About this book

Suppose that, more than a century ago, U.S. government officials became concerned that democracy itself was at risk because men seemed to be less virile. And to reverse this trend they decided to populate streams, rivers, and lakes with "an entirely 'synthetic' fish" - quarry that would allow Americans to rediscover their abilities to capture and kill animals. And suppose that, up to the present, these creatures were still being produced and distributed on a massive scale, sometimes even being trained like gladiators and pumped full of the same supplements as professional athletes so they would provide a better fight." "Such is the true story of the rainbow trout. Sometimes vilified for… Read more

Suppose that, more than a century ago, U.S. government officials became concerned that democracy itself was at risk because men seemed to be less virile. And to reverse this trend they decided to populate streams, rivers, and lakes with "an entirely 'synthetic' fish" - quarry that would allow Americans to rediscover their abilities to capture and kill animals. And suppose that, up to the present, these creatures were still being produced and distributed on a massive scale, sometimes even being trained like gladiators and pumped full of the same supplements as professional athletes so they would provide a better fight." "Such is the true story of the rainbow trout. Sometimes vilified for their devastating effects on native fauna, sometimes glorified as the preeminent sport fish, the rainbow trout is the repository of more than a century of America's often contradictory philosophies about the natural world. This book chronicles the discovery of rainbow trout, their artificial propagation and distribution, and why they are being eradicated in some waters yet are still the most commonly stocked fish in the United States.