Anglers' Net - The UK Online Fishing Magazine: To Catch A Carp By Tim Paisley & Friends

To Catch A Carp By Tim Paisley & Friends
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Martin-Salisbury on 01 May, 2000 04:00:00
 
Now for those of you who dont know me, Im an avid reader of books and it is
not unknown for me to stay up all night to devour a book from cover to cover
until I have absorbed all the information within its pages.
It is with this insatiable appetite for reading and writing books and articles,
not just on fishing I might add, that I have decided to produce reviews on
several of the most recent books I have read.
Sadly, books on fishing appear to be on the decline and have been for several
years. Many fishing books found on the shelves these days have been around for
ages and are reprints, which are terribly dated. Anglers dont buy lots of
books and so in turn publishers are reluctant to fund such ventures. However,
some books are still released and these are normally successful due to the
quality of their contents and authors.
Many of the recent books are related to carp fishing, which is no surprise when
you consider the growing number of carp anglers found in Britain and beyond.
With this in mind my first book review is on Tim Paisleys 'To Catch a Carp'.
Now, I buy Carpworld every month and Tim Paisleys Carp Leader is the first
page I read every month. When this feature was withdrawn I, along with many
others, couldnt wait for its return. However, Ive never been compelled to
pick up and read one of Tims books so when I shelled out my hard earned money
on his new book it was done with some trepidation.
Ive never regretted my decision since I read the book for the first time. Ive
perhaps not returned to it as often as some of my other books, but I like to
re-read stories and 'To Catch a Carp' is far more technical in nature than
some. So I will only refer back to it to answer specific questions.
There are 30 chapters to keep you busy with notable chapters on bait including
the Whats in a Bait? Undertones and Overtones, which made certain aspects of
baits much clearer than when I started.
You wouldnt go far wrong in copying Tims experiences with creating a hot spot
in the chapter entitled The Disappearing Food Source. I had been using Nash
Micromass and on reading Tims observations I began to understand more about my
carp fishing and the experiences I had evaluated myself.
I cant hide the fact that Tims chapter on PVA played some part in influencing
me to use the dissolving edge and subsequently write about it for Anglers'
Net.
There are guest chapters from Rod Hutchinson, Kevin Nash, Frank Warwick, Paddy
Webb, Martin Clarke, Mike Willmott, Rob Hughes and Simon Crow. These provide
variety, varying opinions and expert knowledge to areas that perhaps Tim was
lacking authority in. Their presence shows how well regarded Tim is in carp
fishing and adds to the overall quality of the book.
Rather than mentioning everything in the book, Im sure I would be far better
off in recommending you to go out and purchase a copy for yourself and absorb
what Tim and his friends have to say.
The front cover picture and layout sets the scene perfectly which is carried on
throughout the book. The technical drawings in To Catch a Carp are of the
highest quality and there are plenty of photographs to whet the appetite and
illustrate the abilities of the anglers who have contributed to the book
Like most books on carp fishing these days, To Catch a Carp is available by
mail order. It is priced £21 including p&p, which although seems steep is in
line with other similar books. It is well worth the money as it is a book that
you will refer back to time and time again. In fact, certain chapters become
clearer after a couple of reads. It was first published in 1997 and with times
changing quickly in carp fishing certain parts of the book maybe slightly dated
but this does not detract from the book one bit.
Click here to check the best price for this book on Amazon.
Dont forget when ordering your book to request a signed copy, if available.
Not only does this finish off an excellent book but also add to its value in
the future.
Tight lines,
Martin Salisbury.
1st May 2000