180 pages long with two full colour photographic sections as well as black & white photos, it has been illustrated throughout by Tom O’Reilly’s ink drawings
Full Leather Bound £ 145.00 plus P & P. Cloth Bound with Dust-wrapper £ 21.95 plus P & P from The Little Egret Press
The Book ‘Fishing on the Edge’ reflects the catholic interests of the author and methods that represent enjoyment, in particular surface, float and dry fly fishing as well as a fascinating variation of normal ledgering technique. Big carp, perch, bass, trout and chub are all well covered, introducing important, well researched, new and original factors which seem to have effects on fish reactions, movements and appetite.
The book recounts the best bits of over 25 years of angling which any reflective angler could benefit from.
The Author Leighton is a Chartered Surveyor and Estate Manager for the City of London. But despite a busy career still manages 4 evening trips a week in the Summer and 3 in the Winter. He started writing articles at the age of 26, despite a dearth of coarse fishing in South Wales at the time and although they have been irregular ever since (but usually well received) Leighton is one of the few writers to cover coarse, sea and game.
The author rarely feels the need to use more than one rod and would love to shoot those that stitch the bank up with several. Horribly impatient, Leighton has always been curious regarding methods which highlight behaviour, whether this be rigs, baits, weather analysis, moon or dowsing.
Like most specialist anglers, Leighton blanks regularly but loves the feeling of self esteem engendered by catching well and that resultant state of tranquillity. Outside interests include black & white photography, grand opera, punk rock and tobacco.
FishingMagic Verdict
I don’t know why but I expected the book to be a poor imitation of a Chris Yates’ tome, but instead it is neither an imitation or poor.
It is a book that soon lets you know that it has been written by a passionate angler, perhaps not with the flowing prose of Yates but certainly with as much, if not more, to say about angling in the real world.
Leighton has some fine fish to his credit, including the first 30lb Welsh carp, a chub over 7lb, and some big perch. But it doesn’t stop there, he also loves to fly fish and sea fish.
This is neither a book that sets out to teach nor a book that is just one tale after another about successes with big fish. It covers chapters on interesting waters, the weather, bait, rigs, flies, moon phases and barometric pressure. More important is that it is a book I enjoyed, reading it in just two sittings, and leaving me with the feeling that said, “let me get out there and get some of this fishing done myself!”
