First published 2012
Tarpon fishing transformed forever when William Halsey Wood landed the first big silver king on rod and reel in 1885. Randy Wayne White traces this revolution through the voices of those who lived it. Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Edison all pursued the silver king in Florida waters. Their firsthand accounts appear alongside stories from over 100 contributors spanning more than a century. White worked thirteen years as a professional tarpon guide before spending decades collecting these narratives with tournament angler Carlene Fredericka Brennen. The book reveals how Fort Myers became the world's premier big game fishing destination through the work of pioneer guides, historic lodges, boat builders, and scientists. Contemporary masters like Lefty Kreh, Billy Pate, and Thomas McGuane add their expertise to this comprehensive chronicle of America's most prized game fish.
Genres: history, nature, adventure, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: non-fiction, personal-narrative
Setting: Florida, Fort Myers
Period: 1885, 20th Century
480 pages · Paperback · University Press of Florida