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What are your top ten angling books?

Ady Brayshaw

Ady Brayshaw

Senior Member & Supporter
I did think of making it the top 5, but there are so many that I like, that 10 seems more appropriate šŸ˜€. Mine are:

1. A pikers progress - John Watson
2. Red Eye - Mick Cutler
3. Tinca Tinca - Tench fishers
4. Mammoth Pike (x2 editions) - Neville Fickling
5. The Eel Angler- Barry McConnell (eccentricity personifiedšŸ˜‚)
6. First run shark - Mike Thrussell
7. Tunny - M Berry
8. Chew Valley Giants- Phil Wakeford
9. In Pursuit of the Largest - Terry Hearn (inspirational)
10. Elite Barbel - Tony Miles
 
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Iā€™m not a serious carper but recently read Adrift by Gareth Fareham and found it very inspirational
All of Terry Hearns books
both books by Terry Lampard
ā€˜Time for tenchā€™ Chris Turnbull
 
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Fred j Taylorā€™s ā€œFishing for Tenchā€ was a favourite of mine when I was young as were the two Fred Buller books ā€œThe Domesday Book of Mammoth Pikeā€ and ā€œPike and Pike Anglerā€. I still have my hard back copies of both and a soft back version of the second which is very special. It is special because it has a hand written and initialled note from the author on page 210 reflecting a correction to the date he caught a 25 lb fish from Lough Mask and I got it as part of the provenance when I purchased the cased specimen after he had it set up. It also came with a hand written note that guaranteed the authenticity.

I also loved Kevin Grozierā€™s ā€œAvon Days and Stour Waysā€ as it describes the beats on the two rivers that I fish the most these days and Kevin Maddockā€™s ā€œCarp Feverā€ as it turned me from a pleasure angler into a specimen hunter.
 
Steve Kenchington said:
Fred j Taylorā€™s ā€œFishing for Tenchā€ was a favourite of mine when I was young as were the two Fred Buller books ā€œThe Domesday Book of Mammoth Pikeā€ and ā€œPike and Pike Anglerā€. I still have my hard back copies of both and a soft back version of the second which is very special. It is special because it has a hand written and initialled note from the author on page 210 reflecting a correction to the date he caught a 25 lb fish from Lough Mask and I got it as part of the provenance when I purchased the cased specimen after he had it set up. It also came with a hand written note that guaranteed the authenticity.

I also loved Kevin Grozierā€™s ā€œAvon Days and Stour Waysā€ as it describes the beats on the two rivers that I fish the most these days and Kevin Maddockā€™s ā€œCarp Feverā€ as it turned me from a pleasure angler into a specimen hunter.
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I once had the honour of sitting next to Fred Buller and his charming wife at an angling function dinner. He was interesting company and an old school gentleman. I still own the softback "Mammoth Pike" version that I purchased in 1979. It should have been the hardback!
 
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Bob Watson said:
I'm surprised Yates hasn't had a mention.

The only angling books I read repeatedly are his!
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I have to say I'm not sure I could list 10 but near the very top would be The Deepening Pool. Quest for Barbel would be there too.
 
In no particular order;

Elite Barbel - Tony Miles
All the Terry Hearn books
Red Eye - Mick Cutler
Catch a Big Fish - David Carl Forbes. I read my dadā€™s copy repeatedly as a kid and that was probably what got me in to wanting catch specific fish or bigger ones.
Secret Carp and Deepening Pool by Chris Yates.
The Forgotten Chapters - Sam Toro/ Gaz Fareham/ various
Fantastic Fishes - Mick Cutler (or Red Letter Days, Iā€™m split on that)

Itā€™s hard to stop at ten but Iā€™ll try and play along.
 
Channel Zander Barry McConnell
The Klink Hans Van Klinken
Canal Fishing Kenneth Seaman
Pulling Against Fish Leighton McDonnell
Battles Against Giant Fish FA Mitchell Hedges
Chalkstream Charles Rangley Wilson
Go Fishing with Mr Crabtree
The Encyclopaedia of Fishing in the British Isles Ed. Michael Pritchard
The Big Fish Scene , various contributors .
Lure Fishing Dave Pugh
 
Another favourite of mine is 'A Specimen Fishing Year' by John Wilson. It is John's fishing diary from 1976 and was written well before he became a household name. Despite the pressures of having a young family and running a tackle shop he manages 100+ sessions across the year, mainly all in Norfolk on venues like the Wensum during it's roach heyday. Everyone should have this in there angling collection - it's a peach.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Another favourite of mine is 'A Specimen Fishing Year' by John Wilson. It is John's fishing diary from 1976 and was written well before he became a household name. Despite the pressures of having a young family and running a tackle shop he manages 100+ sessions across the year, mainly all in Norfolk on venues like the Wensum during it's roach heyday. Everyone should have this in there angling collection - it's a peach.
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I've just ordered a copy n your recommendation
 
David Will 2 said:
Channel Zander Barry McConnell
The Klink Hans Van Klinken
Canal Fishing Kenneth Seaman
Pulling Against Fish Leighton McDonnell
Battles Against Giant Fish FA Mitchell Hedges
Chalkstream Charles Rangley Wilson
Go Fishing with Mr Crabtree
The Encyclopaedia of Fishing in the British Isles Ed. Michael Pritchard
The Big Fish Scene , various contributors .
Lure Fishing Dave Pugh
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Forgot about this one, a favourite of mine too based on eccentric but successful bait concoctions and a lot of his fishing is on the Ouse close to me
 
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