On the Run: An Angler's Journey Down the Striper Coast

Each autumn, one of nature's most magnificent dramas plays out when striped bass undertake a journey, from the northeastern United States to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, in search of food and warmer seas. Writer and angler David DiBenedetto followed this great migration — the fall run — for three months in the autumn of 2001.

On the Run offers vivid portrayals of the zany and obsessive characters DiBenedetto met on his travels — including the country's most daring fisherman, an underwater videographer who chucked his corporate job in favor of filming striped bass, and the reclusive angler who claims that catching the world-record striper in 1982 sent his life into a tailspin. Along his route, DiBenedetto also delves into the natural history and biology of this great game fish, and depicts the colorful cultures of the seaside communities where the striped bass reigns supreme.

Each autumn, one of nature's most magnificent dramas plays out when striped bass undertake a journey from the northeastern United States to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in search of food and warmer seas. As the first schools move south from Maine, their numbers increase until there are 25 million stripers coursing down the coast. This roiling seaside show also attracts bigger predators, swooping seabirds, and a fanatical brotherhood of fishermen.

Writer and angler David DiBenedetto followed the fall run, as this great migration is called, for three months in the autumn of 2001. To do so, he lived according to the rhythm of the tides and the stripers' night-owl tendencies. As the fish swam south, the author found himself pursuing them by every means that humans have conceived, from extreme surf casting to free diving.

On the Run is much more than the story of the ultimate fishing road trip. It offers vivid portrayals of the zany and obsessive characters DiBenedetto met on his travels -- including the country's most daring fisherman; an underwater videographer who chucked his corporate job in favor of filming striped bass; and the reclusive angler who claims that catching the world-record striper in 1982 sent his life into a tailspin. Along his route, the author also delves into the natural history and biology of this great game fish, and depicts the colorful cultures of the seaside communities where the striped bass reigns supreme.

The power and savagery of nature is never more evident than during the stripers' fall run, and DiBenedetto captures it all in this engaging work. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, an adventure lover, or simply a fan of fine writing, On the Run will have you hooked from the start.

Publishers Weekly

Using a new line with the old formula of the trout fishing-road trip memoir, DiBenedetto, an editor at Field & Stream magazine, creates an original debut about striped bass fishing. Following the fall migration from Maine to North Carolina, the author captures the fish's rich history, which has seen it go from being one of America's premiere game fish to near extinction, and its present state as the prime example of how a fish population can rebound thanks to the joint efforts of fishermen, conservationists and politicians. The combination of history and science fleshes out the fishing scenes and makes the book more than a young man's romp down the coast. Adding to the local flavor at each stop is the cast of characters, some salty and some sweet, who accompany and guide DiBenedetto on his journey. Eschewing trite euphemisms for fresh interpretations of the natural world ("this wad of baitfish spinning like a disco ball"), DiBenedetto is both informative and entertaining. The imaginative language combined with forays into the uncharted waters of atypical sports like spearfishing, underwater videography and skishing (think ocean fishing without the boat) brings an adventuresome, open-minded attitude that much fishing literature lacks. Written during the fall of 2001, the book's high point is DiBenedetto and his young nephew's trip to New York Harbor when "a cloud still emanated" from ground zero. Fun and refreshing, DiBenedetto's book will hook fishermen and may even net its share of landlubbers as well. Illus., map. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

David DiBenedetto, a native of Savannah, Georgia, is the articles editor at Field & Stream. He has written for Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, and Salt Water Sportsman. In his free time he can be found fishing for stripers on Long Island Sound and in the surf at Montauk, New York.