Details
Signed by the author
Cover by Bob White
Softcover, 214 pages
6 x 9 inches
Stackpole Books (February 17, 2026)
While fly-fishing on a remote river in southern Argentina, a veteran outdoor writer from Maine finds himself swept into a cascade of bizarre events, all connected to an enigmatic, billionaire environmentalist and his cosmopolitan twin nieces.
Vincent Mapp, former adventure-traveling editor-in-chief for an international fly-fishing magazine, now leads a life centered around teaching at a small Maine environmental college and obsessively fishing his home waters for just about anything that swims. But after his wife of many years abruptly upends his world by ditching him for someone who doesn’t fish all the time, Vincent decides to accept one last far-flung assignment as a fly-fishing journalist, and he heads off to Patagonia with the goal of catching some of the few remaining, fast disappearing, Argentinian landlocked salmon—all of which are descended from fish originally introduced to Argentina from Maine. Even at the literal end of the earth, however, and exploring an enchanted landscape of devastating beauty, Vincent finds himself unable to avoid conflict. He arrives at an isolated ranch on the Perca River just as a mysterious predator has begun attacking pets and livestock—and it’s not long before he experiences his own terrifying nighttime run-in with the creature. He also discovers that the reclusive American owner of an adjacent ranch—multi-billionaire wildlife conservationist and avid fly-angler J.T. Allman—has been commissioning some unsettling environmental experiments on his vast property. One serious complication in Vincent’s attempts to get to the bottom of all the strangeness: Allman holds a simmering 20-year-old grudge against him for events connected to his time as a magazine editor. Turbulent waters become increasing treacherous after Allman’s cultured, equestrian, and attractive twin nieces, unaware of their elderly uncle’s animosity toward Vincent, invite him to a bizarre festival on the grounds of the Allman estate. Through it all, Vincent and his faithful fishing guide, Sancho Nelson, try very hard to catch some salmon.
Praise for Rolling Back the River
“Rolling Back the River is a lyrical and unflinching journey through wild streams, wild hearts, and the wilderness of loss. With humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom, Paul Guernsey reminds us that the rivers we love—and the lives we build—can never flow backward.”
Joshua Caldwell, fly fisher, director of the feature film Mending the Line
“Great fishing novels capture anglers and non-anglers. They’re scarce as coelacanths, but one has surfaced here. With wit and superb writing, Guernsey takes us to beautiful places and develops characters who are real people, most of whom we want to know, all of whom we get to know.”
Ted Williams, conservation journalist, author, guide
“Rolling Back the River is great fun, a crisp and rollicking read that artfully mixes humor and meaningful contemplation, often on the very same page.”
Monte Burke, author of Lords of the Fly, Saban, and Rivers Always Reach the Sea
“I’ve never read anything quite like this. It grabbed me, compelled me, and made me assess all the reasons why I care so much about fly-fishing. The writing is nothing short of masterful and laden with legitimate substance. It is so deeply honest and imaginative, it left me speechless.”
Kirk Deeter, Editor, TROUT magazine
“It doesn’t take more than a few sentences to realize that Paul Guernsey is a writer who fly fishes, rather than the other way around. When he is describing time on the water, the authenticity is clear, but what really carries the narrative are his skills as a writer—a fine eye for detail, an acute sense of life’s absurdities, and a profound sense of humanity. While anglers will certainly enjoy this book, its appeal goes far beyond its sporting subject.”
Phil Monahan, Editor-in-Chief, MidCurrent
“A delightful book. The characters and their relationships are honest and believable. Well-known names in the fly-fishing community are seamlessly woven into the tapestry of the story, and there are rich literary allusions throughout. Most importantly, the descriptions of fishing are truthful and not overdone. I found myself rooting for the hero, and hope he makes a comeback in future books, like Joseph Heywood’s Bowie Rhodes, or Jim Harrison’s Brown Dog.”
Bob White
About the Author
The former editor and associate publisher of Fly Rod & Reel Magazine, Paul Guernsey is an award-winning novelist as well as a non-fiction author. He is the author of Beyond Catch & Release: Exploring the Future Of Fly Fishing, and American Ghost, which won the 2018 Maine Book Award in the speculative fiction category. He also wrote the foreword to Ted Williams’ book, Something’s Fishy: An Angler’s Look at Our Distressed Gamefish and Their Waters. Rolling Back the River is his fourth novel. He lives and fishes in Maine.
