really about why we love to fish and what it means to our culture. As Thoreau once "Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." What "they are after" is what Charles is curious about, and he has devoted a better part of his life and sanity to coming up with answers.

His pilgrimage is divided into three parts. "Striking the Tent" sets the tone--the spark is ignited on Lake Tadpole when Charles can start to see the design of his life as a fisherman, the stillness and perfect solitude of a day starting at 3:45 a.m. casting to cruising brown trout in Tasmania; a Montana guide who has given up all material possessions to spend his life fishing; a day in the life of the world's greatest fishing lodge. Part Two, "Gone Fishing," is the relentless pursuit of "the next valley over." Charles takes us around the world (seventeen countries) to fish for just about every species known to man. Here is the essence of fishing stories, with exotic locales, a wide cast of characters, and a lot of partying. In the process, Charles almost "wanders off the edge of his own map." The final part, "Rounding Third," finds Charles turning fifty and putting things into gaining an understanding for the fragility of the wild environments he loves; taking more care and time with his fishing; and completing the circle of his angler's progress back to the home water where he started and which he comes to know truly for the first time.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Stephen Morefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection of fishing stories! Charles is not only a fantastic writer, he's also a man of shockingly varied talents and interests. These stories make you feel like a co-traveler on his fishing expeditions- expeditions where the company and the menu feature as much as the fish. While this book is not kid-friendly (some wild stories from the 70's) and while I'd probably disagree with Charles about quite a few things, I'd sure love the chance to cast a line with him and listen to his incredible stories.

[john a allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this in a discount book store in a mall, and what a fine it was. I have it 5 stars because it won't let you give 10. If you have ever picked up a fly rod, you owe it to yourself to read this. No spoilers from me, just get the book.

[Danny Hampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Gaines goes beyond the world of just fishing in this collection of autobiographical stories and uses the sport as a catlyst for personal discovery and a look into the human psyche. Gaine's writing style has such a unique voice and tone that he easily takes the reader from one adventure to the next. However, no mattter how great the action of a story is he still manages to make deeper correlations the human experience . "The Next Valley Over" to Gaines' is not just the next fishing spot but the next lesson and higher understanding of life.

[James Windale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read for anyone interested in exotic locales in fishing. There's a lot of sentimental reflection of the author's own bonding experiences concerning his father and his children. A fantastic book if you're a fishing aficionado.

[Endira77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable, more on each page, sad it had to end.