A note by the author at the front of Lofty's Log states that these writings were never intended to be a book, just a record of fishing stories for the family, suggested by my daughter, Diana.

Lofty's Log was published in 1989 when the author was in his 80th year. He recounts a lifetime fishing for trout, hunting and adventuring in and around some of the South Island's legendary waters including the Mavora Lakes, the Nevis, Oreti, Lake Alabaster, Lake McKerrow and the Martin's Bay and Hollyford areas back in the 1940s when the trout were large and plentiful, and the fishing of a kind present day anglers can only dream of.

The author also writes of some angling in Canada, the USA and Alaska.

Lofty Rutherford's stories are enthralling, sometime funny, sometimes very sad. They give us a glimpse into another time and place. Lofty was perhaps the first New Zealander to hunt and shoot a wild boar in New Zealand with a bow and arrow back in 1940. He also dealt to the rabbit population of central otago when ever the chance arose. Back in those days the bunnies were "as thick as the blades of grass in a meadow."

There was a period of war service until mid 1944 which put a temporary halt to fishing and hunting for a time.

I highly recommend you read Loft's Log. It is very interesting and well written even if it was intended for the family only!