In reply to Post #15
I can't agree about John Harry's book; a nice record of the 'golden age' on an iconic water, but another one I struggled to finish - it just got a bit boring. It's all very subjective, I know.
I can't agree about John Harry's book; a nice record of the 'golden age' on an iconic water, but another one I struggled to finish - it just got a bit boring. It's all very subjective, I know.
Can't believe nobody has mentioned Keith Jenkins.
His trilogy of fictional carp fishing, especially 'The Myth' is a wonderful read.
His trilogy of fictional carp fishing, especially 'The Myth' is a wonderful read.
In reply to Post #1
Very good post and very subjective a bit like music. I cant stand flowery writing... the leaves were turning red and fluttering down...nice now and again and i enjoy but every page...definately not. I enjoy more earthy... even dirty writing and like myself im well aware most of us are not proper writers. Skef on this forum is a proper writer... its not just his passion but its his written word that makes his words even better but quite often thats education thats given some the tools to do an even better book. One thing i will say is i certainly know im not a good writer but im a good story teller who can only use the words i know and thats why most books i enjoy are by anglers who havent tried to hard to be something they are not.... i love reading books and yes some are better than others but in most books there are bits i come out thinking.. i enjoyed this bit or that bit but only a few i think wow i loved the whole book!
Very good post and very subjective a bit like music. I cant stand flowery writing... the leaves were turning red and fluttering down...nice now and again and i enjoy but every page...definately not. I enjoy more earthy... even dirty writing and like myself im well aware most of us are not proper writers. Skef on this forum is a proper writer... its not just his passion but its his written word that makes his words even better but quite often thats education thats given some the tools to do an even better book. One thing i will say is i certainly know im not a good writer but im a good story teller who can only use the words i know and thats why most books i enjoy are by anglers who havent tried to hard to be something they are not.... i love reading books and yes some are better than others but in most books there are bits i come out thinking.. i enjoyed this bit or that bit but only a few i think wow i loved the whole book!
In reply to Post #1
From back in day Hutchinson and Maylin had the balance between technical and smelling the roses.
Recently Bill Cottam and Adam Penning for me
From back in day Hutchinson and Maylin had the balance between technical and smelling the roses.
Recently Bill Cottam and Adam Penning for me
In reply to Post #16
I have picked up a few books over the years. As well as the anglers it's the waters that fascinate me and especially the era, really special times. I have Albert Romps original book and I picked up John Harry's, both on savvy, magical times really and make you want to fish there. Read them a few times lol. Read loads on Wraysbury from Springates unbelievable brace and a lot of the captures and anglers, to Terry Hearns first book, Jim Shelleys and Dave Lanes which both provide brilliant coverage of the water and their times on there. I have the Wraysbury chronicles, started reading it one winter and never completed it, there's a though...
II don't have any Tim Paisley ones which I don't understand why, tell a lie, I bought the more recent carp baits book he did, and I have the Beekay guide by Rob Maylin, cracking little reference at the time but other than that I don't have any other books by him which to be fair, again, I don't understand why, guess he is a bit of a more modern legend really. I have Springates big carp legends and Lee Jackson's too, need to have a look in the loft, i have Mike Willmots and I have a few others too, couple of Martins Clark's (the word curp pisses me off though)
I have picked up a few books over the years. As well as the anglers it's the waters that fascinate me and especially the era, really special times. I have Albert Romps original book and I picked up John Harry's, both on savvy, magical times really and make you want to fish there. Read them a few times lol. Read loads on Wraysbury from Springates unbelievable brace and a lot of the captures and anglers, to Terry Hearns first book, Jim Shelleys and Dave Lanes which both provide brilliant coverage of the water and their times on there. I have the Wraysbury chronicles, started reading it one winter and never completed it, there's a though...
II don't have any Tim Paisley ones which I don't understand why, tell a lie, I bought the more recent carp baits book he did, and I have the Beekay guide by Rob Maylin, cracking little reference at the time but other than that I don't have any other books by him which to be fair, again, I don't understand why, guess he is a bit of a more modern legend really. I have Springates big carp legends and Lee Jackson's too, need to have a look in the loft, i have Mike Willmots and I have a few others too, couple of Martins Clark's (the word curp pisses me off though)
In reply to Post #16
When I read savay I had it in the car intending to lend it to a lad in my local tackle shop, he wasn't there but I chatted to the owner and another guy I recognised. This other guy rarely visited the shop but we got talking in the car park and he saw the book on the dash of my car and he offered to show me around savay so I took his number and made arrangements. At that time you could become a day member and if lucky would after time get on the syndicate. Had the tour and met John Harry and Pete broxup and fully intended to fish there but life got in the way and it never happened. The guy that showed me around passed away years ago and my local shop used to stock his rods but the only ones left in were a pair of extacy's which the shop owner kept, the guy was of course Bruce Ashby.
When I read savay I had it in the car intending to lend it to a lad in my local tackle shop, he wasn't there but I chatted to the owner and another guy I recognised. This other guy rarely visited the shop but we got talking in the car park and he saw the book on the dash of my car and he offered to show me around savay so I took his number and made arrangements. At that time you could become a day member and if lucky would after time get on the syndicate. Had the tour and met John Harry and Pete broxup and fully intended to fish there but life got in the way and it never happened. The guy that showed me around passed away years ago and my local shop used to stock his rods but the only ones left in were a pair of extacy's which the shop owner kept, the guy was of course Bruce Ashby.
In reply to Post #21
Had a Bruce Ashby spod rod, rocketeer was nice,
Savay is that the place thay had mushrooms for breakfast if thay caught, sure I read that in Maylins books
Had a Bruce Ashby spod rod, rocketeer was nice,
Savay is that the place thay had mushrooms for breakfast if thay caught, sure I read that in Maylins books
In reply to Post #20
I agree with most of what you say. If the story and venue are interesting and ideally varies throughout the book I tend to enjoy them. A few of my favourites have already been mentioned, I like the first 2 Dave Lane books and I thought Still Searching was the best read of Terry Heavens. I especially like the books that are a little different, Skeffs definitely fits that category (again not just because I class him as a friend) and I also really enjoyed Stuart Harris book A Coming or Age. I also like the history and have a few on Redmire,, the Chris Ball history books and the Carp Society Every Picture Tells a Story. A few books I have read and been underwhelmed by but the only one I have not been able to finish as really did not enjoy is Martin Clarke's Strictly Carp. Agree with the sentiment that product placement is off putting in books, and thankfully I have not really noticed it hugely in the majority of books I have. As already said, this area is very subjective just as it should be
I agree with most of what you say. If the story and venue are interesting and ideally varies throughout the book I tend to enjoy them. A few of my favourites have already been mentioned, I like the first 2 Dave Lane books and I thought Still Searching was the best read of Terry Heavens. I especially like the books that are a little different, Skeffs definitely fits that category (again not just because I class him as a friend) and I also really enjoyed Stuart Harris book A Coming or Age. I also like the history and have a few on Redmire,, the Chris Ball history books and the Carp Society Every Picture Tells a Story. A few books I have read and been underwhelmed by but the only one I have not been able to finish as really did not enjoy is Martin Clarke's Strictly Carp. Agree with the sentiment that product placement is off putting in books, and thankfully I have not really noticed it hugely in the majority of books I have. As already said, this area is very subjective just as it should be
In reply to Post #17
Had the myth book very good read
Had the myth book very good read
In reply to Post #22
Yes.
Yes.
Not an out and out angling writer as such. But I do like what Gaz Farham did with the subsurface journals. Lots of really nice photography. Definitely not just pages and pages of words then a few capture shots, like so many other books. I think it was Gaz who did the iconic lake illustrations for In Pursuit, it's nice to see some work done from a different angle. Like the excellent BCSG magazines over the years.
In reply to Post #26
Subsurface are doing a biannual magazine now "SUBmag" Wayne. Equally as good as the journals.
Subsurface are doing a biannual magazine now "SUBmag" Wayne. Equally as good as the journals.
In reply to Post #27
I didn't know that. I will check it out.
Cheers
I didn't know that. I will check it out.
Cheers
In reply to Post #1
I agree that Tim Paisley is pretty much peerless as the best carp fishing author of the past 40 years, if you include his books, Carpworld, Matthew Black articles in Coarse Angler, and sheer longevity. Others may have caught bigger fish, and more of them, but they can't express it on paper like he can.
I think his best book is 'Carp Season' which seems to go under the radar for some reason - the Redmire Interview is a great read, like a mini drama in itself (I never quite understood the animosity around Kevin Maddocks. who was my boyhood hero, until I read it). And the Jack Hilton interview is a piece of carp fishing history, plus a great chapter too on the Tip Lake Darenth, in it's heyday, when he was travelling from Sheffield to fish it.
I agree that Tim Paisley is pretty much peerless as the best carp fishing author of the past 40 years, if you include his books, Carpworld, Matthew Black articles in Coarse Angler, and sheer longevity. Others may have caught bigger fish, and more of them, but they can't express it on paper like he can.
I think his best book is 'Carp Season' which seems to go under the radar for some reason - the Redmire Interview is a great read, like a mini drama in itself (I never quite understood the animosity around Kevin Maddocks. who was my boyhood hero, until I read it). And the Jack Hilton interview is a piece of carp fishing history, plus a great chapter too on the Tip Lake Darenth, in it's heyday, when he was travelling from Sheffield to fish it.
Tim Paisley, Rod Hutchinson, Ken T, Chris Yates, Jim Gibbinson, and Elliot Symak.
I have tried reading other carp fishing authors and no-one seems to hold a candle to these guys, though there are some multi species writers I enjoy.
With the exception of Rod Hutchinson, catching big carp does not make you a writer. Yet Hutchy's humour and style were his own.
I have tried reading other carp fishing authors and no-one seems to hold a candle to these guys, though there are some multi species writers I enjoy.
With the exception of Rod Hutchinson, catching big carp does not make you a writer. Yet Hutchy's humour and style were his own.