A question for you.

[Darkstar]

Here's one for you to think about,
If you were to recommend one book to teach the basics of river angling, which would it be? and why?.

 

[Neil Howard 4]

Darkstar, have you read Daved Coopers in the beginners articles. Or is it for 1 of the six. neil

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

This is a massive subject.

One book that teaches the "basics" of river angling?

I don't think there is such a book.

Is there any specific species you want to catch?

 

[Wolfman Woody]

If it is purely for instruction, none of this "How we did it in the old days, cane rods..." and all that crud, then you won't go far wrong with John Wilson's Coarse Fishing Method Manual. try [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0752210998/anglerscircle-20/026-5204196-1870002?dev-t=D2M678MD63AP4A%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2"]here[/ame]

 

[Darkstar]

Actually the book would be for one of my daughters who has taken an interest in fishing. I am not the world's best teacher at all, so i thought a really good informative book would help that way i could help her with the difficult bits.
She really enjoyed piking with me last weekend, and although i only had a jack of about 2lb she was over the moon. So i really want to encourage her. Thanks for the replies chaps.

 

[Darkstar]

Sorry i forgot to say she is 13.

 

[John Jones]

There has never been a finer publication than 'Mr. Crabtree Goes Fishing'.

Ancient it may be, but the illustrations are so brilliant that it must stir the imagination of any would be angler.

' Wait Peter....wait....STRIKE!!!!

 

[Deecy]

Try and find a copy of the Observers Book of Angling.They appear on eBay occasionally.Excellent little book packed with loads of easy to read/absorb facts and methods.It was my bible as a kid.

 

[Blunderer]

John

A firm strike......AND IT'S ON!!!!!!

 

[John Jones]

Oh yes Blunderer, the memories come flooding back.

As a lad I used to pick that book up and within a few pages I was lost to the world.

It was almost as good as being there!

Incidentally, my copy is actually signed by the great man himself, Bernard Venables.

 

[Wolfman Woody]

Look, look, look, Mr. Crabtree was a very good yarn at the time, but cane rods, coffin leads and dough bobbins are items of history now.

The John Wilson book, though not up to the very latest minute, is damned good. It's in nice sections, easy to follow, lots of illustrations, plenty of pictures, the reading is easy and you get John Wilson laughing chops throughout it.

It was bought for me (I don't think I've ever bought a fishing book for myself other Kevin Perkins one) by a friend just after we met John. It isn't signed but there is an extra photo of him stuck in the front now that is signed. That aside, it covers almost every aspect of modern day coarse fishing.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

The 'book of life', there isn't any finer teacher in the whole wide world. You learn more(if learning is what you want) from a days fishing than you will from any book. Very few anglers actually think about what they are doing when they go fishing, those that do become better anglers.

In the case of your daughter Darkstar, if you don't feel able to instruct her yourself then find someone who will, theres loads on here for a start who would probably help. Once she gets the bug through being there and experiencing it she will be hooked for life.

 

[Laurie Harper]

Agree with Cheeky. John Wilson's is good and available discounted these days. Comprehensive, nicely illustrated and JW's enthusiasm comes across.

 

[John Jones]

Cheeky you appear to miss the point. Yes, the tackle used in Mr. Crabtree is obsolete ( except coffin leads, lots of very good anglers still use them) but fishing is like computers, the most up to date gizmo is obsolete within a very short time anyway.

However, the point I was trying to get across is that for capturing the magic of angling and for encouraging youngsters to take it up, it has in my opinion still never been bettered.

You make the point yourself....'a very good yarn'.....precisely. What better way to encourage interest in our sport.

 

[jason fisher]

what worse way to encourage interest than give some one crabtree. where which ever species being sought turns up giving a classic bite which is never missed. then take the poor sod out and show em the reality floats that don't sink unless they've just snagged some thing and tips that never twitch, all this in the pouring rain.

at least wilson has some reality to it.

 

[John Jones]

Sorry Jason but history proves I'm right and your wrong.

Mr. Crabtree encouraged thousands of youngsters like myself to give fishing a try. I was around at the time (it was just after God was born) and I can assure you the book was iconic in its own way.

It never discouraged anyone. Yes, it was outrageous fantasy but the point was it got youngsters out onto the bank.

John Wilson is great and I really enjoy his books and, yes, you're correct, they do contain more reality than Crabtree.

That's not the point, now and again a book is published that becomes part of angling folklore, and it's quite unfair of you to rubbish it.

It was never intended to be a definitive guide to angling but of its time it was just as important as any of John Wilson's books.

One final point, at that time all the kids used to read 'Roy of the Rovers'. Just like Crabtree, it was fantasy, he used to score a hat-trick every week, but it still encouraged thousands of kids to want to kick a ball.

 

[Merv Harrison]

'Roy of the Rovers' fantasy, YOU BA###RD, what a thing to say !!!!!!!!!.

 

[Merv Harrison]

Of the current crop of books, i'll go along with Cheeky, John Wilson's Method Manual has a lot going for it, but look on eBay, often go'es for a couple of pounds.

 

[John Jones]

Listen Merv....I may be a BA###RD, but if you're a Villa fan like me then fantasy is an art form!!!!!!