THE FISHING YEARS
Rob Sloane takes an interest in another John Parsons book.

This, John Parsons says, is to be his last fishing book. Others like me whose fishing shelves hold more than half a dozen Parsons titles will be saddened at that prospect, but if nothing else, this rambling collection of previously unpublished (in book form) bits and pieces will remind us to revisit those earlier New Zealand classics—A Fisherman’s Year, Parsons’ Glory, A Taupo Season and Deceiving Trout.

Typical of Parsons, The Fishing Years includes no instructional how or where to, and it is simply packaged in a green soft-cover with plain gold title. No illustrations, just a collection of notes and stories gathered from his fishing years in NZ since 1952. Outings, flies, events, history, reflections, reviews, people, places and politics—the subject matter is diverse, although his lifelong interest in fishing related books is a constant theme.

For me, The Fishing Years filled in more than a few blanks, including some glimps-es into the author’s pre-New Zealand life —not dissimilar in many ways to my own father’s early life in the English countryside—disrupted by war, and then a desire to emigrate; even a shared reluctance to return and face the inevitable changes. Parsons’ limited success and opportunity to fish prior to moving to Taupo in 1972 may also come as a surprise, and provide comfort, to many. We all have responsibilities to family and work, and fly fishing success doesn’t come overnight.

If you’ve enjoyed other Parsons books I suggest you add The Fishing Years to your collection. For those less familiar, a few trips to the library may be needed in order to fully appreciate this one.