Fishing Season by Philip Weigall

Reviews and Media:

REVIEWS

Radio
Radio NZ Nine to Noon interview with Philip Weigall

Print
“It is axiomatic that a book should never be judged by its cover. I was immediately taken by this book’s cover, as by its overall presentation. The content, then, should have disappointed but, to the contrary, it was very much a match for the cover. This is not a book with glossy photographs of trophy back-country trout. It is a series of anecdotes and gentle musings. written by an Australian fly-fishing guide, and beautifully illustrated. Some of the stories in fact relate to New Zealand, but the majority are Australian-based, with fly fishing for Victorian trout predominant. Murray cod, salmon at sea, and the game fish of the Gulf of Carpentaria also feature, as do the problems of cooking in the bush, the vagaries of the angling character, and even the comparative dangers of snakes and wasps. This book captures much of the essence of fishing. It may well become a classic.” — John England, Waikato Times

'A year in the life of a flyfisher – challenges, disappointments, frustrations, but most of all quiet happiness.' The Daily Post

'Entertaining and informative ... a masterpiece.' Fishing & Outdoors

'I can thoroughly recommend this great little book as a good addition to any angler's library.' Nelson Mail

'This book beckons the reader in, holds the attention throughout with truly captivating vivid tales, to finally finish, leaving us wanting more.' New Zealand Fishing News

'Fishing Season deftly captures all that makes flyfishing a passion for so many.' Trade-A-Boat

'Let me say at the outset, it is a truly lovely book, beautifully made and presented and reminiscent of the craftmanship one associates with 19th century book publishing. I enjoyed reading it and have no doubt that Fishing Season would be an appreciated gift for any fisherman. Highly recommended.' Sir Robert Jones, Northern Advocate

'Fishing Season is cast in the mould of old, retaining elements that produce a ‘classic’ feel, without losing contemporary appeal. The production quality is superb, with design, writing style and physical attributes creating a synergy that puts it in the classy league and therefore, likely to command a coveted position amidst the libraries of those who appreciate quality.
Bound in traditional hardback and cased with jacket, Fishing Season is beautifully tactile and much of the pleasure in reading it comes from the feel of it in your hands; from the lightly embossed, crisp burnished jacket and high-grade paper that transports the story, to the wonderfully executed thumbnail paintings used to introduce each chapter. It even smells ‘bookish’.
These elements, when combined with the refined writing, promote Fishing Season from the ranks of just another fishing book, to one with perhaps a broader appeal. While essentially a contemplative book about the fly fishing experience, I think it will pique the interest of readers who have no yearning for fishing because it has qualities that transcend the subject matter.
Philip Weigall is obviously an accomplished angler but his ability with the pen, rather than the rod, is the making of this book. He is a wordsmith who crafts a good story, unlike the natural storyteller who fluidly spins a yarn. His style is evocative but uncomplicated, and he writes with clarity and an eye for good imagery: creating a brooding atmosphere one moment, while deftly toying with a little levity in another.
Weigall quietly draws you into the story while keeping you at arm’s length, so that you are only ever a voyeur to his adventures. You are invited to sit at his campfire, but upon the log on the other side of the flames. It’s a case of, “I brought you this far, now go and find the fun on your own.”
The book, as the name would suggest, is physically divided into four obvious sections – winter, spring, summer and autumn. This is a little contrived because the structure is more just a framework on which to hang a selection of his reflective writing, but it works. It works because the stories are engaging, random and meandering, much like a tiny stream that holds promise of a trophy trout.
A slight lapse in attention to detail sees the author, in one chapter, completely switch tense, writing in the present as opposed to the past, suggesting the book is in part a compilation of previously published stories fitted to suit the structure mentioned above. While not a cardinal sin, it is one of a few small literary degrees that may separate Fishing Season from a Great Work and possible classic.
I’ve mentioned nothing of the stories because they are best revealed page by page, as a stream is discovered pool by pool.' —Daryl Crimp, The Fishing Paper