Is there something inherently sensuous and sensual about fish? Why do anglers desire to see and hold a wild trout blazing in courtship colors? Cleopatra likens seducing Antony to angling for “Tawny-finned fishes,” and the poet Lorca casts for a “brunette of Granada . . .  who will not bite.”

Exploring literature, art and popular culture, writer and professor at Western Oregon University Henry Hughes will discuss this delightfully slippery world at the confluence of piscine and human existence in his presentation “The Sensual Fish.” The event takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at the Rialto in downtown Bozeman and is part of the MSU Library Trout and Salmonid Lecture Series. The event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

Through fishing, Hughes crosses boundaries of race, ethnicity, gender, and class, and learns important life lessons as he interacts with people who share his love of fishing and enjoy the sensual connection between the salty pleasures and tensions of human and fish life. His exploration of the romantic aspects of fishing is sure to delight the audience.

Hughes grew up on Long Island, New York, and has lived in Oregon since 2002 where he’s a professor of literature and writing at Western Oregon University. He is the author of four collections of poetry, including the Oregon Book Award -winning, Men Holding Eggs. His memoir, Back Seat with Fish: A Man’s Adventures in Angling and Romance, was published in 2016 by Skyhorse.  

Henry’s stories aren’t just for people who fish. They’re for anyone who enjoys human connection and a good story. 

Space is limited and registration is encouraged. Click on the link to RSVP.