Unwanted or unsuitable Angling Books

[minkyandbear]

On the tail of the excellent thread on influential Angling Books it made me think about the more unsuitable angling books we were given, especially as children.

I recall well meaning relations, knowing I was a fishing mad child, giving me some very dubious books. Often a compendium, cobbled together from other compendiums. Normally out of date, incorrectly captioned but in full colour. I seem to recall receiving one such shocker published by Marks & Spencers., circa early 1970's. I was never ungrateful of course.

Even more bizarre was when my dear Grandmother presented me with The Ladybird book of Coarse Fishing. A lovely little book, quaint and of its time and containing advice which is still true today. What made it bizarre was the fact I was thirteen and had been fishing since I was five. Still a kind thought and I still have the book. Anyone else had a copy?

So then name and shame those dubious publications.

 

[BoldBear]

I don’t have the Ladybird book on fishing but I do have the tiny Observer book on fishing which Ive had a very very long time. This small book is not too bad although a bit out of date.

I also have a book written well over a hundred years ago that is a bit dubious with its facts because it talks about male and female lobworms being different with the males having the saddle????
Of course we now know that this is totally untrue

Keith

 

[mickthechippy]

You only have to take a look through the Angling section in our local library to see a shedload of unsuitable books

most that are on display are of the "Coffee Table" type and whilst having a good set of photos in them, are pretty rubbish on the rest of the content

though saying that, if you have the title and ISBN the very nice ladies behind the counter will do their utmost best to source you books through the inter library lending service

 

[squimp]

I’ve got the Ladybird one.

a few rubbish books:

Norman s Wetherall-Pike fishing. One of many terrible pike books; all made obsolete by Rickards and Webb (1971 I think).

An American called Jack Samson has written 2 books on permit fishing. It turns out he has only caught a handful so why he decided to write a rubbish book on perhaps the most difficult fish to catch on a fly, god knows. Some body must have bought it because he only went and wrote another one !

 

[mickthechippy]

Being the Silvers head I am, any book with the word "roach" in the title causes a loosening of the purse strings

Jack Hiltons, "roach fishing step by step" was one that was read through and has gathered dust ever since

 

[Arry]

Some of the methods or techniques in these would be frowned upon today... but they were largely relevant in their day... and mostly still educational

 

[minkyandbear]

Being the Silvers head I am, any book with the word "roach" in the title causes a loosening of the purse strings

Jack Hiltons, "roach fishing step by step" was one that was read through and has gathered dust ever since

Remember it well. I borrowed it from the library and suffice to say it didn't have an overdue fine!

 

[Silver fan 82]

I have a couple of older books that are quite dated by today's standards but the principles of fishing never change.
This one was my Mum's when she fished back in the 60s / 70s?
And this one is very similar but I have no idea where it came from.

 

[nejohn]

I get one every year at Christmas from Kathy's parents, usually a really badly written beginners guide to ' fishing' ffs I have been fishing for nearly 50 years.... I think I may have now passed the beginners stage

 

[Me and my lad]

I had that ladybird book. It did what it was supposed to do, it created an interest. The floats etc I had seen at my uncle's house so took it as History.

 

[Simon90]

The 'New Compleat Angler' is one title that didn't take, although it beautifully illustrated. Now it sits on a shelf collecting dust.
'The Art of Angling' by Kenneth Mansfield in three volumes, circa 1950's is an interesting read, just to see what and how things were done back then compared to today. Richard Walker wrote the chapter on carp, he claims that carp fishing is unlikely to catch on, and would always be a minority sport because of the long hours required to catch anything, amongst other things.

 

[rudd]

Amazon product
Still only half way through and have been reading for years!

 

[Deejay8]

I seem to remember a few books in the early 1980s, sold by companies like M&S that were clearly just repackaged versions of American publications and had extensive chapters on lure fishing and baitcasting for fish like freshwater bass, or flyfishing for various types of salmon.

 

[Arry]

Me fishing and Biggles collection, (couple of rogues in there too) but they all get read again and again

 

[commieboy257]

I read the Ladybird one at primary school aged about 10. Opening pages it tells you that you can catch fish with a hook made from a bent pin (!)
I also had the fishermans handbook delivered every week as a kid. didn;t make any difference I still blanked continually.

 

[Tinca Steve]

Me fishing and Biggles collection, (couple of rogues in there too) but they all get read again and again

Got a lot of carp titles there @Arry.

 

[Dave Spence]

Read one book that advocated fishing for eels in the close season. It stated that it was legal provided you didn't use a hook, instead you had a lump of cotton waste tied on the line and you threaded worms into the fibres. The idea was that the cotton would snag on the eels teeth, negating the need for a hook.

 

[Arry]

Got a lot of carp titles there @Arry.

I was heavily into carping in the 70's to the 90's... carping took a back seat when I got picked for the match team in 94... now I'm an all rounder since I gave up match fishing