The goal of fly fishing is simple: to catch fish. But beyond this goal lies a not-so-simple question: why? In essence, what is the point of it all?
The question has puzzled anglers, writers, and armchair philosophers for ages. In his debut work, Matthew Shane Brown serves as our guide, casting not only his line into the deserted trout streams of the Great Basin, but also deftly dropping the reader into the questions of solitude, place, memory, and meaning. With lyrical prose and an introspective spirit, Brown weaves together observation, fieldwork, and philosophy… all with a raw, unflinching honesty.
Fly Fishing in the 21st Century is at once a field report and a meditation: an ode to the wild spaces and wild creatures of the American West, and a thanksgiving for the peace and clarity they bring to anyone willing to burn the gas to find them.
Matthew Shane Brown is a hunter, angler, and conservationist. He lives in the trout fisher’s paradise of Las Vegas, Nevada.
“An informative and comically unsparing account of an angler’s obsession.”
“This is a fresh book. The cry against what modernity has wrought on the human spirit, against what Thoreau observed over a century and a half ago-‘The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation’-is obvious to us each time we scroll through social media or turn on the news. But this take from the high desert of the Great Basin in Nevada is new and fierce.
It’s not often in the world of angling writing that a reader encounters an author that has fun with the words on the page. Brown writes in a slanting way that sometimes goes against the prescribed conventions of contemporary English, but they work. We follow the narrator as one does a wilderness guide. While we might not trust them always, they are the one to follow because they are the one leading.
Even with such a somber subject as the spiritual and moral state of the 21st century, Brown betrays his softness in the attention and care he gives to the precious mountain water he fishes to refresh himself. An obvious gratitude for wild places and fish we should all share a little more.”
Noah Davis, Outdoor Writer
“He captures the delicious lonesomeness of being outdoors (mostly in his home state of Nevada), alone, with one task at hand—hooking a trout (or dropping a bird), and a cold Coors back at the truck.“
Sean Stiny, for California Fly Fisher (read the full review)
“When an eloquent, intelligent author with a quick wit puts his talents to work on a book about fly fishing, this is the masterpiece you get. It’s part guidebook, part adventure and part tribute to the spirit of anglers like us.
It’s that spirit that drives Matthew Shane Brown to find the waters he casts to, high above the Nevada desert. For fellow fly anglers, it’s completely relatable, from the frustrations of getting to the high ground, to reaping the rewards. It’s not focused on the harvest, but the mindset and honest emotion that we all know.
For the non-fly-fishers, it’s more than just a primer, although the lessons are there. It’s a straightforward look at the need for the peace and quiet, the connection to nature and all that comes with it. There’s a philosophical side I believe any reader will appreciate, too.
Fly Fishing in the 21st Century offers a tantalizing taste of the highs and lows of angling, from the perspective of a “stick waver” and philosopher in a setting few readers will realize exists. I recommend savoring each course fully.“
Dana Crandell, Outdoor Writer
Publisher: The Upland Soul
Date of Publication: January 6, 2026
Length (paperback): 213 pages
Length (hardcover): 191 pages
ISBN (paperback): 979-8999423412
ISBN (hardcover): 979-8999423429
Book Cover Image: Fly Fishing in the 21st Century
Trade paperback 979-8999423412
Author Photo: Matthew Shane Brown
Photo: Shane Courville