Surfcaster's Quest: Seeking Stripers, Blues, and Solitude at the Edge of the Surging Sea

Surfcaster's Quest describes not only the habits of blues, stripers, bonito, and other gamefish, but also how to trick them into striking at pieces of wood, plastic, and metal flung out from the shore. This is a book about courage, contemplation, solitude, the appreciation of nature - and yes, religion, though not the kind conducted under a church steeple.

Interspersed with this thought-provoking mixture of soul-searching and surfcasting are fascinating historical tidbits about the Indians, pirates, and rumrunners who once occupied that obscure oceanic speck originally called "Isle of the Little God," Block Island. (53/4 X 81/2, 164 pages)

Good stuff. Great book! Thanks, Mr. Rowan, for sharing your passion and wisdom with us.


The Lure of Surfcasting   May 26, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Roy Rowan's a Surfcaster's Quest is a poetic portrait of a sport (or is it a religion? asks Rowan) that fascinates and informs while running a gamut of emotions from awe of that fierce and gallant adversary, the striped bass, to the joys of this solitary pursuit that creates so much peace of mind for its practitioners. You feel the salt spray in your face and your powerlessness as you wade along with the author into a surging sea and, in my case, you can't put down this delightful book until you've reeled in the last page.


Emotional tribute to a wonderful religion   January 8, 2000
 14 out of 15 found this review helpful

Roy Rowan's Surfcaster's Quest lives up to the effusive praise it's lacquered with. Though it's contents didn't quite stun me, after staying up all night to finish it, I was left with a smile on my face and sweet dreams ahead. Dreams of tackling the surf; battling the fierce fish with whom I compete.

While Rowan's early experiences occupy some of the indelible pages of this masterpiece, he also makes sure to touch upon human feelings, history, and literary reportage--the last of which looms large because so many other good writers enjoyed angling and successfully expatiated on it. However, he goes further than crummy writers like the envious, yet egotistic, William DOC Muller who concentrates mostly on his own bible of Surf Fishing while casting all others out as bogus nonsense. Rowan, rather, embraces the notion that Surf Fishing is something special to each individual who wades into the ocean hoping to catch the prize fish. He accepts and champions the fact that the beauty each man/woman sees in the religion may be unique, seperate.

All the while his thoughts jump from fishing itself to larger matters--philosophical meditation on nature or personal reflections. Throughout, he manages the difficult trick of simultaneously celebrating both fish and fisher, nature and humanity. Best of all is his lyrical prose, supported by dry wit and simple eloquence.

This book is a must read for all Surfcasting enthusiasts. In fact, I recommend this book to any and everyone who enjoys the sound of waves lapping against the shore.