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Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon
"Funny, wistful, and wonderful." --Carl Hiaasen
"You will love this book." --Michael Keaton
"The writing is breathtaking...a masterpiece." --Wright Thompson
"The most compelling non-fiction book I've read in years."
--Randy Wayne White
From the bestselling author of Saban , 4th and Goal , and Sowbelly comes the thrilling, untold story of the quest for the world record tarpon on a fly rod, a tale that reveals as much about Man as it does about the fish.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, something unique happened in the quiet little town on the west coast of Florida known as Homosassa. The best fly anglers in the world all gathered together to chase the same Holy Grail--the world record for the most glamorous and coveted fly rod species, the tarpon.
The anglers spent all day on the water competing and would gather each night to socialize and party--some harder than others. And the world record fell nearly every year. But records weren't the only things that were hooks, lines, rods, reels, hearts and marriages didn't survive, either. The egos involved made the atmosphere electric. The difficulty of the quest made it legitimate. And the vices that swept in with the tide made it all veer out of control. It was a collision of circumstances that was unprecedented in the world of fishing and one that will never be seen again.
In Lords of the Fly , Monte Burke, an obsessed tarpon fly angler himself, delves into this seminal moment and the growing popularity of the amazing tarpon, a fifty-million-year-old species that can live to eighty years old and can grow to three hundred pounds. This massive, leaping, bullet train of a fish, when hooked in shallow water, produces "immediate unreality," as the late poet and tarpon obsessive, Richard Brautigan, once described it.
Lords of the Fly ties together the lives of the biggest names in angling--Ted Williams, Stu Apte, Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Thomas McGuane, Billy Pate, Tom Evans, and Steve Huff--as well as present-day stars like Andy Mill, David Mangum and Nathaniel Linville.
Alongside the story of the world-record pursuit, Burke also chronicles the heartbreaking destruction of the fishery brought on by greed, environmental degradation and the shenanigans of a notorious Miami gangster--and how all of it has shaped contemporary tarpon fishing.
Filled with larger-than-life characters and vivid prose, Lords of the Fly is not only a must read for anglers of all stripes, but also for those interested in the desperate yearning of the human condition.
"You will love this book." --Michael Keaton
"The writing is breathtaking...a masterpiece." --Wright Thompson
"The most compelling non-fiction book I've read in years."
--Randy Wayne White
From the bestselling author of Saban , 4th and Goal , and Sowbelly comes the thrilling, untold story of the quest for the world record tarpon on a fly rod, a tale that reveals as much about Man as it does about the fish.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, something unique happened in the quiet little town on the west coast of Florida known as Homosassa. The best fly anglers in the world all gathered together to chase the same Holy Grail--the world record for the most glamorous and coveted fly rod species, the tarpon.
The anglers spent all day on the water competing and would gather each night to socialize and party--some harder than others. And the world record fell nearly every year. But records weren't the only things that were hooks, lines, rods, reels, hearts and marriages didn't survive, either. The egos involved made the atmosphere electric. The difficulty of the quest made it legitimate. And the vices that swept in with the tide made it all veer out of control. It was a collision of circumstances that was unprecedented in the world of fishing and one that will never be seen again.
In Lords of the Fly , Monte Burke, an obsessed tarpon fly angler himself, delves into this seminal moment and the growing popularity of the amazing tarpon, a fifty-million-year-old species that can live to eighty years old and can grow to three hundred pounds. This massive, leaping, bullet train of a fish, when hooked in shallow water, produces "immediate unreality," as the late poet and tarpon obsessive, Richard Brautigan, once described it.
Lords of the Fly ties together the lives of the biggest names in angling--Ted Williams, Stu Apte, Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Thomas McGuane, Billy Pate, Tom Evans, and Steve Huff--as well as present-day stars like Andy Mill, David Mangum and Nathaniel Linville.
Alongside the story of the world-record pursuit, Burke also chronicles the heartbreaking destruction of the fishery brought on by greed, environmental degradation and the shenanigans of a notorious Miami gangster--and how all of it has shaped contemporary tarpon fishing.
Filled with larger-than-life characters and vivid prose, Lords of the Fly is not only a must read for anglers of all stripes, but also for those interested in the desperate yearning of the human condition.
- GenresNonfictionOutdoorsSports
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2020
161 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 26, 2021
Well written and researched. It's exactly what the title states. Incredible look into a world so seldom visited but the core sport for a very few. I was especially surprised at the specializations and skills of the guides in the Everglades and within the Homosassa Gulf region of Florida.
Lots of name drops and the photos were supreme to comprehension for these sizes and jumps. Both. Many individual stories, some of them raunchy or weird, but all of them fisherman tale interesting.
It's a look into a world where a man may for 124 consecutive days for 10 hours or more each day spent- spot, cast and play a line without success.
Most of the events of most renown occurred in the late 1960's until almost 1990- for its prime heyday of locating and trophy weight competitions. The details and onus of this entire process and cognition attempted or registered is worth a gander.
Interesting to read the reviews too. Obsessions become obsessions for intricate skill reason or two. Often. Prejudice against sport or leisure that is "worthy" earned or not?
I was mesmerized by the descriptions of the hands for that ultimate fishing guide. Poling boats through swamps will do that to you. Much outside physical work will. And the braggadocio that cores the tale telling.
Lots of name drops and the photos were supreme to comprehension for these sizes and jumps. Both. Many individual stories, some of them raunchy or weird, but all of them fisherman tale interesting.
It's a look into a world where a man may for 124 consecutive days for 10 hours or more each day spent- spot, cast and play a line without success.
Most of the events of most renown occurred in the late 1960's until almost 1990- for its prime heyday of locating and trophy weight competitions. The details and onus of this entire process and cognition attempted or registered is worth a gander.
Interesting to read the reviews too. Obsessions become obsessions for intricate skill reason or two. Often. Prejudice against sport or leisure that is "worthy" earned or not?
I was mesmerized by the descriptions of the hands for that ultimate fishing guide. Poling boats through swamps will do that to you. Much outside physical work will. And the braggadocio that cores the tale telling.
September 15, 2020
Fly fishing is a sport built on tall tales and stories. This is a fantastic collection of stories detailing the quest for the world record Tarpon on the fly.
*best enjoyed while sipping rum/whiskey late at night while dreaming of your next fishing trip
*best enjoyed while sipping rum/whiskey late at night while dreaming of your next fishing trip
October 20, 2020
This is an amazing and at times insightful book on a fishing subculture I didn't know existed before I started reading it. The lives and passions of people pursuing record-size tarpon off Florida -- sometimes in the Keys, sometimes in the Panhandle, but mostly off a small Gulf coast town called Homosassa -- make for fascinating reading. There are wild tales of rival fishing guides doing battle with their poles, of an angler who tied a fly using his girlfriend's pubic hair, of an unhinged mobster missing three fingers who nevertheless improved the sport. There are brawls and pranks and drug-dealing. The opening anecdote alone, involving an ailing angler with a GI problem and his guide reeling in a record-setting fish, made my jaw drop.
To his credit, author Monte Burke doesn't shy away from the more controversial elements of these stories, discussing the ethical dilemma of loving the fish they pursue while also having to kill those fish to claim the record, ad also pointing out the socioeconomic disparity between expert guides who devote their lives ot gaining knowledge and the wealthy "sport" who's paying the way for them to spend the day on the water.
Burke does a terrific job of evoking the 1970s in Homosassa, when tarpon fishermen first discovered the bounty off Homosassa, and it was common to see hundreds or even thousands of tarpon surging across the flats offshore, and then charting the overfishing and land development that eventually led to the area losing what had made it so attractive. He makes one minor fact error, confusing the Southwest Florida Water Management District with the South Florida Water Management District, but otherwise he's got his story straight about what went wrong and who's to blame.
But the book has two major problems. One is that Burke feels compelled to list the names of all the great fishermen and guides, over and over, like they're an incantation, and often I couldn't tell one from the other. The other is that he uses a lot of technical terms for the gear without really explaining them. Perhaps he assumes the only people reading the book are other fly fishermen, but as a guy who grew up using mostly cane poles to haul in bream, I'm sort of lost.
I wish, too, that the book hung together better as a coherent narrative. We start off following one of the kings of the record-chasers, now in decline, and I thought perhaps we'd be spending much of the book hanging out with him. Instead we get lots of back story and digressions and so forth, making this less a single story and more of a collection of fish tales. But man, what a lot of great tales they are!
To his credit, author Monte Burke doesn't shy away from the more controversial elements of these stories, discussing the ethical dilemma of loving the fish they pursue while also having to kill those fish to claim the record, ad also pointing out the socioeconomic disparity between expert guides who devote their lives ot gaining knowledge and the wealthy "sport" who's paying the way for them to spend the day on the water.
Burke does a terrific job of evoking the 1970s in Homosassa, when tarpon fishermen first discovered the bounty off Homosassa, and it was common to see hundreds or even thousands of tarpon surging across the flats offshore, and then charting the overfishing and land development that eventually led to the area losing what had made it so attractive. He makes one minor fact error, confusing the Southwest Florida Water Management District with the South Florida Water Management District, but otherwise he's got his story straight about what went wrong and who's to blame.
But the book has two major problems. One is that Burke feels compelled to list the names of all the great fishermen and guides, over and over, like they're an incantation, and often I couldn't tell one from the other. The other is that he uses a lot of technical terms for the gear without really explaining them. Perhaps he assumes the only people reading the book are other fly fishermen, but as a guy who grew up using mostly cane poles to haul in bream, I'm sort of lost.
I wish, too, that the book hung together better as a coherent narrative. We start off following one of the kings of the record-chasers, now in decline, and I thought perhaps we'd be spending much of the book hanging out with him. Instead we get lots of back story and digressions and so forth, making this less a single story and more of a collection of fish tales. But man, what a lot of great tales they are!
June 2, 2022
This book is engaging and enthralling. I love learning about the history of Tarpon fishing in Florida. The last 3rd of the book dragged a bit for my taste. Overall, a very enjoyable read.
February 12, 2023
Makes me want to go fishing🎣
October 28, 2025
Richard Brautigan was my kind of angler: “Brautigan loved to fly fish, but he loved to do it in his own simple way, standing in the same spot in a mountain stream for hours on end and catching six-inch brook trout” (p. 47). Accordingly, I share Brautigan’s instinctive suspicion of “big rods, big fish, and big action” (ibid.); hell, as a Christian, I’ve got to. Alas, both Brautigan and Burke seem eventually to have come to the conclusion—a joyous one, for them—that tarpon fishing is more or less a form of tripping: we are told that the silver king “create[s] immediate unreality upon contact” (p. 48). Call me crazy, but I’ll take a trout stream, an ale, and some reality-attuned pages out of Bugbee any day.
At one point in Lords of the Fly, Burke asks: “Is it ethical or moral to kill an animal for a world record, especially an animal that one does not intend to eat?” (p. 88). To his credit, Burke’s inclination is to answer his own question in the negative; but in the end, he tamps down his conscience and suggests that “it is a complicated issue” (p. 89).
Well, I guess I’m not so sure it’s that complicated. It seems to me that the unhinged, coke-addled tarpon-chasing culture of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s descended like a hellish sideshow on Key West and its satellites because men like Brautigan simply—sadly—left their first love.
At one point in Lords of the Fly, Burke asks: “Is it ethical or moral to kill an animal for a world record, especially an animal that one does not intend to eat?” (p. 88). To his credit, Burke’s inclination is to answer his own question in the negative; but in the end, he tamps down his conscience and suggests that “it is a complicated issue” (p. 89).
Well, I guess I’m not so sure it’s that complicated. It seems to me that the unhinged, coke-addled tarpon-chasing culture of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s descended like a hellish sideshow on Key West and its satellites because men like Brautigan simply—sadly—left their first love.
September 13, 2020
Incredibly entertaining read, especially to someone who has never fly-fished for tarpon.
Stories pour out of the pages. Highly engaging.
Stories pour out of the pages. Highly engaging.
December 29, 2020
This is my favorite “first time read” book of the entire year and I think I’ll stop while I’m ahead for the remaining 3 days. The Lords of the Fly captured my imagination from the first chapter. I have fished most of my life and fly-fished the last 25 years, but never fly fished in the ocean or had any interest in doing so. But after reading this book, I need to rethink that. This is an adventure story with all the thrill of an intense novel, but with all of the warts of real life. I learned so much from this book about the sport of Tarpon fishing, but more so about the strength of the human spirit and the danger of obsession. Highly recommend this book. Both sportsmen and sportswomen will enjoy immensely, as well as those who are interested in the psyche of high achievers taking their passions to the very edge.
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December 20, 2021Great read.
Burke provided a balanced & informative dive into tarpon fishing along with some great humor ("You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning."). He provides in-depth background into the fishing greats of old and the new generation.
I particularly appreciated the look at the environmental impacts of development (i.e., housing communities, golf courses...) on the fishing and the maritime environment.
Additionally, while Burke provides great insight into the legends of tarpon fishing he does not sugarcoat the ethical and moral issues associated with the sport.
A great read. I highly recommend this book.
Burke provided a balanced & informative dive into tarpon fishing along with some great humor ("You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning."). He provides in-depth background into the fishing greats of old and the new generation.
I particularly appreciated the look at the environmental impacts of development (i.e., housing communities, golf courses...) on the fishing and the maritime environment.
Additionally, while Burke provides great insight into the legends of tarpon fishing he does not sugarcoat the ethical and moral issues associated with the sport.
A great read. I highly recommend this book.
September 4, 2022
This book really deserves a one star but since it's about fishing, I can't go that low. I have been an avid fly fisherman for over 30 years and have read many books about fishing and I can safely say, this was the worst. Most of this book was focused on narrow minded individuals in their singular pursuit of IGFA records. It was nauseating to read about selfish people who just didn't get what fishing is all about.
November 8, 2020
Terrific history of the madness of fly fishing for tarpon in the 70s and 80s in Homasassa FL, where my parents lived for many years. Great tale of egos, characters, as well as another reminder, as if we needed one, how quickly we’re ruining the planet. Cameo appearances by Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, and Russell Chatham.
April 18, 2021
For the love of a poon
Fly fishing is part art, a splash of ecology and lots of frustration and critical thinking. But alas, it’s awesome. When you read about done of the greatest anglers in this sport and their ease at handling one of the toughest foes, the poon, you will be amazed. This was a great and enjoyable historical review of Florida tarpon fishing. Thank you
Fly fishing is part art, a splash of ecology and lots of frustration and critical thinking. But alas, it’s awesome. When you read about done of the greatest anglers in this sport and their ease at handling one of the toughest foes, the poon, you will be amazed. This was a great and enjoyable historical review of Florida tarpon fishing. Thank you
August 3, 2021
As a saltwater fly fisherman, I found this book incredible for gaining insight to the history of the sport. The people, the places, the innovation, the issues. I can only imagine what it was like thanks to this book. This is a must read for anyone who loves saltwater fly fishing, tarpon, the idea of chasing world records, or the environmental degradation of Florida/the Everglades.
December 31, 2022
This was so beautifully written with vignettes throughout, I realized how little I knew about tarpon fishing (or, really, the sport of fly fishing as a whole). I enjoyed the gruff depictions of so many names I’ve heard of, and that though there are many differences between so many anglers, they’re always there for the fish. What a great read for the angler and non-angler alike!
October 22, 2020
aA weak 4. The fact that this sort of a story of obsession brought it up to a 4. I normally like stories of obsession, but I felt sort of sorry for the main character and it was hard to like anyone in the book.
June 2, 2021
Excellent read for anyone interested in fly fishing history. Engaging story, funny anecdotes, and just the right amount of historical background for anyone to enjoy, regardless of their fishing knowledge. Quick read, great for anyone preparing for an upcoming trip to the Keys.
July 2, 2021
A fantastic job at telling a unique and niche story. I enjoyed how the main story was wrapped into a cast of other stories around it. Also thought the additional context about gear, records etc. was very helpful and made the story easier to fully appreciate
December 9, 2021
Fast-paced enough to attract non-fishing readers, but detailed enough to entertain fishing junkies, Lords of the Fly is a modern masterpiece. I will look for other books (and articles) by author Monte Burke.
May 12, 2024
The people who can’t catch enough poon
The various guides and their fisherman clients who pursue tarpon, from discovery of new fisheries through eventual overfishing and collapse. If you’ve ever caught a tarpon, this book will probably strike a chord.
The various guides and their fisherman clients who pursue tarpon, from discovery of new fisheries through eventual overfishing and collapse. If you’ve ever caught a tarpon, this book will probably strike a chord.
March 27, 2025
Good book, paints a vivid picture of old Florida and the original guys who fished it. Touches on environmental problems in the state today and how that is effecting the fishery..Left me inspired to land a tarpon on fly
January 28, 2026
Absolutely loved this book. Burke did a fantastic job of interviewing the guys involved in the Tarpon Boom, and it shows. Well written, funny, and informative. Will definitely read more of his stuff—even unrelated to fly fishing—in the future
January 3, 2021
Great read. Very well written, very well researched, and very interesting. My only regret is I finished it so quickly.
January 4, 2021
Targeted at saltwater fly fisherman. Decent narrative and prose, but nothing particularly note worthy.
January 26, 2021
Superb. A true Testament of tarpon angling.
February 6, 2021
The title says it all except the locations (mostly the west coast of FL and the Keys and large cast of fishing characters. Best line- when fishing you are always one cast away from greatness.
June 6, 2022
Interesting book. I don't fly fish so that was all new to me.
August 2, 2022
This is a book I read, I enjoyed it. 4 stars.
October 28, 2022
homosassa?
Great read about many of the fishing icons I follow. Sad commentary of our fishery but true of any look at population and wild places. Thank you Monte
Great read about many of the fishing icons I follow. Sad commentary of our fishery but true of any look at population and wild places. Thank you Monte
December 23, 2022
An unbelievably detailed look inside the select few who have made tarpon fishing and record chasing their obsession.
April 11, 2024
Captured the rush of having a tarpon swallow your fly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews