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Jeff S

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got hundreds of fishing books havn't read one ,glanced at book of the perch ,a few walkers and the fighting barbel but merely to see if there were any marks on the pages for ebay ,if you read them i hear the writing fades away

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Yep, I do too,I've now got around 1000 angling books, with perhaps 80% on Sea Angling, but watch out, ..... as your Hobby soon becomes an obsession... :)

 

Wow, that's a lot of books on fishing. Mine are mostly historical. Churchill's History of the English-Speaking Peoples, 1st ed. set for example. I got rid of my National Geographic collection a few years ago to make room. Some issues dated back to 1919.

 

So, I presume both you have several bookcases? How about you, John?

 

Jan - no problem. :)

Be good and you will be lonely.
~ Mark Twain

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i have a steel box in the loft and another in the shed and a small bookcase with the choiser ones in ,make me look learned to visitors if we let one in,we could have a bookcase picturama :D

although in my case the best are immediatly sold ,might do better in an intrepid picturama though

Edited by chesters1

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Reading the posts here has got me thinking I really must clear out my bookshelves. Hardbacks and non-fiction only i.e hardback non-fiction, is what I should keep and chuck out all those paperback novels, what's the point in keeping them? Never read them twice (OK rarely read them twice).

 

My oldest fishing book (undated) is Rod and Line by Arthur Ransome (probably not that old).

 

My oldest other book is Johnson's Rasselas, 1898. My most treasured book is Boswell's Life of Johnson, unabridged, 1929.

 

Bit of a Johnson fan then.

 

I need to get obsessive about something else before I turn into an obsessive compulsive.

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So, I presume both you have several bookcases? How about you, John?

 

Yep, several. I'm thinking of turning the spare bedroom into a library now - I've come to the conclusion that I want my wardrobe back (it's stuffed full of books at the moment, whilst clothes are piled in a corner of the bedroom!)

John S

Quanti Canicula Ille In Fenestra

 

Species caught in 2017 Common Ash, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, White Willow.

Species caught in 2016: Alder, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Crab Apple, Left Earlobe, Pedunculate Oak, Rock Whitebeam, Scots Pine, Smooth-leaved Elm, Swan, Wayfaring tree.

Species caught in 2015: Ash, Bird Cherry, Black-Headed Gull, Common Hazel, Common Whitebeam, Elder, Field Maple, Gorse, Puma, Sessile Oak, White Willow.

Species caught in 2014: Big Angry Man's Ear, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Common Whitebeam, Downy Birch, European Beech, European Holly, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, Wych Elm.
Species caught in 2013: Beech, Elder, Hawthorn, Oak, Right Earlobe, Scots Pine.

Species caught in 2012: Ash, Aspen, Beech, Big Nasty Stinging Nettle, Birch, Copper Beech, Grey Willow, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Wasp Nest (that was a really bad day), White Poplar.
Species caught in 2011: Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Elder, Fir, Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut, Oak, Passing Dog, Rowan, Sycamore, Willow.
Species caught in 2010: Ash, Beech, Birch, Elder, Elm, Gorse, Mullberry, Oak, Poplar, Rowan, Sloe, Willow, Yew.

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Anybody familiar with The New Compleate Angler by Stephen Downes? It's one of the most intriguing angling books in my collection. I like the fact that it's not all "how-to" information, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

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I don't like reading fiction much although I enjoyed the Pub Landlord's book by the comedian Al Murray.

I have about 150 coarse angling books which I've read from cover to cover.

I am just finishing 'Falling in again' by Chris Yates which although still good; is not one of his best and I am then gong to start reading 'Big Barbel - Bonded by the challenge'.

One of my favourites is 'Confessions of a Carp Fisherman' - by BB which is a small book which I think is the first fishing book to concentrate on Carp only and I think was written in 1950 when the UK record was in its 20s.

Besides two different reprints of the Compleat Angler by Isaak Walton I also have various books dating back to 1910. One book that I want to read next is 'Barbel Rivers and Captures' (Barbel Catchers club book).

Happiness is Fish shaped (it used to be woman shaped but the wife is getting on a bit now)

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Anybody familiar with The New Compleate Angler by Stephen Downes? It's one of the most intriguing angling books in my collection. I like the fact that it's not all "how-to" information, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

 

I agree, it's an excellent book. Here's the review I wrote of it that's on my Classic Fishing Books website (link below):

 

Review: The New Compleat Angler by Stephen Downes. Illustrated by Martin Knowelden.

I mentioned when I started this site that I`d draw your attention to overlooked books that could be considered classics. Well, the New Compleat Angler really is a prime example.

 

The foreword is by Richard Walker who wrote `... I find the word scholarly altogether inadequate ..... I know of no other book dealing either with fishing or fish, in which the author has been able to combine important information with an appreciation of the beauty of a creature, expressed in splendid prose, which, in places, is almost poetry...... I can only in one plain, blunt word, describe this book as magnificant.`

 

Not only is the book beautifully written, but it also contains a wealth of little-known but highly useful information on the habits of just about every UK freshwater fish, plus how to catch them. This for me is what sets it apart from other modern fishing books, for most contain very little that`s new to the reader. Here there`s a marvellous collection of fishy facts from someone who`s clearly done a lot of research. It therefore comes as no surprise to discover that Stephen Downes has a doctorate in zoology. The chapter on perch in particular is exceptional, and in fact so good I believe the book is worth buying for this alone.

 

However, the New Compleat Angler is very far from being a dry textbook. As Richard Walker said it`s spendidly written, and the author includes many references and quotations from the great works of the past. The text is supplemented by a large number of charming watercolours and sketches from professional artist, Martin Knowelden.

 

Why then is The New Compleat Angler so little known? Could it be the rather unfortunate title, which was chosen to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Issac Walton`s death? Perhaps it`s because the author isn`t a well-known angler or angling writer? It`s certainly not because the book is overpriced. Indeed, if you pay as much as £10 for it you`ll have paid too much! Mind you, it`ll have been one of the best tenners you`ll ever have spent!

 

Steve Burke

 

Copyright Steve Burke, 2004.

 

Published 1983 by Orbis. ISBN 0-85613-553-4.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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so its not actually new then <_<

the best illustrated one i have seen for a while is at the waters edge ,havn't read it (dont want the writing to fade) but the pictures are great

Edited by chesters1

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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