About the story A River Runs Through it?

Maclean’s narrative of the brothers fly fishing conveys the interconnection of the brothers, the fish, the river, and the rocks. He also describes the how-to of fly fishing in detail. Still, the beauty of the experience is luminous and all-absorbing. How does Maclean merge the practical and the beautiful descriptions in his writing? Does the fact that this piece, though nonfiction, is written as a story and not as an essay affect your enjoyment as a reader? How?