Freshwater UK & Europe

McDonald & Co Publishers  London, 1988 reprint, 4to, Illust, 176pp, E/P, D/J, Foreword by Richard Walker. Inspired by Izaak Walton, this book celebrates his life on the tercentenary of his death. True to the spirit of the original, the book presents a leisurely and philosophic tour of angling as a passion worthy of true devotion. A book that makes the reader privy to the habits and strategies of many freshwater fish including the biting trout and the leaping salmon. A knowledgeable but humorous text. Illustrated by Martin Knowelden. Slight wear to edges of D/J.   -Fine/Very Good 

J M  Dent & Sons   London, 1985,  4to,  Illust., 160pp    Original green cloth binding with d/j.  Foreword by Sir Michael  Horden. Richly illustrated by the author.  A River Wardens life on two of the most beautiful small rivers in England the Tavy and Walkham.   Armstrong was a river keeper, naturalist and wildlife artist.  Charming pictures and text describing life, incidents and some of the characters like old Long John who at eighty five had never been caught poaching, of Jack 'Cracker' Smith the ageless farmer, the Brigadier, still fishing despite his failing eyesight and of Dave and George the authors colleagues with their droll observations of country life.  Slight Foxing to E/P.  -Fine. 

Freshet Press, New York,  1971 reprint.  8vo 244p, Hardcover in its own slip case. Book has papered boards with green imitation leather spine, gilt title on spine..  The first book to trace the history of the sport from its beginnings in the 15th century. “Major Hills has succeeded in identifying almost all the artificial flies mentioned by the early writers and his account of the evolution of rods, lines, reelsand tackle is very complete”. The author concludes this important work ‘And then I believe that there must be others whom the history of the sport attracts, who are fascinated by the devices of other days, and who are never weary of going back to the old writers, of reading them again, of getting at their real meaning and of seeing where they have anticipated us’. Includes 9 page bibliography of British and French fishing books.   Fine           

B T Batsford Ltd. London. 8vo, Illust, 144pp, D/J. The ‘small stillwater” is more than just a spinoff from the big waters. It is a world of endless variety, tactical variance and often extreme excitement.  In this book world beating flyfisherman and angling instructor Charles Jardine reveals how to get more success from your fishing.  Part one covers equment and techniques. In part two he discusses the imitation of the fly world including a discussion of the fly and includes fly tying and recommended patterns for each month of the year. Part three discusses the tactics  that lead to the success, He concludes with his vision of the future. -Very Fine  

A & C Black London, 1970 reprint with Salmon & Trout  review tipped in, 8vo Illust 217p D/J,  Based on his earlier book  Dry Fly Beginnings,  review tipped in FEP (tape marks), but incorporates a wealth of new material, particularly dealing with the progress on the development of modern fishing tackle.   Chapters on casting and equipment, on the trout, trout waters and flies,  the chalk stream  and other waters, fly life and other odds and ends.. A good section on water during the different periods of the season. Twelve black and white photos and many drawings.  - Fine                                                                                 

Collins London, 1946, 8vo, Illustrated, 190pp, D/J, “Major Buxton givesus delightful accounts of his fishing expeditions for brown trout, sea trout and salmon, in Hampshire, Scotland, and Norway. He writes about terriers, about red deer, black game, otters and many types of birds. His final chapter on Nature Reserves is of particular interestin connection with the UK land poliy in the future”  ”  Illustrated by 78 black and white photographs. Removeable protective plastic cover. Fine/Very Good.        

Stanley Paul London,  1991 reprint,  8vo Illust. 127pp.  D/J.  Illustrations by Patrick Benson.   With three reprints in its first year of publication this became the most famous British fly fishing autobiography. "Here are his elusive fishing recollections told in a series of sometimes vividly comic chronological cameos - from Yorkshire schooldays in the early 1930's, through memorable outings on chalk stream, spate river and loch, to a startling conclusion half a lifetime later on a Scottish summer night.   Will appeal to everyone, even [especially?] those who have never held a rod".   Came to promenance when featured in an advertisement for the UK Yellow pages television advert, first shown in 1983. Norman Lumsden played the author in the TV advertisement. It was so popular that writers Russell and Lapsley were commissioned to provide a text for this, up-to-then, fictitious, book. D/j has permanent plastic cover. -Fine /Fine.                                                                               

Eyre & Spottiswoode.  London, 1950 Reprint 16mo,  Illust,  568pp.  Blue cloth sl rubbed,   A unique collection of country and field sports writings compiled by B.B’s as well as some of his best uncollected newspaper and magazine articles. A charming anthology of fishing, with contributions by G.E.M. Skues, Arthur Ransome, Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald and many others, Front and back of D/J available. -Very Good. 

Michael Joseph London. 1980 New Edn, 8vo. Illust. 164p. D/J. Illustrated by Denys Watkins-Pitchford.  BB is thankful that he knew the sport of wildfowling at its very best between the wars when the lonely wastes of the Wash were thronged with fowl in winter.   But with better roads and better access many of the great haunts of wildfowls are now patrolled by irresponsible men who will shoot at anything that flies. This book captures some of the magic of the tideways, the shapes and colours of the clouds, the effects of light on the marshes and sea, and patterns of the flighting fowl, D/J has some rubbing and prelims have some browning. -Very Good. 

A & C Black   London,  1906 1^st Edn., 12mo, Illust, 256pp, Green decorative cloth with gilt titles and motif. Eight colour plates of paintings by Charles Whymper.  Beautifully illustrated account an views on the impact of weather on fish and fishing by one hundred notable anglers.  “All the contriutors opinions produce much conflict and an impression is given that weather makes little difference to the fish, but massively changes the methods used in fishing and the reactions and behaviour of the life-forms the fish are feeding on.”  Light foxing. - Near Fine.