Casting into the Light: Tales of a Fishing Life

Fishing columnist Messineo recounts a life spent fishing on Martha’s Vineyard in her delightful debut. Growing up in blue-collar New England mill towns, Messineo was a tomboy who evolved into a hippy in the late 1960s and followed an artsy path until she ended up in Martha’s Vineyard, where she eventually elbowed her way into the masculine sport of surfcasting. Chasing monster striped bass and toothy bluefish, she found her calling and redemption in fishing, which saved her from a failed marriage, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and a hand-to-mouth existence (she started off selling her catch to local restaurants). She writes with a beginner’s excitement about hooking a fish, such as when she landed a 45-pound bass: “My heart was pounding... my knees were shaking... I set the hook. Luck was with me and I was on again.” Messineo walks a tightrope of reporting (“bluefish have large razor-sharp teeth that are set into strong, unyielding jaws”) and memoir by giving great insight into the existence of professional anglers and the insular culture of Martha’s Vineyard. She ends with a selection of her favorite fish recipes, baked stuff bay scallops and bluefish cakes among them. Messineo’s captivating memoir brings a refreshing mix of vulnerability, accessibility, and joy to the fishing genre. [em](July) [/em]