As I mentioned in another Thread, I have just finished reading ' Redmire Pool ' by Clifford & Arbery, first published in 1984. Obviously it cannot show the fish caught in recent years, but some of those caught in the years leading up to this date, many of which are shown in this book, are nothing short of fantastic.
The colours of the commons, linear mirrors etc etc of different weights right through to the Yates 51lb'er are simply stunning, particularly the latter, of which Yates describes the colour as ' glowing yellow, chesnut and blue' when he caught it and it's absolutely spot on. The same fish is also in full colour at 38lbs caught by Tom Mintram many years before....
Personally, I have never been one for big carp, but slowly thumbing through this book is a pleasure just for the pictures. All the other information is a bonus IMHO
Regardless of what you think of Redmire, or it's chequered history, or even what you think of carp fishing in general, I can only recommend this book to anyone interested in fishing, as anyone with any soul cannot be anything but impressed with what it has to offer...
The background work took something like 12 years to put together ( I think that's right ) and even then it might never have been published if it hadn't been for Kevin Maddocks and Bekay Publishing.
Anyway, if you can get hold of a copy, I don't think you will be disappointed.
My well thumbed copy sits proudly on my bookshelf. Yes, proudly is the right word, as I'm proud to own it for what it represents to me having stood on the Dam wall for those few magical hours years ago and felt it's history, and what it represented in my youth and development as an average angler over so many years .....
For me, it will always be THE place in angling history, although I appreciate others will feel quite differently....Either way, this book is a 'must'.
ps I was amazed to be reminded that Fred Taylor, fished the place for 10 years, every year, for some days, and never hooked a fish of any sort. In fact he only had two minor lift bites in all that time................