Uncommon Waters: Women Write about Fishing

This unusual anthology of essays, poems and stories by writers famous and unknown celebrates the joys of fishing for women. Viva's risible delivery of her adventures during the opening of trout season in Roscoe, N.Y., shows how hard it is for people to accept a woman who plays the role of both femme fatale and serious sports enthusiast. Lorian Hemingway, granddaughter of the famous angler/writer, gives a teeth-clenching account of angling for marlin. In between are poems by Tess Gallagher, Linda Hogan and Carletta Wilson, a tale by Sugar Ferris that penetrates a large female bass's mind's eye and a moving memoir by Jean Rysstad of her fisherwoman-daughter, who was killed by a rogue wave. Also included is the first piece--by man or woman--published on the sport. Written in 1421 by Dame Juliana Berners, it is a fascinating primer on every aspect of the endeavor, from making a rod to preparing bait, with instructions that sound like recipes for a witch's brew: ``take wheat and seeth it well and then put it in blood a whole day and a night.'' This collection pk should inspire more women to record their outdoor experiences and in so doing create a new vision of feminine independence. Morris is a Seattle editor and angler. Illustrated. (Oct.)