Favourite Fishing Books

steve2 · Aug 8, 2015

Having been laid up by illness for 2 months and not likely to be out on the bank for another month or so, I started to reread my collection of books.
My favourite read is one of my first books "Come fishing with me" by Colin Wilcock. It takes me back to when I first started back in the 1950's and every trip was an adventure into the unknown.
Next one would have to be "In Search of Big Fish" by Frank Guttfield a diary of a year spent fishing.
I like books that put you on the river and these two along with books by Peter Stone and Fred Taylor do that for me.
What do you look for in a angling book?

Derek Gibson · Aug 8, 2015

Books for me that make you feel that you are there, in that respect.

JW Martins, ''My fishing days and fishing ways''.

Frank Guttfield, ''In search of big fish''.

**** Walker, ''No need to lie''.

Fred J Taylor, ''Favourite swims''.

Ken Seamen, ''Chub fishing''.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 8, 2015

I need to read a lot more than just the "how to do it" type of books, so something that is more evocative and reflective of my actual fishing.

So, I opt for the likes of:

BB's Confessions of a Carp Fisher

Anything by Chris Yates, but The Deepening Pool is a favorite

**** Walker's Drop Me A Line as it shows what an inovative and thinking angler he truly was . . . . . .

I also like Robin Armstrongs books, and in particular Split Cane and Sable and Under the Bridge too

So many really and too many to list here I think . . . . .

greenie62 · Aug 8, 2015

steve2 said:
...My favourite read is one of my first books "Come fishing with me" by Colin Wilcock....

A slight correction Steve,
The author was Colin Willock - a fine writer and one of the founder Editors of Angling Times. He has written dozens of books on angling, shooting and wildlife as well as being the guiding light behind Anglia TV's Natural History department producing really good programmes through the 'Survival' series in the 1960s-80s.
Any of his books are worth reading - he had a nice writing style and his angling books show that he really understood the subject and 'got it'.

robertroach · Aug 8, 2015

I have collected quite a few vintage books over the years. My all time favourite is "Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing". I got this as a present when I was about 10, 55 years ago and it is still a fantastic book to browse through, the illustrations are so atmospheric. Mr Crabtree takes Peter to a canal where he teaches him how to catch shy roach. "a good one this time Peter- should say he turns the pound and a half!" This must have inspired hundreds of small boys to go fishing but I'm not sure they all caught roach of this stamp straight away!

Other favourites are:

No Need to Lie - Richard Walker
All the Angling Times Books
Complete set of "Creel" in binders
Sea Trout Fishing - Hugh Falkus

More recently I have enjoyed Big Roach by Mark Wintle who seems to have fished most of the waters I regularly inhabit.

tigger · Aug 8, 2015

I'm a little lazy and prefer to watch a video rather than read a book lol.

If I do read a book then I prefer one that's informative rather than an anecdote type book.
I like John Wilsons coarse fishing manual and Kenneth Seamans catching chub book.

Alan Tyler · Aug 8, 2015

I do like a sense of humour in an author. Some of **** Walker's more hysterical bits are collected in "Spin me a Line"; "No Need to Lie" is almost as funny as it is inspirational.
Plunket-Greene's "Where the Bright Waters Meet", anything by Fred J. Taylor; Bazley's "Fun with the Fishing Rod" and anything by H.T. Sheringham and Jim Gibbinson all have their moments. And although I don't seriously fish for carp, Rod Hutchinson's "The Carp Strikes Back" can give all the laugh-muscles a workout while teaching (nearly) anyone something.

steve2 · Aug 8, 2015

The trouble I have with informative/ how to do it fishing books is, that after having read so many, they have nothing new to say. Same problems with fishing magazines.

peterjg · Aug 8, 2015

My favourites are:

This Fishing by Capt LA Parker
Canal Fishing by Kenneth Seaman
Stillwater Angling by Richard Walker
Roach Fishing by Faddist
Fantastic Feeder Fishing by Archie Braddock
First Cast by Terry Lampard

john step · Aug 8, 2015

My two favourites are my oldest with sentimental value given as presents in young days.

Colin Willock....The Anglers Encyclopedia and of course...

Mr Crabtree.

stu_the_blank · Aug 8, 2015

Steve, hope that you are mending well. Hopefully back out by the autumn, definitely the best time of year!

My favourite books, difficult but if pushed.....

Easy ones first

Casting at the Sun - Mr Yates. Changed my outlook on angling (and life)

Angling in Earnest - Fred J. My bible as a youngster (I always found **** Walker a little difficult to associate with, possibly too clever, Fred seemed to talk to me on my level)

Pike, The Predator becomes the Prey - John Bailey and Martyn Page. Was responsible for me spending far too much time out on the Broads and the Fens in the winter, than was good for my wellbeing!

Beyond these, there are loads of books that I dip into from time to time, from classics like Crabtree, Still Water Angling, Drop me a Line, Where the Bright Waters Meet, anything by John Gierach, Confessions etc, through to some pretty good newish books, Mark Wintles Big Roach, Luke Jennings Blood Knots, Dave Steuarts Minnows to Marlin, to name a few.

I love reading well written Angling books almost as much as I do Angling itself. If I wrote this tomorrow no doubt a load more books would make the list, indeed as I write, Negley Farson, Going Fishing, Successful Roach Fishing, David Carl Forbes, I'd better stop!

Stu

The Sogster · Aug 8, 2015

The book I turn to the most is Bob Roberts 'Complete book of legering'.

Aside from that one of my favourite reads is 'Fishing as we find it' edited by Peter Wheat, most species covered and some great contributions from the likes of Fred J, Frank Guttfield, Trevor Housby, Jim Gibbinson etc.

Great names from when I was a kid starting my angling journey.

theartist · Aug 8, 2015

A History of Yateley sits proudly on my bookshelf having contributed a couple of hand drawn maps to it.

For future reference if anyone else wants the odd free illustration for their book they'll also get a shameless plug thrown in too

slaphead · Aug 8, 2015

The Complete Fly-Fishers Handbook by Malcolm Greenhalgh.

In fact anything by Malcolm Greenhalgh.

Tee-Cee · Aug 9, 2015

Loads and loads of different books, but one author always stands out from my point of view;

Hugh Tempest Sheringham, who lived either side of the beginning of the 20th century, has always done it for me. His books, not only for content, but for the English used have given me immense amounts of pleasure and undoubtedly helped me through many dark days that is depression. I love how he sees fishing and all it has to offer and then his ability to put this into words that bring a smile to one's face, no matter how many times it's read.
I truly wish I had met the man and shared a day's fishing with him.....

Others such as Plunkett Greene, Walker and other of his era are all close to my heart, just for what they have given to me and angling in general. Thes folk helped mould me into the angler I am and, more importantly, how I see life in general.....

I thank them all.....

steve2 · Aug 9, 2015

I remember reading ,Where Bright Waters Meet, a few years ago. An excellent read. It seems to be missing from my book shelf.
Thanks for good wishes Stu,seating around not fishing, is not good. Missed out on four months of Tench and Bream fishing.

Will have to check out some of the other books.

vort · Aug 12, 2015

Going Fishing by Negley Farson is a cracking read.
He traveled the world, seemingly always with a rod in his luggage, meeting eccentric characters and writing about them.
Hard to find a new copy but plenty of used ones from online sellers.

Aussie Bob · Aug 12, 2015

I dont have a lot of fishing books one i did pick up "Wooly Worms and Wombats a sidelong glance at flyfishing down under" by Chris Dawson , only cost me a couple of dollars about a decade ago.
A fly fisherman from Montana travels to Australia and New Zealand early 90's fly fishing on a budget. Written as much as a travel diary but with a lot of observations not only about flyfishing but australia and new zealand and their inhabitants. I keep on pulling it out every 2-3 years and re reading it....

Philip · Aug 12, 2015

Like you Steve I also enjoy books that put me there rather than pure "how to" technical ones. Some books can combine the two. Tony Miles was always good at that, giving an account of his trips and sessions but also his thought process and why he did things...his Chub book and Quest for Barbel with Trefor West were good in that respect. Also check out his chapter on resevoir Roach in John Baileys book Roach the gentle giants...best chapter in there I recon. Fred J Taylor and Peter Stone I always liked reading. Alan Tomkins was a good story teller & although I dont think it became a "book" as such (maybe..) his seris on Blackwater I enjoyed if you like the man agaisnt one venue type reads.

For pure pick up & put down enjoyment I liked red letter days which was a collection of short angling stories..a good bedside book.

One book I want to read but its difficult to get hold of is Waiting for Waddle by Phil Thompson.

no-one in particular · Aug 12, 2015

One book that always gets overlooked and I must admit I never bothered for years thinking it would be a load of hard to understand twaddle is Izaak Waltons book. I only picked it up as a cheap paperback in a junk shop one day thinking I might as well have a look.
Once you get used to the style it really is a delightful read and I understood its lasting appeal. It conveys one mans fascination and joy of fishing superbly.

Apart from that I enjoy anything 1900 to 1950. I was probably born in the wrong era.

Favourite Fishing Books

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