More Good Words: "Gillraker"

At least part of the inspiration for MidCurrent was a desire to see more good fishing writing reach the Web, and it’s been satisfying to watch newer and better writing appear year after year. The latest is Gillraker, which was brought to our attention yesterday. Gillraker could be called a blog, but on the other hand it is obviously more concerned with fine writing than with entry-making. I spent about an hour there yesterday and read writing by author Andrew Steketee (Tidelines), novelist Robert Abel (Ghost Traps), author Greg Keeler, and William Comstock (a 19th century whaler). The Gillraker filter is drawing out some very good stuff so far, most of it thought-provoking, like Steketee’s take on fly tying in “Tying Inappropriate Flies:”
“Appreciating images of Dan Fink’s fly-tying nihilism (rattlesnake anatomy, hunting rounds, political hyperbole, etc. appended to fish hooks), I’ve concluded the fly-tying universe has missed the point around imagination. Not some compromised blend of utility, biology, and inspiration, but tying for tying’s sake — flies that sound less like the Fray, and more like Wilco or The Cold War Kids when played … DanBob’s Diamondback, Worm Ball, the Greedy George.”