daverichey March 23rd, 2008

TITLE: Fireships & Brimstone

AUTHOR: Richard A. Minich

PUBLISHER: All Exox Publications

CONTACT:

PO Box 493
East Aurora, NY 14052

WEBSITE: All Esox Publications
COST: $37.50 + postage; Hardcover with dust jacket

The author, a deeply addicted muskie fisherman, has taken a mighty leap from his earlier how-to books on catching muskies to a fast-paced novel. The novel, the first in a series of three to be announced on a yearly basis, features a new and unusual action figure in Indian angler Joe Gaspe. The FBI uncovers a scheme to bring death and destruction to our northern frontier between the United States and Canada.

Gaspe seems the most inept and illogical person to piece together a viable network of other anglers and guides along that poorly defined International Boundary. This group of guides and others have one purpose: to keep Gaspe informed about any unusual happenings along this poorly marked and watery border.

Minich’s characters are well defined, and the Homeland Security adds a modern hook to this well-written story. Gaspe’s loose group of informants consists of cousins, old friends, hangers-on and others among the local Indians and other folks on both sides of the border. They report to Gaspe, who in turn reports to the FBI and Homeland Security.

It’s a rollicking ride of counter-terrorist actions. There are bombings, murders, attempted murders, and believe it or not, a scalping as well. I read a novel each week for recreation, and this one is an excellent first attempt. It has a few flaws, but my biggest complaint is the dust jacket illustration.

It shows a bearded Joe Gaspe with long hair, beard,, soul patch and an exploding boat. The scheme of the terrorists is to blow up the Friendship Bridge between the U.S. and Canada, and like most novels, the hero helps save the day and thwart the bad guys.

It’s got just enough muskie fishing in it to make the book a collectible one for those anglers who love to muskie fish and love to collect books about muskie fishing. I buy and sell muskie titles, and read everything muskie-related, and this book fills my two major needs – a good read and another book for my collection. Buy this first book in the Joe Gaspe series, and you’ll be notified when the next two titles come out. – Dave Richey

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Tags: , "book review", "Robert A. Minich", Brimstone, dave richey, Fireships, fishing, muskie, snoops

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daverichey December 14th, 2007

TITLE: A Compendium Of Muskie Angling History
AUTHOR: Larry Ramsell.
PUBLISHER: the author

CONTACT:

Larry Ramsell
10907 N. County Road S
Hayward, WI 54843

WEBSITE: LarryRamsell.com
eMAIL: Contact the author for detailed book information.
Price: $34.95 ea. + S/H see website for details
Checks or money orders should be made payable to Larry Ramsell

Ramsell, a muskie historian from Hayward, Wisc., wrote the first definitive history of muskie fishing in 1982, and the first printing of that book is now worth $500 on the used and rare-book market. providing one can be found. A second printing paperback book was published in 1997. This set of two books is a revised, updated and expanded third edition with a great deal of new information.

Some may wonder what a compendium is. It is something that gathers together and presents in concise or outline form all the essential facts and details of a subject. Ramsell has done exactly that with this book.

He covers the widest possible range of information on muskies and muskie fishing. The information contained in these two books is a major increase in information from the first or second editions. This 645-page Volume I (Volume II will be ready by the time you read this) is filled from cover to cover with the most amazing collection of muskie material ever pulled together.

I’ve fished with Ramsell, and he is more than a muskie historian and researcher. He is a muskie fisherman, and a very good one at that. The numbers of 40-pound fish he has caught and released is astronomical, and I’m happy to have put him on to one in the Upper Peninsula.

This and the second book in the set is filled with historically important b/w photos. Chapters include:

• His Chronological List of world -record muskies
• His chronological list of record muskies caught by month
• Establishing muskellunge history
• A revisionist history
• His thoughts on record keeping
• The World Records Part I: The Catch Stories
• The World Records Part II:The Controversies
• The Parting Line: Disclaimer and Conclusion
• An appendix and a note about the author

Perhaps Ramsell should have been a farmer because he is very good at digging up information. This book brings to light some key information on:

• Louis Spray
• Cal Johnson
• Art and Ruth Lawton
• Percy Haver
• and many other anglers

Whenever a big potential muskie has been caught in the past, it seems that many people do not believe it. And for good reason because numerous weights and lengths have been falsified over the years. But Ramsell, and his collaborator Brad Latvaitis of Michigan have pooled their talents in a new and information-filled new book.

This book is a must for any muskie fisherman, and that is especially true for those people who collect muskie titles. However, considering the rapid increase in value of Ramsell’s 1st hardcover edition, it’s possible this two-volume set will be of great interest to anglers and historians as well as a collector’s item that will increase in value over the years. This set is a winner!

Tags: "larry ramsell", "muskie fishing", "scoops books", "world records", angling, compendium, hayward, history, muskie, wisconsin

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