Fly Fishing Authors: Paul Schullery

If you’re not familiar with Paul Schullery, you’re missing out on some of the finest outdoors literature produced by a North American writer. He has written everything from seminal works on fly fishing history (American Fly Fishing, 1987), to a profiles of great bear hunters (The Bear Hunter’s Century), to several works showcasing his extraordinary knowledge of the history and culture of Yellowstone National Park.
In the April issue of American Angler, Mr. Schullery’s “History” column is on “Skaters, Skippers and Dappers” and reaches back more than 150 years for the source of some peculiar actions imparted to dry flies.
What makes Schullery’s writing different in this age of internet-suffused knowledge? He does real research the old fashioned way. In the process he uncovers hidden connections and shows how fly fishers — ingenious as they are — often reinvent old ideas and put them in new, more fashionable clothes. It’s all fascinating stuff, and I wish there were more writers with the talent for it.