Fishing Books

[steve2]

With plenty of time on my hands it’s time to sort my library of fishing books, fishing books are one of the few books I still read. Even in this day of electronic books there is something about reading a real book that you don’t get reading off a screen.
In the past few days I have added a few more to the collection.
Do you still buy and read fishing books?

 

[nottskev]

I'm looking forward to Archie Braddock's new book, out next month, I believe. I've read that it's based on his diaries over the last 30 years, with chapters on each of the species targeted. I really admire the way he re-thinks everything, bringing observation, experiment and his own ideas to baits, rigs and tactics.

 

[steve2]

I have a copy of his Fantastic feeder fishing book, a very good read. Over 25 years old but still worth reading by anyone into feeder fishing. His ideas were way ahead at the time.

 

[S-Kippy]

I still buy the odd fishing book but it has to be a bit different/special. "How to do it " or " Look what Ive caught" books leave me absolutely cold. Unfortunately very good anglers are rarely very good writers.

Recently got hold of a copy of "Torridge Fishery" by Lemon Gray. Salmon and sea trout on the Torridge in the 1950's. Absolutely fascinating and a really good read. Unfortunately I did it in 48 hours but that's much more my sort of fishing book. Rarely does a modern book grab my attention nowadays...the last to do so was " Crock of Gold" which was absolutely brilliant but at £35 not cheap

 

[rich66]

Last one I read was “the rising antenna” very good read with some insights on how the waggler men set up. Most of it is about match fishing each chapter is about a different angler and his ways.
Quite a good read if your into wagglers.

I tend to sell mine on again once I’ve read them.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I have a decent collection of fishing books and still buy any that catch my eye, but rarely new books, more typcally these days I tend to seek out older tomes and second had books.

On rainy afternoons like today I often pull an old book from the shelves for a re-read and quite often one of Chris Yates excellent editions.

 

[sam vimes]

I'm with Skippy, there are many good anglers that are not good writers. How to do it books can be good, but they are generally rather dry and may be of limited interest to an experienced angler. Look at what I've caught tomes are generally a bit too egotistical. Most angling books suffer when what's described in them bears little relation to the angling of the reader.

Occasionally, an angling book pops up that I do enjoy. Ones that come to mind are those by Trefor West and John Aston. I'm sure that there will be others I might enjoy, but the number of angling books that have left me cold makes me reticent to cough up to find out. However, I do appreciate that the books that might be of real interest to me will have a rather limited appeal to most other potential buyers. People aren't going to queue up to buy a well written tome from an angler scratching around on northeast waters.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I still buy and read angling books. The last new one I bought was John Essex's The National Angling Championships (Medlar). I've got far too many books and need to sell some off. I did get rid of a handful a few weeks back. The book I get asked for most was my first roach book, Big Roach, and I sold my last saleable copy a month back and I usually got over £100 per copy in the last year so very sought after and rare now.

I enjoy re-reading John Aston, and Maurice Wiggin. I have most if not all of Yates books but their appeal has dulled and I sold off Nightwalk recently as I found it boring. I like dipping into Jim Baxter's waggler book and hope he succeeds in publishing his book on top-and-bottom floats.

If anyone wants any carp, pike or barbel books let me know and I'll see if I am willing to part with what you want at a reasonable price.

 

[peterjg]

I have around 170 fishing books, my favourite is "This Fishing" by Capt. LA Parker - it's old fashioned but still valid today!

 

[steve2]

If anyone wants any carp, pike or barbel books let me know and I'll see if I am willing to part with what you want at a reasonable price.

If you let me know what pike books you have available I might be interested in them.

 

[S-Kippy]

On rainy afternoons like today I often pull an old book from the shelves for a re-read and quite often one of Chris Yates excellent editions.

Casting at the Sun and The Deepening Pool were brilliant. Every other offering from Yatesy I've read has bored me to tears.

 

[mikench]

I have a few old classics like a book on fishing for pike by Neville Fickling. One on barbel by Trevor West and several by BB aka Denys Watkins-Pitchford. When I read the latter and look at the illustrations I am whisked away down the Bright Stream, fishing for minnows and drinking elderberry wine from the case of an acorn. Fans of Little Grey Men will understand.

Talking of illustrations I'm currently enjoying them and the content of Hooked on Lure Fishing featuring our own Neil1970.

 

[no-one in particular]

I'm with Skippy, there are many good anglers that are not good writers.

.

You may have a point there. I read two of Richard Walker's books a little while ago and I found them very disappointing. One was a bit better than the other but quite dull. He opened one with "I only wrote this at the insistence of my best fishing mate" and that's how it comes across; like he was reluctant to write it; just general accounts of fish he had caught, nothing in it much, little inspiration or passion. It may have just been me though, I wouldn't want anyone not to buy them on my account.

 

[steve2]

I have a few books by Richard Walker the only one go back to and enjoy is "No Need to Lie"

 

[Peter Jacobs]

What a good job that we all have different tastes otherwise there is a risk that there might only be one or two authors left in the sport . . . . .

 

[flightliner]

I've said it before on here but after all these years I can still pick up John Hillabies "within the stream "
It's not entirely about course fish but he takes me there to the waterside, particularly when reading of his witnessing and reporting his visit to the Trent at Newark in the late forties when one of the old style "All England" matches was held there.
A one hell of a widely travelled angler.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Robin Armstrong's books are similar Mick, a west country writer, angler and artist can place you in the centre of Dartmoor by a stream . . . . I can recommend "Split Cane and Sable" and also "Under the Bridge"

 

[S-Kippy]

Its odd but I rarely go back and re read a fishing book. I wont say I never do but hardly ever would be fair. Dont know why because I m an avid re reader of non angling books....especially novels.

I find too many angling writers are either coldly factual ( I went here, did this and caught these) or far too whimsical and frankly a bit too wet for my liking.

Probably why most of my "library" are volumes I've pickd up second hand....and I'm vry grateful for tht as I'd hate to have paid top dollar for some of them.

 

[no-one in particular]

I have a few books by Richard Walker the only one go back to and enjoy is "No Need to Lie"

That was one of the ones, the other was "Walker's Pitch". I just found them disappointing but it may just be me. Or maybe my expectations were too high.