THE LATEST NEWS and advice on fly fishing, fly fishing gear, fly fishing trips, and fly fishing books and media.Fly Fishing's Quirky "Anti-Catalogs"
Bob Scammell writes in Canada's Brooks Bulletin about the good old days when fly fishing suppliers weren't afraid to tout virtually every one of their products as "The Best" or "The Only." He mentions the House of Hardy, Herter's, and R&R Feather Merchants of Rough and Ready, Californian, then notes that one company -- a mail-order book business started by Gary LaFontaine, still delivers the goods. "All this nostalgia came buzzing out of a Pandora’s box of half a dozen books I had ordered when I found the real treasure tucked inside: the latest copy of one of the quirkiest and best of the 'anti-catalogs,' the 'Book Mailer,' from Helena, Montana."
Comments
The Book Mailer is something I actually look forward to receiving. I have been getting it since it first began. Since Gary's death, the editors have made a valiant effort to keep the catalog true to Gary's vision. For the most part, they have accomplished that. I do miss the humor that one would find at the bottom of a page or hidden somewhere else. I highly recommend this catalog, whether on-line or in the mail.
Posted by: Rick Laughlin | May 22, 2007 4:49 PM