Saltwater Summer

by Roderick L. Haig-Brown

This tale of a young man's first summer as a commercial salmon fisherman on the BC coast, written in 1948 by the renowned fisherman and outdoor adventure writer Roderick Haig-Brown, has become a modern classic.

Don Morgan has made enough money trapping on northern Vancouver Island to realize his he has bought himself a 32-foot West Coast salmon troller, Mallard . In early summer, with his pal Tubby, he sets off on his great adventure, which does not unfold quite as he had pictured it. Don has a lot to learn--not just about commercial fishing, but about growing up. The fishing is so poor that Don could lose his beloved boat before the first season is over. But in the end, Don's own good sense prevails, his real friends come through, and he finds a way to overcome his troubles--running into some real-life adventure in the process.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Canada

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Roderick Langmere Haig-Brown (February 21, 1908 — October 9, 1976) was a Canadian writer and conservationist, who is acclaimed internationally for his writing on fly fishing.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

An unusual little story, written in 1948, of a young man's first summer as a commercial fisherman on the BC coast, and the lessons that he learned about fishing and about growing up!
Lots of details about commercial fishing, fairly specialized knowledge which was not always easy to understand....

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - the second time around. I'd like to add that my father was a commercial troller on the west coast of Vancouver Island and on the inside later in his life so it is something that I know a little about.

Well written, entertaining and enjoyable. I do believe they've undertold the dangers of conditions and maybe that's a good thing. Commercial fishing in this way is unfortunately a thing of the past, there's just not a living in it anymore, the openings are too short and the fish too sparse. As with the olden days hand loggers (my dad too), big business has taken over to pillage the resources with the help of the government regulators, cutting the little guy out entirely.

But I digress, an enjoyable book which opens a little window into a bygone era.