Upland Stream: Notes on the Fishing Passion

If writers on the subject are reliable witnesses, then fly-fishing is the most cerebral of sports; in these splendid essays, Wetherell ( Vermont Water ) supports that view convincingly. He explores tiny streams in New Hampshire, indulges in a wild fantasy about fishing his way around Vermont without ever leaving the water, and makes his first trip to the famous Montana rivers at the height of the Yellowstone fires (1988). Wetherell describes his home grounds as a place ``where it is possible to stand in all four seasons simultaneously and be uncomfortable in each.'' Recounting experiences with an inflatable raft, bass fishing on a large river, salmon fishing in Scotland and Nova Scotia, he finally addresses the ultimate question: ``Why fish?'' Wetherell's reflections on the foibles of fly-fishers, his delight in the sport and his love of nature will appeal to non-anglers as well as to fisherfolk. (Apr.)