Book: Most Trout Don’t Read

If, as is the case for many Montanans, your desire to fly fish for trout is negated by the activity’s formidable learning curve, pick up a copy of Most Trout Don’t Read: Lessons from Time on the Water (Sweetgrass Books, $20) and allow yourself to be relieved of this all-too-common obstacle. Author Scot Bealer clarifies the murky waters of our unofficial state pastime, through accessible instruction and educational stories. A recurring theme is that, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to learn Latin or buy a closet-full of expensive equipment. All you need is a few tips (hence the book itself) and then, just give the river your attention. Spend as much time as you can fishing, and be a good student. Which, of course, is the best way to learn about anything. As Wordsworth put it, “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.”