| First, something for the dreamer I am an unashamed fan of Chris Yates’ writing. His first two books are out of print in original form and you will find that an original copy of Casting at the Sun will set you back in the region of £ 200 (a Medlar books version is available at £ 52.50), and even the Deepening Pool is heading for £ 50. His ability to unlock the child in us remains undiminished in these two more recent offerings. Sit back and relax as Chris pulls you into his adventures with some of the best angling writing of the late twentieth century.
Falling In Again – Tales of an incorrigible angler. This is a collection of tales concerning a variety of species – prepare to be transported to mysterious lakes, overgrown rivers, tiddlers and monsters. The Secret Carp. Chris finds the perfect carp pool – join him for twenty-four hours by the lake and wallow in the atmosphere. One for the connoisseur and a future classic. Both of these are £ 17.95 published by Merlin Unwin Books. There are plenty of books for the Barbel angler and it is very much a case of ancient and modern. First the ancient; Medlar Press have reprinted Peter Wheat’s The Fighting Barbel (£ 49.00) and J W Martin’s (The Trent Otter) Barbel Fishing (£ 39.50), covering the Sixties and 1900s respectively, and both worth obtaining if only to see just how much barbel fishing has changed.
For a good look at flavours and baits you have Modern Barbel Baits & Tactics by John Baker (£ 16.95 John Baker). Or what about Andy Orme’s selection Roving for Barbel 1+2 (£ 17.50) and The Amazing Meat Book (£ 4.95). Two very recent barbel books that I have yet to see are Nick Giles’ The Nature of Barbel (15.95 Perca Press) that takes a natural approach to barbel fishing, as well as the ecology of barbel and river improvement, and Steve Stayner’s Barbel Mysteries, Theories & Tactical Solutions (£ 14.99 Steve Stayner) that promises something refreshingly different.
Pike and Predators With interest in pike in the ascendancy, and especially the use of lures, there are several books that might be of interest. Neville Fickling’s Everything You Need To Know About Pike Fishing (£ 18.95) is bound to induce plenty of takes. Charlie Bettell’s The Art of Lure Fishing was recently re-issued in paperback (£ 12.99), and Coch-Y-Bonddu Books has a wide selection of others that pike enthusiast proprietor Paul Morgan will be happy to recommend. Something to read in the Bivvy?
Need to while away the whole of January? This year saw the publication of Bernard Venable’s autobiography A Stream Of Life (£ 28.50 Medlar). This is not one for the faint hearted, as the writing is a little dense at times, not so much “the cat sat on the mat” as “the rushen mat, supined upon by the feline”. Bernard describes the rigors of his early life, followed by how Mr Crabtree enthralled a generation, the founding of Angling Times and Creel, the adventures of an overseas angling correspondent, and ends with a discourse on modern art, angling and life. Similarly Tony Hayter’s scholarly and thoroughly researched F M Halford & The Dry Fly Revolution (£ 25.00 Robert Hale), though much easier to read, needs serious effort to enjoy the full benefit. As an angler that thinks flies are something you get when you leave casters in a bait bag I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. This is the first complete autobiography of a man who changed the face of fly fishing. A must for all serious anglers. John Andrew’s For All Those Left Behind (£ 12.99 Mainstream Publishing) is about grief, so those expecting a book purely about fishing might be disappointed. When Andrew’s father died suddenly of cancer he found that fishing gave him a chance to overcome the pain of loss. I’m not going to say any more but this one comes highly recommended and is on my Christmas list. Happy reading! Don’t forget you may need to add postage to the prices quoted if obtaining by mail order. Laneman Books Medlar Press Coch-y-bonddu Books S. Stayner Andy Orme Nick Giles |
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