Books to Sooth The Soul

Gav Barbus · Mar 14, 2012

Hello fisherfolks,Just reading BB,s confessions of a carp angler and cant believe how good it is I would go so far as to say it put me in a Zen like state with a little warm glow to boot.
I have experienced this in the past with casting at the sun by Chris Yates .
But what other books have this effect on readers I would like to know your opinions and reccomendations on these authours or any others which will come close to perfection as these two titles do ,so come on what tickles your fancy when it comes to angling literauture .By the way it does not have to be carp orientated .
Thanks Barbus.

Derek Gibson · Mar 14, 2012

Coarse Fishing by ''Hugh Tempest Sheringham'', beautifully written, and captures the real spirit of angling.

''Day's Stolen for Sport'', by Philip Geen.

''My fishing Day's and fishing way's'' by J W Martin. More anecdotal but charming, because of that.

Yes they are old books, but available in reprints, and worth every penny. Food for the soul of any angler.

terry m · Mar 14, 2012

Terry Lamapards 'First Cast' is very good, I also enjoyed Terry Hearns 'In Pursuit of the Largest' even though I am not an out and out carp angler, his writing style is rather captivating.

Finally Turner/Davis' 'Mega Pike the Return' was very enjoyable.

themyth · Mar 14, 2012

yates's new book is worth a read,lots of short storys.

Terry D · Mar 15, 2012

For me it was Somewhere Down the Crazy River by Jeremy Wade and Paul Boote. Once I started, I just couldn't put it down.

Gav Barbus · Mar 15, 2012

Thanks Derek ,I have noted them down and all are available via amazon .Not botherd that they are old like I said bb,s book is right up my street and food for the souls got to be good!!
Terry thank you,someone mentioned this book a couple of years ago while I was carping and he reckoned it was a good read as well,I said I liked his articles in the press to which he said get the book you will enjoy it ,he seems to have a little something about his writing I like,not the cheapest but hey ho you get what you pay for.
Not hear of Lampards book of mega pike but shall have a look on amazon to see what I can get them for!!
Thanks the Myth ,I like Yates style but he seems to have a few out and not sure which one you mean is it the four seasons one ?I have been perusing them but cant make up my mind which one so any more advice would be appreciated.
Terry thank you I havent heard of that book ,not that it bothers me if it comes reccomended by fmers if you dont want to put a book down it generally means its a good un.I shall see if theres any bargains to be had.
Any more reccomendations shall be greatfully received Barbus.

simon dunbar · Mar 15, 2012

I would like to read 'Somewhere Down The Crazy River' but it is almost impossible to get hold of , saw one on Amazon for over a grand! Did see a copy in the camp I was at on the River Cauvery.

'Casting for Gold' by John Bailey ,
'The Domesday book of Mammoth Pike' by Fred Buller ,
'Big Pike' by Barrie Rickards
'Barbel' by Barbel Catchers and Friends
'The Deepening Pool ' by Chris Yates ,
'The Fishermans Bedside Book' by BB ,
'In pursuit of Carp and Catfish' by Kevin Maddocks
'John Wilson's Greatest Fishing Adventures'
' A Ghost in the Water' by Terry Glavin ( About White Sturgeon in B.C.)
' Globetrotter's Quest' by Tony Davies-Patrick

These books have inspired different phases of my fishing ,I am currently reading 'River Monsters' by Jeremy Wade , loving it.

Paul Boote · Mar 15, 2012

simon dunbar said:
I would like to read 'Somewhere Down The Crazy River' but it is almost impossible to get hold of , saw one on Amazon for over a grand! Did see a copy in the camp I was at on the River Cauvery.

&quotBoote^ P - signed - &amp Wade^ J... | Vintage Fishing Tackle | Mullock's Auctions

Sean Meeghan · Mar 15, 2012

Soul food in my collection:

The River Prince, edited by Mr Yates so not too overpowering if you've read a lot of him.

Any of Clive Gammon's books. Mostly out of print now, but obtainable if googled.

Ransom on Fishing by Jeremy Swift. A short biography of his fishing life and many of his Manchester Guardian articles. If you want to read more of his interesting life then get The Last Englishman

For All Those Left Behind, by John Andrews. A lovely book.

Fish, Fishing and the Meaning of Life, by Jeremy Paxman. A huge anthology of fishy tales that can be dipped into when you feel the need for fishy tales.

The Longest Silence, by Thomas McGuane. Probably my favourite fishing book, but based around fly fishing in Montana and the Florida Keys so maybe not to everyone's taste.

Paul Boote · Mar 15, 2012

Long-time favourites...

General:

Arthur Ransome - Rod and Line (1929) His wonderful Manchester Guardian articles collected. I have a first edition, but have multiply read a yellowing, disintegrating 1967 Sphere paperback copy found when I was a kid at a Surrey jumble sale.

Negley Farson - Going Fishing (1942), many cheap reprints around still. Classic tales of his travels and fishing at a time when the world was less tarnished than it is now and the "going was good".

Game:

John Waller Hills, A Summer on The Test (1921). Chalkstream trout fishing at a time when the streams were at their best and the fishing on them something really worth doing. Great writing by a great angler.

Harry Plunket Green, Where The Bright Waters Meet (1924) - ditto the above.

Coarse:

Patrick R. Chalmers, At The Tail of The Weir (1932). Thames Angling. Slightly purple and overblown prose at times, but still food for the soul.

Coarse / Game / General and an Absolute Screaming Classic Section:

One by a fellow former pupil of my old school and perhaps the best Angling writer ever...

Roderick Haig Brown, A River Never Sleeps (1946)

Gav Barbus · Mar 18, 2012

Cheers Simon have heard of most of them books ,and shall be checking what I can purchase some of them for, a nice selection ,I like John baileys writing may I suggest travels with a two piece by John a fly fishing book but a jolly good read and only cheap to pick one up.
Sean have ordered for those left behind for a bargain 2. 99 with postage !!! cant go wrong.
The river prince has been in my sights already ,think I read it from the library and enjoyed it but as a bit strapped for cash went for the how to fish one for 3.99.
Paul a very different selection not heard of most of them ,but thats good I like something a bit different and they are all available in reprints which speaks for itself really,I look forward to getting my hands on them cheap ha ha love a bargain.
I dont know what it is I am no expert fisherman but find how to fishing books a bit tiresome these days and like the stories more than the cold hard facts of how to catch a monster.
Any more suggestions would be greatfully received Barbus.

Paul Boote · Mar 18, 2012

I'll walk around a garden centre a bit later, Gav, thinking "Hmm ...fishing books..." - about what I have read, liked a lot, still own but haven't seen in years...

PS - H.T. Sheringham, An Angler's Hour's (1905) and An Open Creel (1910) have just sprung to mind. What a writer. His first editions from the Edwardian Era fetch a bomb now, but there are reprints. They are also available online - don't have the links to hand, but have .pdf files of both books on a drive here from a U.S. Library that I downloaded the other year.

Gav Barbus · Mar 18, 2012

Rack your brain Paul,much appreciated .I do love a fishing book.

flightliner · Mar 18, 2012

Ransom--"Rod and line"
John Hillaby--- "Within the Stream", Northern writer with northern theme, widely travelled and really takes me there.

MarkTheSpark · Mar 18, 2012

I know it wouldn't be a popular choice, but Chris Yates' 'How to Fish' gives almost no angling instruction at all, yet captures what it feels like to go fishing. I just love it.

And everyone should struggle through The Compleat Angler, as I am doing for the second time. It's a book which tells you fishing is still the same, right down to Walton listing among his pet hates.... cormorants! Plus ca change, plus c'est le meme chose....

smallbreamboy · Mar 18, 2012

Currently reading "Big Roach" by Dr Mark Wintle, who can be found on here.

Some amazing catches and i am sure will inspire many to have a go for them again.

S-Kippy · Mar 18, 2012

Have to agree with Paul's fine selection.Most of my other favourites have come up too including "Crazy River" which I bagged for £2 at a boot sale !

A big favourite of mine is Hobbs "Trout of the Thames" too....not because its great writing [it isn't] but it paints a delightful picture of a time,a way of fishing & a quarry that's now long gone. And Permit on a Fly by Jack Samson. I dont SWFF but this is just one of the best fishing books I've ever read.

Mark Wintle · Mar 18, 2012

smallbreamboy said:
Currently reading "Big Roach" by Dr Mark Wintle, who can be found on here.

Some amazing catches and i am sure will inspire many to have a go for them again.

Glad you're enjoying it but I'm plain Mr. at best!

Paul Boote · Mar 18, 2012

S-Kippy said:
Have to agree with Paul's fine selection.Most of my other favourites have come up too including "Crazy River" which I bagged for £2 at a boot sale !

A big favourite of mine is Hobbs "Trout of the Thames" too....not because its great writing [it isn't] but it paints a delightful picture of a time,a way of fishing & a quarry that's now long gone. And Permit on a Fly by Jack Samson. I dont SWFF but this is just one of the best fishing books I've ever read.

YES! Hobbs, a particular hero of mine (and I don't do heroes). Google a thread by me on the old Barbel Fishing World several years ago, using "A.E. Hobbs" and "hero" as a suggestion.

Another masterly book on fishing that many of us will never do is Lou Tabory's Inshore Fly Fishing - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Inshore-Fly-Fishing-Lou-Tabory/dp/1558211586"]Amazon.com: Inshore Fly Fishing (9781558211582): Lou Tabory: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5163WDSHJQL.@@AMEPARAM@@5163WDSHJQL[/ame] - classic, classic, CLASSIC!

barbelboi · Mar 18, 2012

Anything by BB, and most of the others nominated by others - but my particular favorite (soft spot) is the first angling book I had bought for me in 1958 for my birthday, the first edition of Angling in earnest by Fred Taylor (no 'J' then)
Jerry
PS It's a shame the dust cover has developed a few creases over the years.

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