The Reel Adventures of A Marion County Angler

Such is the title of a book written by Jeff Rowland, self-published through The Write Place here in Pella, and printed by Lightening Source in Texas. Rowland has been a training specialist for logistics at Pella Corporation since 1994, but at heart he is an avid fisherman and guide.

His passion is fishing (born when he needed a new hobby after a serious dirt biking accident), but he will tell you this book is not about fishing: it's about life. "It's wrapped in fish, but it's really about growing up in Iowa, making life decisions, making mistakes and learning lessons, and appreciating what we have right here in Marion County," Rowland explains enthusiastically.

Born in Oklahoma where his father was stationed with the army, Rowland graduated from Knoxville High School and attended Simpson College. He has lived in Melcher-Dallas since 1994.

Rowland started a Fishing Guide Service in 1996 (http://iowafishingguide.com/). In 2004 he started advertising "Take a day and get away," but "I learned my marketing strategy was wrong. I intended to lure the Des Moines businessman but instead my customers tended to be visitors to the area, rarely locals," he explained. He loved this so much he used to dedicate weekends and vacation days to guiding.

He has been writing for some time for the Red Rock Lake News and the Knoxville Journal-Express, and found that reactions to his work came not from those interested in the mechanics of his fishing articles, but from those who were amused by the entertaining stories he told.

"Chapters 3-10 of the book are a compilation of those fishing stories," Rowland explains, "including one about how I tried to tell my wife in front of a group of guys how to fish, and she proceeded to do just exactly what she wanted to and outfished us all."

The rest of the book is built around those stories. Chapter one tells of his exposure to fishing through others as a youth and how his interest, knowledge, and enthusiasm developed as he grew older. His Uncle Tom was quite influential, just by paying attention to him. Each year was celebrated with a four-generation fishing trip to Canada, and Jeff was promised that when he was older he could go along. His uncle died before that happened.

Book signings will take place at City Floral in Melcher on December 16, at Coffee Connections in Knoxville on December 21, and at Cammie's in Pella on December 22, with further signings scheduled for Scheel's, Sportsman's Warehouse in Ankeny, Bass Pro, Gander Mountain, and any other outdoor outlet Rowland can set up.

Rowland has three adult children and three grandchildren. "They're always first," he says. In his spare time, Jeff writes songs. There is one in chapter nine about fishing blues. "What I'd really like to do is write songs in the winter and fish in the summer," he muses. He also reads technical magazines on fishing ("I have all the Fisherman magazines in binders," he says.) and is a member of the Marion County Development Commission.

"I admire anglers like Al Linder and Doug Stange," he says, "any angler who shares information with a younger angler. They learned things the hard way and all I have to do is read and learn from them. There are a lot of local anglers who have influenced me."

Jeff's dream is to start his own magazine someday, about fishing in Iowa.

Cut From Chapter 1: "...As soon as I saw the car disappear, I ran into the garage and grabbed my fathers fishing gear which I was never to touch…and I headed straight to a place where I was never supposed to go... Fines and possible imprisonment had my mind fighting a battle between right and wrong...Wrong won......there I stood, panting like a dog on a hot August day, holding enough evidence to send me to Correctionville City. There was nothing I could do… I was busted - caught red handed...“Straight into the house” was not a good thing to hear. When my father says “straight into the house” in that tone and under those circumstances, it only met one thing. In 1972, the term “time out” was only applicable to sporting events. Capitol punishment was not a common practice at our house but when you deserved it, you received it. I had disobeyed my father and I knew what was waiting for me inside. In our house, on the kitchen wall, hung the paddle. Bold words were written on that paddle, which said,“The Board of Education”. It was now time for school."

Marty Racheter 120507