Lunkers, Keepers, and Ones That Got Away: Fish Tales from Four Generations of Anglers

Stories of fishing with family and friends by beloved author Jerry Apps

From his first experiences going fishing with his pa as a boy, Jerry Apps was hooked. Eighty-some years later, Apps reflects on a lifetime of fishing and the memories and lessons hauled in along the way. As he recounts the simple pleasures of casting a line from shore on a warm summer evening or reeling in a lunker on opening day of trout season, he reminds us of the values fishing can teach people of all ages: persistence, resourcefulness, and the importance of caring for our natural world.

Along with his best-loved fish tales, Apps includes fishing photos from the family album and favorite angling locales, lingo, bait, and gear. He draws on interviews with fellow fishermen and -women, his own journal entries recorded over decades, and his popular newspaper column Outdoor Notebook. And, since it’s a tradition among fishing folks to pass along tales told by others, he shares stories that have come his way from extended family and friends—some of them funny, some poignant, many embellished, and all of them keepers. Humorous pen-and-ink illustrations made by artist Sid Boyum to commemorate the annual fishing season opener add charm to this delightful volume.

In Lunkers, Keepers, and Ones that Got Away, Apps captures the exciting, heartwarming, and nostalgia-inducing experiences that fishing brings to avid and casual anglers alike.