Power of Positive Fishing

Michael Tougias and Adam Gamble had good lives: married with two children each, nice homes in the suburbs, jobs that paid the bills, and frequent fishing trips out on the ocean. But those comfortable lives had cracks in them and soon they found themselves hit by a rogue wave of divorce, financial hardship, addiction and career upheaval. What kept them going – and helped them navigate the rough waters of middle age – was fishing and friendship. Alone on the ocean they not only learned some of the successful secrets of striped bass fishing but they were also brutally honest in their advice for each other. They began to see their time spent on Adam’s boat, the Scout, as a way to explore new ways of thinking and dreaming big. The two not only discovered ways forward but achieved goals far beyond what they thought possible.

"I truly enjoyed this book. Forming real friendships in adulthood is rare, but a shared love for fishing is a powerful thing. Tougias and Gamble weave together a story that proves the bond between 'fishing buddies' is stronger than the term would suggest, as time spent together in the pursuit of fish can lead to meaningful human connection." --Kevin Blinko, Editor-in-Chief, On The Water, "You'll feel like you're on the water with the authors as they use their skiff not only to pursue fish, but as a brainstorming center to cope with life's many challenges. This moving story proves the benefits of fishing go far beyond bent rods or fish in the cooler." --John Skinner, fishing author and videographer, "I'm not a big fan of fishing essays because they always seem to fall flat compared to the experience itself. And I didn't think the idea of two guys alternating stories could work. But Michael and Adam hit it out of the park. They are both terrific storytellers and this book is fun and lively and heartwarming. From a harrowing tale of swimming with sharks in the Bahamas to seals and dolphins and ocean sunfish on the Cape, they make a life on the water come alive. Besides, I am always a sucker for books on striped bass or Cape Cod." --Tom Rosenbauer, author of The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide and host of the The Orvis Fly Fishing podcast, "This is an unusual fishing book that is much more about life than it is the sporting pursuit of fish. With recreational angling as the genesis of their friendship, Gamble and Tougias utilize fishing thematically to masterfully blend anecdotes, metaphors, and philosophical ideas to grip the reader. But throughout its prose, gems of angling insight suddenly emerge that will enlighten even a salty veteran. This book will surely entertain anglers and non-anglers alike."-- Alan Caolo, author of Sight-Fishing for Striped Bass

Michael Tougias writes about maritime, travel, and adventure topics. He is a N.Y. Times Bestselling author of thirty books for adults, and eight for young readers in his "True Rescue Series." Some of his books include There’s a Porcupine in My Outhouse (Winner of the Independent Publishers “Best Nature Book of the Year”), A Storm Too Soon, Extreme Survival, and The Finest Hours (inspiration for a 2016 Disney movie of the same name).Tougias is a frequent guest on NPR programs, The Weather Channel, Fox & Friends, 20/20, and national talk shows. He lives in Massachusetts and Florida. Adam Gamble conceived of, wrote or cowrote, and supervised the production of 300 titles in the Good Night Books series for preschoolers. The series has 8 million copies sold since it was launched in 2005 and currently sells three quarters a million copies per year. The series has played a significant role in transforming boardbook publishing in the US and is widely known in popular culture. The series is distributed by Penguin Random House (PRH), www.goodnightbooks.com. Gamble is also the author of In the Footsteps of Thoreau: 25 Historic and Nature Walks on Cape Cod, published in 1997 by On Cape Publications, selling 20,000 copies to-date, many at the countless public speaking events held to promote the book. He is coauthor with Professor Takesato Watanabe of A Public Betrayed: An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities (2004), Published by Regnery Press, which also sold more than 20,000 copies. In promoting that book, the coauthors appeared on more than 100 radio and television shows. Gamble is president of Good Night Books, LLC, a three-million dollar per year company which he founded in 2006, currently with five employees.