Starred review from July 14, 2003
Using a new line with the old formula of the trout fishing–road trip memoir, DiBenedetto, an editor at Field & Stream
magazine, creates an original debut about striped bass fishing. Following the fall migration from Maine to North Carolina, the author captures the fish's rich history, which has seen it go from being one of America's premiere game fish to near extinction, and its present state as the prime example of how a fish population can rebound thanks to the joint efforts of fishermen, conservationists and politicians. The combination of history and science fleshes out the fishing scenes and makes the book more than a young man's romp down the coast. Adding to the local flavor at each stop is the cast of characters, some salty and some sweet, who accompany and guide DiBenedetto on his journey. Eschewing trite euphemisms for fresh interpretations of the natural world ("this wad of baitfish spinning like a disco ball"), DiBenedetto is both informative and entertaining. The imaginative language combined with forays into the uncharted waters of atypical sports like spearfishing, underwater videography and skishing (think ocean fishing without the boat) brings an adventuresome, open-minded attitude that much fishing literature lacks. Written during the fall of 2001, the book's high point is DiBenedetto and his young nephew's trip to New York Harbor when "a cloud still emanated" from ground zero. Fun and refreshing, DiBenedetto's book will hook fishermen and may even net its share of landlubbers as well. Illus., map.