The Battenkill [Hardcover]

John Merwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1993

Full of lore, fascinating history, and shrewd fishing advice on this great Vermont river.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Battenkill has long been known as one of this country's great trout streams. Merwin, formerly the editor of Fly Fisherman and a contributor to many angling books, has fished it often for 20 years in both Vermont and New York. In sketching the river valley's history and its influence on artists, writers, and residents from Ethan Allen to Norman Rockwell and Lee Wulff, Merwin seeks to explain its mystique while also advocating changes in management to restore its fishing glory. Less thorough than Ben Bachman's Upstream ( LJ 2/1/85) and James Dina's Voyage of the Ant ( LJ 9/15/89), which both describe the Connecticut River, Merwin's book is nevertheless a loving description, perhaps limited in appeal to those, especially trout enthusiasts, who know or would like to know the Battenkill.
- Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

From its quiet beginnings in the southern Vermont hills to its junction with the Hudson River near Schuylerville, New York, the world-famous Battenkill River is as rich with history as with trout (which are still both plentiful here and notoriously difficult). Veteran author John Merwin explores both the river's traditions and its fishing opportunities in a remarkably charming blend of natural and popular history. This pastoral valley has been home to a wonderful variety of characters. Ethan Allen was Vermont's greatest eighteenth-century hero but also a drunken fool who, from his home along the river, conspired to give the newly independent republic of Vermont back to the British. Asa Fitch, America's first professional entomologist, wandered the lower river valley in the 1800s with dozens of fluttering specimens prominently pinned to his formal top hat. Norman Rockwell, one of America's most beloved artists, lived and painted along the river for thirteen years; Rockwell happened to be out listening to a lecture by his famous fisherman-neighbor Lee Wulff on the night his painting studio was tragically destroyed by fire. Then there are the fish. The Battenkill is counted as the most difficult of rivers by serious trout fishermen, and its clear, cool waters still offer substantial numbers of wild brook and brown trout. Merwin explores tackle, tactics, special fly patterns and the river's fly hatches in depth. (6 1/4 X 9 1/4, 212 pages, b&w photos, map)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (June 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558212086
• ISBN-13: 978-1558212084
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,106,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical account and reality of the fishing, November 23, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battenkill (Hardcover)

Merwin goes to great lengths to give a balanced and careful history of the region. The book is certainly to be the definitive Bible of Battenkill, written with the obvious love and endearment felt for the subject. I can hardly wait to visit in the coming years and will use this book as my guide.

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Sarah! I purchased the book for a friend, he loved it!!, March 18, 2011

By 

nette - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Battenkill (Hardcover)

Sarah's Book Store was able to find this "rare" book, THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!! Sara quickly responded to my email and quickly packaged and mailed the book to me!

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and exhausting history of the Battenkill, November 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battenkill (Hardcover)

This is sure to be the definitive piece of work on the Battenkill. The author went to great lengths to document the river's history and it has an extensive bibliography. Perhaps most interesting is the peeling away of the layers of the Battenkill's mystique of fly fishing. I particularly enjoyed the stories about Charles Orvis.