year-old Tadhg from Oxford accompanies John to the riverbank for a series of lessons in watercraft and the signs of a healthy waterway. Crabtree to a new generation of anglers, to share our love of fishing for all species, and to help us spread the word. The watercolours are so evocative of the British countryside and its wildlife and delight fishermen and non fishermen alike. It’s very likely that you refer to ‘Crabtree swims’, that you know what a ‘gentle’ is and that the idea of fishing in a tweed three-piece-suit doesn’t really seem that odd to you. Whether he was writing or painting he was able to capture the moment, set the scene and draw us in to his world and we felt the tingle of excitement every time we believed that we too could catch that tench or a big roach or feel the power of a hard fighting barbel.

As a child I spent many hours reading and re-reading this book in the dark winter nights, dreaming of spring and to catch a Tench! But there are so many exceptions that prophesying about pike fishing is a most unrewarding occupation. The artwork gives the book a sense of the present – the heart-rate quickens with the dip of the float or the flicker of the bread bobbin. A FAITHFUL REPRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION, AND LOOKING EXACTLY SIMILAR WITH FISH IN LANDING NET TO FRONT COVER AND GREEN CLOTH BACKSTRIP, THIS 5OTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION IS VG.His weekly articles in the Mirror were not just a snap shot of angling but encompassed the passion, the excitement and the thrill of angling and the countryside.

A centre pin reel is a joy to use on a fast flowing river in the winter with float gear, and as somone said above there's a revival in their use in the UK. This vintage guidebook is filled with articles, photographs and comics and will add so much character to any library it is placed in! Or was there something about the trajectory of the cast that allowed for a longer cast, but a softer or quieter landing when fishing cross-river as apparently is required by the spooky fish in that area? A super book 'The Best of British baits' by Chris Sandford is well worth having a look at, some great pictures, catalogue info etc.i think every youngster beginning fishing should be made to read this cover to cover before even going to local lake, river.